Born in 1974: the Tiger
A Yang Wood 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 Wood-element year, 1974 adds a cooperative, growth-minded and quietly generous streak to the usual Tiger character.
The 1974 lunar year ran from January 23, 1974 to February 11, 1975. If you were born on or after January 23, 1974 you are a Tiger; if you were born earlier in 1974, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Ox.
What the Wood element adds
Wood is the element of spring, growth and cooperation. A Wood year tends to soften an animal's sharper edges and push it toward teamwork, patience and building things that last rather than chasing quick wins.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Wood Tiger year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1974 was 1914, and the next is 2034. People born in it are said to combine brave and confident with the element's cooperative nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Tiger year. See the Wood element and the full Wood Tiger profile.
1974 at a glance
| Animal | 🐅 Tiger (虎) |
|---|---|
| Element | Wood |
| 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 1974 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 1974 is back in their own zodiac year in 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 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 1962 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 1974?
1974 is the year of the Tiger (Wood Tiger, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after January 23, 1974 is a Tiger; a birthday earlier in 1974 belongs to the previous sign, the Ox.
What element is the 1974 zodiac year?
1974 is a Wood-element year. Wood is the element of spring, growth and cooperation. A Wood year tends to soften an animal's sharper edges and push it toward teamwork, patience and building things that last rather than chasing quick wins.
Who is a 1974 Tiger most compatible with?
Best matches are the Pig (the "secret friend"), plus the Horse and Dog. The hardest match is the Monkey.
Is 1974 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 1974 is not a Fire Horse year.