Year of the Tiger
The tiger (虎, hǔ) is the third animal in the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle, following the rat and the ox. Recent tiger years include 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022; the next tiger year begins on Feb 19, 2034. As with every sign, a tiger year opens on Chinese New Year in January or February and closes on the eve of the following one — never on January 1.
Exact tiger year dates
Each tiger year starts on Chinese New Year and ends the day before the next Chinese New Year.
| tiger year | Gregorian date range |
|---|---|
| 1950 | Feb 17, 1950 – Feb 5, 1951 |
| 1962 | Feb 5, 1962 – Jan 24, 1963 |
| 1974 | Jan 23, 1974 – Feb 10, 1975 |
| 1986 | Feb 9, 1986 – Jan 28, 1987 |
| 1998 | Jan 28, 1998 – Feb 15, 1999 |
| 2010 | Feb 14, 2010 – Feb 2, 2011 |
| 2022 | Feb 1, 2022 – Jan 21, 2023 |
Born in January or February? Check the boundary
The most recent tiger year ran from Feb 1, 2022 to Jan 21, 2023. A child born between January 1, 2022 and Jan 31, 2022 is an ox, not a tiger, because the ox year was still running — and a child born between January 1, 2023 and Jan 21, 2023 is still a tiger rather than a rabbit. For any January or early-February birthday, use the exact Chinese New Year date in the table above instead of the calendar year.
This site uses the Chinese New Year boundary convention — read how the zodiac year boundary works on the calculator page.
Am I a tiger?
Enter your full birth date and the calculator will apply the exact Chinese New Year boundary for your birth year.
Check my zodiac animalThe tiger in Chinese culture
In Chinese tradition the tiger is the king of beasts, a standing symbol of courage, strength and protection against harm. Folklore holds that the marking on a tiger's forehead resembles the character 王 ("king"), which is one reason the animal became shorthand for authority and martial valor — generals' tallies and elite troops were named after tigers.
That protective role survives in folk custom: children were traditionally dressed in tiger-head hats and tiger-head shoes (虎头帽, 虎头鞋) so the tiger's fierceness would ward off illness and ill fortune, and tiger images are common in paper-cuts and New Year prints. People born in tiger years are traditionally described as brave, confident and competitive — these are cultural beliefs about the sign, not facts about any individual.
Tiger idioms (成语) featuring 虎
虎虎生威 hǔ hǔ shēng wēi
Literally: tiger, tiger — giving rise to might.
full of vigor and imposing power; a common blessing in tiger years.
生龙活虎 shēng lóng huó hǔ
Literally: a lively dragon, a vigorous tiger.
brimming with energy; describes someone bursting with life.
如虎添翼 rú hǔ tiān yì
Literally: like a tiger that has grown wings.
made stronger still; a powerful force gaining an extra advantage.
Year of the Tiger FAQ
Was 2022 the year of the tiger?
Yes, from Feb 1, 2022. The tiger year ran from Feb 1, 2022 to Jan 21, 2023. Anyone born in January 2022, before Chinese New Year, is an ox rather than a tiger.
Is 2023 the year of the tiger or the rabbit?
Mostly the rabbit. The tiger year ended on Jan 21, 2023 and the rabbit year began on Jan 22, 2023. Only birthdays from January 1 through Jan 21, 2023 still belong to the tiger.
I was born in January 1998 — am I a tiger or an ox?
It depends on the day. Chinese New Year 1998 fell on Jan 28, 1998: born on or after it you are a tiger, born between January 1 and Jan 27, 1998 you are an ox. The calculator on this site applies the exact boundary for you.
What does the tiger represent in Chinese culture?
Courage, strength and protection. The tiger is the traditional king of beasts — its forehead marking is read as the character 王 ("king") — and its image has long been used to guard children, from tiger-head hats and shoes to New Year prints.