Year of the Tiger
Brave, confident, competitive. Years, personality, love, work and compatibility of the Tiger.
The Tiger is the third sign and the zodiac's symbol of courage. In Chinese culture the tiger is the king of the animals, and its image is traditionally used to guard homes and children.
Quick answer. You are a Tiger if you were born in 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 or any other year in the cycle (every 12 years), from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next one. The latest Tiger year began on 1 February 2022 and ended on 21 January 2023.
| Order in the zodiac | 3 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | Yin |
| Own element and polarity | Wood, yang |
| Recent years | 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| Harmonious with | Horse, Dog, Pig |
| Challenging with | Monkey, Snake |
| Lucky numbers (traditional) | 1, 3, 4 |
| Lucky colours (traditional) | blue, gray, white, orange |
Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Tiger years: are you a Tiger?
You are a Tiger if you were born in a Tiger year, from its Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Recent Tiger years are 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034. The table lists every Tiger year from 1900 to 2100 with its exact dates. A January or early February birthday often belongs to the previous animal: Chinese New Year in 2022 was on 1 February 2022, for instance, so anyone born earlier that January was a Ox.
| Year | Sign | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1902 | Water Tiger | 8 February 1902 | 28 January 1903 |
| 1914 | Wood Tiger | 26 January 1914 | 13 February 1915 |
| 1926 | Fire Tiger | 13 February 1926 | 1 February 1927 |
| 1938 | Earth Tiger | 31 January 1938 | 18 February 1939 |
| 1950 | Metal Tiger | 17 February 1950 | 5 February 1951 |
| 1962 | Water Tiger | 5 February 1962 | 24 January 1963 |
| 1974 | Wood Tiger | 23 January 1974 | 10 February 1975 |
| 1986 | Fire Tiger | 9 February 1986 | 28 January 1987 |
| 1998 | Earth Tiger | 28 January 1998 | 15 February 1999 |
| 2010 | Metal Tiger | 14 February 2010 | 2 February 2011 |
| 2022 | Water Tiger | 1 February 2022 | 21 January 2023 |
| 2034 | Wood Tiger | 19 February 2034 | 7 February 2035 |
| 2046 | Fire Tiger | 6 February 2046 | 25 January 2047 |
| 2058 | Earth Tiger | 24 January 2058 | 11 February 2059 |
| 2070 | Metal Tiger | 11 February 2070 | 30 January 2071 |
| 2082 | Water Tiger | 29 January 2082 | 16 February 2083 |
| 2094 | Wood Tiger | 15 February 2094 | 4 February 2095 |
Check a birth year
Tiger age chart for 2027
How old are people born in Tiger years in 2027? The age depends on the birthday, so each row gives two ages: the lower one if the birthday in 2027 has not yet come, and the higher one after it.
| Year | Sign | Chinese year | Age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Metal Tiger | 17 February 1950 – 5 February 1951 | 76 or 77 |
| 1962 | Water Tiger | 5 February 1962 – 24 January 1963 | 64 or 65 |
| 1974 | Wood Tiger | 23 January 1974 – 10 February 1975 | 52 or 53 |
| 1986 | Fire Tiger | 9 February 1986 – 28 January 1987 | 40 or 41 |
| 1998 | Earth Tiger | 28 January 1998 – 15 February 1999 | 28 or 29 |
| 2010 | Metal Tiger | 14 February 2010 – 2 February 2011 | 16 or 17 |
| 2022 | Water Tiger | 1 February 2022 – 21 January 2023 | 4 or 5 |
The legend of the Tiger
In the Great Race, the Tiger fought the river currents and arrived third. It is often said that it would have come first if it had not been swept downstream by the water.
Tiger personality
Tigers are traditionally described as bold, charismatic and competitive. They like challenge, take the lead naturally and are generous when they feel respected. They are also described as impulsive and sensitive to criticism, and they dislike being told what to do.
