Year of the Tiger: Chinese Zodiac Sign, Personality, Compatibility
Courageous, proud, and trustworthy, the third zodiac sign, Tiger, is one of the showier animals of the Chinese zodiac. People naturally look up to them as leaders, but at the same time, the Tiger is not one to abuse their power and popularity. Man or woman, this sign possesses a lot of fortitude and will always keep their word.
In Chinese culture, a person’s zodiac sign affects their horoscope and all aspects of their life, including love, work, and more. More dynamically, each sign will either be assisted or negatively impacted by the current year. Setbacks can almost certainly be expected in your zodiac birth year, or “Ben Ming Nian,” because the Guardian God of the year won’t look kindly upon you.
Chinese Zodiac Years for Tiger
Chinese New Year, sometimes referred to as the lunar new year, is celebrated in January or early February and signifies the beginning of a new zodiac year based on the lunar calendar. Following the year of the Rabbit, the year of the Tiger occurs once at the end of each 12-year cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar, most recently in 2022. The next time will be 2034. The Chinese zodiac calculator below can show you if you’re a Tiger.
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Read moreChart of Tiger Years, Dates, and Elements
Tiger Year | Start of the Lunar Year | End of the Lunar Year | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
1926 | February 13, 1926 | February 1, 1927 | Fire |
1938 | January 31, 1938 | February 18, 1939 | Earth |
1950 | February 17, 1950 | February 5, 1951 | Metal |
1962 | February 5, 1962 | January 24, 1963 | Water |
1974 | January 23, 1974 | February 10, 1975 | Wood |
1986 | February 9, 1986 | January 28, 1987 | Fire |
1998 | January 28, 1998 | February 15, 1999 | Earth |
2010 | February 14, 2010 | February 2, 2011 | Metal |
2022 | February 1, 2022 | January 21, 2023 | Water |
2034 | January 19, 2034 | February 7, 2035 | Wood |
Tiger Zodiac: Personality and Traits
Tigers like to take charge, and more often than not, they will. This brash attitude may set them back initially, but as they build up experience, they won’t have any shortage of opportunities. Some may see Tigers as unyielding, but no one can deny that Tigers deserve praise and attention for going where no one else will.
The Tiger is a born leader. They are honest and open, but they may come across as domineering at times.
Like many natural leaders, the Tiger may struggle with communication and compromise, especially in their younger years. Before they can earn respect by proving themselves capable and dependable, others may question the Tiger’s ability to lead.
The same is likely to take place in the social sphere. The Tiger’s care and desire to protect their family, friends, and romantic partners may come off as condescending. Therefore, Tigers are advised to learn to occasionally take a backseat and let others drive for a while. This will ensure the Tiger is neither burnt out nor burns any bridges with their strong personality.
Male Tigers
Male Tigers are adventurous, passionate, and ambitious. They prefer to lead at work or in a romantic setting, but that’s only because they’re not afraid of responsibility. Despite their dominant personality, Male Tigers are kind and empathic. If they learn to communicate this softer side, they’ll garner more respect from colleagues and be loved exactly as they are.
Female Tigers
Female Tigers are charming because they are passionate and spontaneous. They dislike tradition or monotony and will never give up their career—where they’ll excel—to stay at home. In fact, many Female Tigers love their independence too much to settle down, while others will go after the one they desire without any interest in being coy.
Tiger and the Five Elements
The five-element theory in Chinese astrology classifies everything, including the zodiac signs, into five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Tiger is governed by wood, but you can also be considered a Tiger of five elements, with different traits, depending on the year of your birth. 2022 was, for example, the year of the Water Tiger.
Element | Year | Personality |
|---|---|---|
Metal | 1950, 2010 | Metal Tigers are proactive and free-spirited. They’re intuitive, often visited by sudden bursts of inspiration. They’re optimistic and confident in following their inspiration, which also means they can be somewhat self-centered. This last trait can lead Metal Tigers to romantic dissatisfaction if they don’t learn to communicate and forgive early on. |
Water | 1962, 2022 | Water Tigers are never afraid of challenges and may even go looking for them. They love learning new skills, for example, and can often become artisans and experts in their chosen field. On the other hand, Water Tigers can be prideful and will often ignore others’ input, which ends up creating trouble for them in the workplace and in romantic pursuits. |
Wood | 1974, 2034 | Wood Tigers are better team players than the other Tigers. Reaching a consensus isn’t as difficult for them, although they prefer to lead rather than follow. This can be accomplished if Wood Tigers bide their time while pushing themselves to become the best at what they do—which is all but a certainty for them. Before then, humility is definitely advised. |
Fire | 1926, 1986 | Fire Tigers are like arrows ready to launch into the air, often possessing enormous energy for their next goal. They’re intelligent and ambitious, although not exactly detail-oriented; both at work and in love, they would benefit from a partner who could help them notice the fine print. Fire Tigers are also accustomed to adulation from a young age, which means they’re most liable to develop an unhealthily large ego. |
Earth | 1938, 1998 | Earth Tigers are logical and pragmatic, although they’re just as ambitious as the other Tigers underneath their more collected exterior. In fact, they tend to be entrepreneurs and are willing to take calculated risks for long-term goals. Earth Tigers tend to fall in love with those who share their vision for the future, but just remember that work isn’t all your partner may wish to discuss on date night! |
Lucky Things for Tigers
The Tiger animal sign is governed by the element of wood. Therefore colors, numbers, and directions associated with the wood element bring good fortune. Water is also a lucky element, while those associated with metal, which can chop wood, are to be avoided. Below is a list of lucky and unlucky things for the Tiger.
