Chinese Tiger sign: years, character and compatibility
The Tiger, third animal of the Chinese zodiac: years, Wood element, symbolic portrait, the guardian tiger and the “king” mark, traditional compatibility and nuances by element.
Key points
| Chinese character | 虎 (hǔ) |
|---|---|
| Rank in the cycle | 3 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | 寅 (yín), yang polarity |
| Element of the branch | Wood |
| Traditional hour | 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Season and direction | Spring, east-northeast |
| Recent years | 1998, 2010, 2022 |
| Traditional trio | Tiger, Horse, Dog |
The Tiger in brief
The Tiger is the third animal of the cycle. In the traditional calendar of the Han period, the branch of the Tiger designates the first month of the calendar, at the beginning of spring, the month when life resumes; this is why its image combines momentum and power. King of the animals in the Chinese imagination, the tiger is at once feared, respected and used as a protector.
Its Chinese name is 虎, pronounced hǔ. It corresponds to the earthly branch 寅 (yín), which has yang polarity and which carries, in the theory of the five phases, the element Wood. Be careful not to confuse this element of the animal with the element of your year of birth, which varies: see below. In the traditional division of the day, the branch 寅 designates the hour from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. It is linked to the season of spring and to the east-northeast on the traditional compass.
The years of the Tiger (1936 to 2032)
Here are the years under the sign of the Tiger, with the element of each and the exact dates (Chinese New Year, according to the tables of the Hong Kong Observatory). A person born in January or early February, before the date indicated, generally belongs to the previous sign.
| Year | Sign and element | Polarity | Period (from Chinese New Year to the eve of the next one) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Earth Tiger | yang | from 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939 |
| 1950 | Metal Tiger | yang | from 17 February 1950 to 5 February 1951 |
| 1962 | Water Tiger | yang | from 5 February 1962 to 24 January 1963 |
| 1974 | Wood Tiger | yang | from 23 January 1974 to 10 February 1975 |
| 1986 | Fire Tiger | yang | from 9 February 1986 to 28 January 1987 |
| 1998 | Earth Tiger | yang | from 28 January 1998 to 15 February 1999 |
| 2010 | Metal Tiger | yang | from 14 February 2010 to 2 February 2011 |
| 2022 | Water Tiger | yang | from 1 February 2022 to 21 January 2023 |
To understand this calculation, see the page on calculating the Chinese sign.
Symbolic portrait of the Tiger
Tradition describes the Tiger as brave, energetic and independent. It is associated with a taste for challenge, frankness, generosity towards loved ones and a presence that asserts itself without raising its voice. The Tiger is the one who takes the lead, protects, and dares what others do not dare.
The symbolic downside: impulsiveness, a taste for risk, a certain impatience with rules and authority, and difficulty admitting its mistakes. Popular portraits also evoke a need for recognition and a temperament with little tolerance for boredom. These are traits of tradition: many people born in a Tiger year are cautious and discreet, which is just as normal.
In France, too, the tiger has a reputation for ferocity. Do not, however, carry that meaning over into the pages of Chinese tradition: there, the tiger is as much a guardian as a predator.
The Tiger in Chinese culture
The king of the animals. On a tiger’s forehead, the stripes form a pattern that is compared to the character 王 (wáng), “king”: this is why it is often called the “king of beasts”. The remark is popular rather than scholarly, more cheerful than learned, but it has left a lasting mark on the image of the tiger.
A protective animal. Tiger-head shoes, hats and pillows, given to children in several regions of northern China, belong to a tradition of symbolic protection. The White Tiger (白虎, bái hǔ) is also one of the four guardian animals of the cardinal directions: it represents the west and autumn in traditional cosmology.
Dragon and Tiger. The pair of the dragon and the tiger is a classic motif in art, in the martial arts and in Taoist thought, where it is seen as the union of complementary forces. In literature, the novel Outlaws of the Marsh (Shuihu zhuan) recounts the famous episode in which the hero Wu Song kills a tiger with his bare hands.
The real tiger. Wild tiger populations have declined sharply in Asia, including the South China tiger, which specialists in conservation consider probably extinct in the wild. The symbolic animal is everywhere; the living animal, for its part, needs protection.
The five Tigers by element
In the sixty-year cycle, each animal successively receives each of the five elements. The portraits below are traditional symbolic nuances: they do not describe real personalities and are not universal.
| Variant | Years (1924 to 2043) | Symbolic nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Tiger | 1974, 2034 | Warm, creative, generous; can scatter itself and tire quickly. |
| Fire Tiger | 1926, 1986 | Passionate, charismatic, impulsive; the most ardent of the five. |
| Earth Tiger | 1938, 1998 | More thoughtful and practical; calm courage, but slow to decide. |
| Metal Tiger | 1950, 2010 | Determined, disciplined, demanding; can become sharp-tongued or uncompromising. |
| Water Tiger | 1962, 2022 | More intuitive and diplomatic; its strength lies in adaptation rather than attack. |
Take the example of a Wood Tiger year: the element of the year is Wood, while the element of the animal itself is Wood. Some schools look at how the two respond to each other (production, control, harmony). These are frameworks for reading, not verdicts.
Traditional compatibility of the Tiger
Tradition compares the animals of two people by looking at their places on the circle of the twelve branches. For the Tiger, here are the classic relationships.
| Traditional relationship | Animals concerned | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Trio of affinities (sanhe) | Tiger, Horse and Dog | Three animals spaced four ranks apart, often presented as sharing the same momentum |
| Union (liuhe, “six harmonies”) | Tiger and Pig | A pair of animals linked by tradition, seen as complementary |
| Opposition (liuchong) | Tiger and Monkey | Two animals six ranks apart, facing each other on the circle: contrast, friction |
| Harm (liuhai) | Tiger and Snake | A link described as “troublesome”: possible misunderstandings, according to tradition |
These rules come from the theory of the branches and do not measure the value of a relationship: two people with “opposed” animals can get along very well, and two “united” animals can quarrel. Some sources add other relationships (“punishments”, “destructions”), which shows that these grids vary between schools. Keep them as a set of mirrors, never as a verdict on a couple, a friendship or a hiring decision.
To go further: questions for reflection
If you were born under this sign, or simply want to understand the image it carries, here are some questions to ask yourself, without expecting a right answer.
- What courage have I already shown, and what did it ask of me in return?
- In which situations has my impulsiveness served me, and when has it cost me?
- Whom would I like to trust enough to let myself be guided?
- How can I protect others without taking their place?
Like all Chinese astrology, the portrait of the Tiger is a symbolic tradition: with no scientific proof, it predicts neither your character nor your future. For an overview, read the introduction to Chinese astrology.
Frequently asked questions
Which years are Tiger years?
1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 and 2034. The Water Tiger year of 2022 began on 1 February 2022; the year of 1974 (Wood Tiger) began on 23 January 1974.
What is the element of the Tiger?
The element proper to the Tiger is Wood (branch 寅). The element of your year of birth varies: Earth in 1998, Metal in 2010, Water in 2022, Wood in 2034.
Why is the tiger called the king of the animals?
The stripes on its forehead recall the character 王 (king). It is a popular observation, but it is rooted in Chinese culture, which sees the tiger as a master of the forest.
Which signs does the Tiger traditionally get along with?
With the Horse and the Dog in the trio of affinities, and with the Pig in the traditional union. Its traditional opposite is the Monkey, and the Snake is its “troublesome” sign. These are symbolic reference points.
Is the Tiger a dangerous sign?
No. Some popular beliefs once attributed a difficult temper to people born in a Tiger year, but these are superstitions with no foundation. No sign determines character or luck.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Chinese astrology.