Strengths
- Courage and confidence
- Charisma and natural leadership
- Generosity toward friends
- Energy for a challenge
- Strong sense of fairness
Weaknesses
- Impulsiveness
- Impatience with rules and authority
- A competitive streak that can turn into rivalry
- Restlessness when bored
Tiger at home and in the family
At home the Tiger is described as a generous and protective head of the household, playful with children and quick to defend its family. Tigers are thought to be warm but strong-willed, and a little too used to being in charge.
Tiger as a friend
As a friend the Tiger is loyal, adventurous and generous, the one who organises the trip or stands up for you. Tradition adds that a Tiger can be touchy about its pride and slow to forgive being let down.
Tiger in love and relationships
In love, the Tiger is described as passionate, loyal and protective. It wants excitement and admiration, and it tends to fall in love quickly. The usual friction is independence: a Tiger can feel cornered by too many demands. Tradition suggests partners who admire its courage and give it room to roam.
Tiger career and work style
Traditional descriptions place the Tiger in leadership roles and active careers: management, the military, sport, entrepreneurship, law, performance and any job with room for initiative. Tigers are said to be bolder with money than most, for better or worse.
In a team the Tiger is described as the natural leader and risk-taker who energises others. It works best with autonomy and a real challenge and can clash with rigid rules or bosses.
Tiger and money
Tigers are traditionally seen as bold with money: able to earn well and take a risk, and equally able to spend or lose it on impulse. A trusted adviser is the usual suggestion.
Tiger under stress
Under stress a Tiger is said to become impatient, argumentative and restless, or to push harder instead of resting. Physical activity and honest conversation are the traditional remedies.
Advice for the Tiger
The traditional advice for a Tiger is to listen before acting, to pick its battles and to let others share the credit.
Tiger compatibility
In the traditional system the Tiger is harmonious with Horse, Dog (its trine) and with Pig, its secret friend. Its opposite sign, which tradition calls a clash, is the Monkey, and the Snake forms a harm pair with it. Every other pairing has no special relationship. These are conversation starters and not predictions.
| Sign | With the Tiger | What tradition says |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Rat’s quick-witted meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐂 Ox | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Ox’s diligent meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐅 Tiger | Same sign | Two Tigers share the same strengths and the same blind spots, so they understand each other quickly and can also repeat each other’s habits. |
| 🐇 Rabbit | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Rabbit’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐉 Dragon | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Dragon’s ambitious meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐍 Snake | Harm pair | A harm pair. The Tiger’s brave and the Snake’s wise can misread each other, so honesty and patience matter. |
| 🐎 Horse | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Tiger’s brave goes well with the Horse’s energetic, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐐 Goat | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Goat’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐒 Monkey | Clash: opposite sign | Opposite signs. The Tiger’s brave meets the Monkey’s clever, which attracts and irritates in equal measure. |
| 🐓 Rooster | No special relationship | No classical link. The Tiger’s brave and the Rooster’s observant meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐕 Dog | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Tiger’s brave goes well with the Dog’s loyal, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐖 Pig | Secret friend | Secret friends. The Tiger’s brave is balanced by the Pig’s generous, a bond described as close and complementary. |
Compare two Chinese zodiac signs
The five kinds of Tiger
The element of the year adds a second layer to the animal. Wood is described as growth and creativity, Fire as passion and leadership, Earth as stability, Metal as discipline and Water as adaptability. Here are the Tiger years of each element, with how tradition describes each kind. Read more in our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements.