Lucky Things (Good Luck)
Lucky numbers: 3, 8
Lucky colors: Blue, Green
Lucky directions: Southeast
Lucky flowers: Plum Blossoms, Chrysanthemum, Cineraria
Things to Avoid (Bad Luck)
Unlucky numbers: 4, 9
Unlucky colors: Gold
Unlucky directions: Northeast
Other unlucky items and things to be avoided:insomnia, speculation
Compatibility: Best and Worst Matches for Tiger
Each zodiac sign has its best and worst matches according to complex calculations involving the five elements system and the characteristics of the signs.
Tiger personalities are, by nature, passionate and expressive. These big cats love to be in love. But their ambition and dominant demeanor will often create complications in their love life. They also tend to be independent and may oftentimes not desire to take another's preferences into consideration.
The best zodiac matches for the Tiger are Horse, Dog, and Pig. With the Horse, the Tiger has a partner that’s just as ambitious as themselves, while the Dog excels in communication, which is one of the Tiger’s biggest shortcomings. The Pig is able to give the Tiger a sense of home, comfort, and stability like no one else can.
The Tiger’s worst matches are Snake and Monkey. The Tiger dislikes the Monkey’s clever tactics, often attributing a lack of honor to them. These two simply have different approaches to life. The Snake finds the Tiger too controlling, while the Tiger thinks the Snake is emotionally unavailable.
Most Compatible: Horse, Dog, Pig
The best zodiac matches for the Tiger are the Horse, the Dog, and the Pig. These auspicious unions can give the Tiger a true partner in love and in life, freeing them to go after their goals, which are to provide their loved ones with all they could ever want.
The Horse is an ambitious free spirit, just like the Tiger. Curiously, instead of growing apart when work proves too tough, these two signs share a camaraderie that rises above romance. They see each other as a partner and respect each other’s drive in life—it’s a match that provides a mirror, which is all too welcome for these two confident signs.
The Tiger may often find themselves at a loss for words to express the full scope of their passion, but the Dog is an expert communicator that will coax it out of their Tiger partner by degrees. The level of patience and understanding that the Dog brings to the union will soothe any of the Tiger’s private worries and give both partners a nurturing environment to grow.
Despite their differences, the Tiger and their Pig partner seem to want the same things in life. The Tiger will work tirelessly to give their partner the financial resources their thriving family requires, while the Pig can create a comfortable and stable home for the Tiger, the sort that the Tiger never dreamed they could have!
Least Compatible: Snake, Monkey
The Tiger, paired up with the Snake or the Monkey, will experience great emotional turbulence and general dissatisfaction with their private life.
It’s strange that the Tiger, who is usually generous, is only inspired by their Monkey partner to be equally calculating. Neither can seem to put themselves in the other’s shoes and will selfishly squirrel away resources and accomplishments, until they finally part ways.
The Tiger and the Snake will likely never let their guard down in this relationship. They may act happy for a time, but neither will stop wondering if the other truly is who they say they are. The Tiger feels underappreciated, while the Snake feels dominated—neither of which is how you want to feel in a blissful partnership.
Best Jobs and Careers for Tiger
Tigers need to feel a sense of purpose that’s separate from financial gains, but they’ll often be rewarded financially for their drive to pursue the ideal. They are leaders and decision-makers, and they need to feel what they do matters. Tigers could consider pursuing a career in politics, the legal field, as a part or adjacent to the police force, and social work. They would also make excellent doctors, activists, or any career related to the outdoors.
Expecting the Tiger to do the same job day in and day out is unrealistic. They don’t care about money, so they won’t stay in a passionless job and will instead choose to go to work for themselves. Their independent nature means Tigers sometimes suffer in the early part of their career, but once they discover they understand what they’re working toward, they won’t stop at anything to reach their goal.
In any field, the Tiger will likely try to bring about change. Again, if something doesn’t make sense, Tigers won’t hold back just to keep the peace. They also dislike being limited and may get into trouble for doing what’s right versus what’s accepted. Ultimately, Tigers may be happiest when they don’t need to answer to anyone or risk feeling stifled for their natural talent!
Health and Lifestyle Advice
Tigers can be tempestuous—why don’t others see what’s so obviously correct? But this can come across as rude or condescending, not to mention contributing to various health problems for the Tiger, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. While it may feel strange at first, Tigers are encouraged to practice mindfulness. It’ll help you connect with your body and, very likely, with others, too.
One thing the Tiger needs to watch out for is their spending. They tend to spend lavishly, not because they need the status boost, but because it’s an expression of their larger-than-life personality. They’re also less than careful when it comes to investing. Both of these tendencies need to be gotten under control, or else, perhaps, the Tiger would be better off giving someone more prudent——like their other half—control of their finances.
Tiger and the 12 Zodiac Animals (Origin Story)
The Chinese have a story that has been passed down since ancient times that explains how the 12 zodiac animals were chosen and why they’re in the current order. Being strong and ferocious, the Tiger was expected to top the list of the zodiac signs but only ended up with third place. What happened?
A race across the celestial river was ordered by the Jade Emperor, according to this legend, so the animals could compete fairly for a spot on the list of zodiac signs. The Tiger, with its strength and endurance, was the favorite for topping the zodiacs, and the king of the jungle expected nothing less for itself.
But when the Tiger reached the finish line, expecting to be lauded for gold, it was told that the Rat and the Ox had beaten him to the punch. The Tiger lost its temper, demanding a rematch, but it was too late for anything except to accept its rightful place as the third of the zodiacs.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Tiger
Tigers are made for the spotlight. Here’s a list of some of the famous Tigers in the world.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Lady Gaga
Jay Leno
Marilyn Monroe
Tom Cruise
Robert Pattinson
Karl Marx
Fidel Castro
Jon Stewart
Queen Elizabeth II
Jim Carrey
Bear Grylls