Born in 1962: the Tiger
A Yang Water Tiger 🐅
Tigers are natural leaders who take charge in a crisis and defend the people they care about. They are generous and rarely hold a grudge. As a Water-element year, 1962 adds a adaptable, perceptive and persuasive streak to the usual Tiger character.
The 1962 lunar year ran from February 5, 1962 to January 25, 1963. If you were born on or after February 5, 1962 you are a Tiger; if you were born earlier in 1962, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Ox.
What the Water element adds
Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Water Tiger year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1962 was 1902, and the next is 2022. People born in it are said to combine brave and confident with the element's adaptable nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Tiger year. See the Water element and the full Water Tiger profile.
1962 at a glance
| Animal | 🐅 Tiger (虎) |
|---|---|
| Element | Water |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Pig |
| Hardest match | Monkey |
| Lucky numbers | 1, 3, 4 |
| Lucky colors | blue, gray, orange |
Tiger compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 1962 Tiger gets on best with the Pig (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Horse and Dog. The hardest pairing is the Monkey, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Tiger compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Tiger returns every 12 years, so someone born in 1962 is back in their own zodiac year in 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and so on. Tradition calls this your běnmìngnián — despite being "your" year, it is thought to clash with Tài Suì (the God of Age) and to carry a higher chance of setbacks, so many people wear red through it for protection.
Other Tiger years
1938 1950 1974 1986 1998 2010 2022 2034
Full Tiger personality profile → Tiger compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 1962?
1962 is the year of the Tiger (Water Tiger, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after February 5, 1962 is a Tiger; a birthday earlier in 1962 belongs to the previous sign, the Ox.
What element is the 1962 zodiac year?
1962 is a Water-element year. Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
Who is a 1962 Tiger most compatible with?
Best matches are the Pig (the "secret friend"), plus the Horse and Dog. The hardest match is the Monkey.
Is 1962 a lucky year to be born in?
Chinese tradition does not rank whole years as lucky or unlucky to be born in — every animal has strengths and weaknesses. The one combination widely treated with caution is the Fire Horse, and 1962 is not a Fire Horse year.