| Sign | Years (1900–2100) | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Tiger | 1914, 1974, 2034, 2094 | The Wood Tiger is described as more cooperative and creative than other Tigers, with a warm, idealistic leadership style. |
| Fire Tiger | 1926, 1986, 2046 | The Fire Tiger is described as the most dynamic Tiger, charismatic, daring and quick to anger, a born performer. |
| Earth Tiger | 1938, 1998, 2058 | The Earth Tiger is described as more practical and patient, a steady leader who thinks before it pounces. |
| Metal Tiger | 1950, 2010, 2070 | The Metal Tiger is described as fiercely determined and independent, with great drive and a stubborn streak. |
| Water Tiger | 1902, 1962, 2022, 2082 | The Water Tiger is described as the most diplomatic Tiger, intuitive and persuasive, able to hide its ambition behind charm. |
Famous people born in Tiger years
Based on publicly reported dates of birth, and using the exact Chinese New Year of each birth year, these well-known people belong to the Tiger: Leonardo DiCaprio (11 November 1974); Lady Gaga (28 March 1986); Marilyn Monroe (1 June 1926); Tom Cruise (3 July 1962); Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926); Usain Bolt (21 August 1986). Whether the sign says anything about them is a matter of interpretation.
The Tiger in 2027, the Year of the Fire Goat
The Tiger has no special classical relationship with the Goat. Tradition describes a neutral year for the Tiger, one that depends more on your own choices than on the pairing of the signs. This is folklore, not a forecast. See the Chinese New Year 2027 page for every sign.
Lucky numbers and colours
One commonly quoted list gives the lucky numbers 1, 3, 4 and the lucky colours blue, gray, white, orange for the Tiger. Such lists differ between sources and belong to popular folklore, not to any fixed rule.
The neighbouring signs
The Ox comes before the Tiger and the Rabbit comes after it. See all twelve in our guide to the Chinese zodiac.
Frequently asked questions
What years are the Tiger years?
Recent Tiger years are 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034. Each one runs from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next. For example, the 2022 Tiger year runs from 1 February 2022 to 21 January 2023. See the years chart for every date.
Am I a Tiger if I was born in January or February?
Only if your birthday is on or after that year’s Chinese New Year. For example, Chinese New Year in 2022 was on 1 February 2022, so a person born on 10 January 2022 belongs to the previous animal, the Ox, and not to the Tiger.
What is the personality of the Tiger?
Brave, confident, competitive. Tigers are traditionally described as bold, charismatic and competitive. They like challenge, take the lead naturally and are generous when they feel respected. They are also described as impulsive and sensitive to criticism, and they dislike being told what to do.
What are the Tiger’s strengths?
Courage and confidence; Charisma and natural leadership; Generosity toward friends; Energy for a challenge; Strong sense of fairness.
What are the Tiger’s weaknesses?
Impulsiveness; Impatience with rules and authority; A competitive streak that can turn into rivalry; Restlessness when bored. Every sign has both strengths and weaknesses in this tradition.
What are the best careers for the Tiger?
Traditional descriptions place the Tiger in leadership roles and active careers: management, the military, sport, entrepreneurship, law, performance and any job with room for initiative. Tigers are said to be bolder with money than most, for better or worse.
How does the Tiger behave in love?
In love, the Tiger is described as passionate, loyal and protective. It wants excitement and admiration, and it tends to fall in love quickly. The usual friction is independence: a Tiger can feel cornered by too many demands. Tradition suggests partners who admire its courage and give it room to roam.
Which signs are compatible with the Tiger?
Traditionally the Tiger is harmonious with Horse, Dog and Pig, and challenging with Monkey and Snake. See the full compatibility chart.
What is the Tiger’s element?
The Tiger is a Wood animal and a yang sign. Each year also has its own element, so Tiger years can be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The table on this page lists them all.
How old is a Tiger in 2027?
People born in 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986 turn 5, 17, 29, 41 in 2027, and are one year younger until their birthday. The table on this page gives the ages for every Tiger year since 1940.
Which animal comes before and after the Tiger?
The Ox comes before the Tiger and the Rabbit comes after it.
What are the Tiger’s lucky numbers and colours?
One commonly quoted list gives the numbers 1, 3, 4 and the colours blue, gray, white, orange. Such lists differ between sources and belong to folklore.
Other signs
For culture and entertainment. The Chinese zodiac is a traditional system of folklore and symbolism. It cannot predict events, and it is not medical, financial, legal or relationship advice. See the full disclaimer.