Chinese Zodiac Tiger & Year of the Tiger 1280x960

Year of the Tiger:
Chinese Zodiac Tiger Traits, Personality & Characteristics

Tiger is one of the most auspicious Chinese symbols and, perhaps, best known the world over.

Because of the sheer, raw power of the Tiger, this zodiac sign is honored in China as the ultimate protector of home and hearth.

Tiger energy is believed to guard against the the three main things that can bring devastation to any home: fire, thieves, and ghosts.

Chinese Zodiac Tiger Table of Contents

Traits, Personality & Characteristics

Chinese Zodiac Tigers are pleasure seekers who love anything that boosts their adrenaline and stimulates their vast and incredibly active imagination!

Those born in the Year of the Tiger seem to have an endless supply of energy and, so, are always on the move.

With an unparalleled enthusiasm for life, typically, Tigers will have a great sense of humor and natural inclination to be quite affectionate.

On the flip side, they thrive on and crave attention and go to great lengths to be the center of it (which can be both a positive and a negative).

However, these Chinese animals are very generous and benevolent humanitarians. They generously and willingly share every dime of their money because the security that comes with having wealth means very little to them.

The two biggest challenges a Chinese Tiger contends with (as do those they interact with), is that they are reckless and impulsive yet they are also very indecisive, due to their suspicious natures.

Their monstrous egos need constant feeding and the tiniest of slights (or what they interpret to be a slight) can utterly deflate them and send the Chinese Tiger into a blind rage.

The lengths they will go to when exacting revenge against those who have betrayed them is legendary. Sooooo, remember that the next time you want to tangle with a Tiger.

Chinese Zodiac Tiger & The Five Elements

Just as in Western Astrology, no person is defined solely by their primary Zodiac or Sun Sign. In Chinese Astrology, each of the New Year’s animals’ personality traits and characteristics are colored by 2 of the 5 elements.

Each of the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals has an ascribed fixed element which affects their basic personality. In addition, the element belonging to one’s birth year is a secondary influence on who they are, can and will be, life’s purpose, career path, etc.

Scroll down to find your birth year. This will tell you which “type” of Chinese Tiger you are and help you to learn more about how the combined energies of the fixed and secondary element impact your life.

Water Tiger

  • Feb. 8, 1902-Jan. 28, 1903
  • Feb. 5, 1962-Jan. 24, 1963

The Water Tiger is the most harmonious of the Chinese Tigers and best at communication. They talk rather than roar.

This Tiger tends to be more grounded than the rest, preferring to see life from a realist’s point of view rather than that of a dreamer’s though they are known to be very intuitive and have the same indecisive nature as all the rest.

Those born in The Year of the Water Tiger are fantastic at discerning the truth of a matter and person.

Learn all about the symbolism and meaning of the water element.

Fire Tiger

  • Feb. 13, 1926-Feb. 1, 1927
  • Feb. 9, 1986- Jan. 28, 1987

The Fire Tiger combustible, unpredictable, tireless and restless. These Chinese Tigers are always moving and shaking at warp speed. With a dramatic flair, their lives are lived in the fullest imaginable (and unimaginable) ways.

Making great leaders, those born in The Year of the Fire Tiger lean towards a more optimistic way of seeing life and its possibilities (which is saying a great deal considering all Chinese Tigers are, at their core, big dreamers).

Learn all about the symbolism and meaning of the fire element.

Metal Tiger

  • Feb. 17, 1950-Feb. 5,1951
  • Feb. 15, 2010-Feb. 2, 2011

Sure of themselves and what they want, the Metal Tiger is relentless (sometimes even ruthless) when pursuing a goal. Self-centered in the extreme, they are loyal only to themselves.

The Metal Tiger’s lust for all that life has to offer can cause them to become immersed in the highest of spiritual callings or darkest depravities.

Those born in The Year of the Metal Tiger must believe other’s think them glamorous and will go to great lengths to achieve this goal.

Wood Tiger

  • Jan. 26, 1914-Feb. 13, 1915
  • Jan. 23, 1974-Feb. 10, 1975

The Wood Tiger is a bit more even level-headed than the rest. Social and good-humored, this Chinese Tiger is the Pied Piper of people. They make great leaders and social directors of all kinds because of how good they are at getting people to gather and, then, manipulating them to do their bidding.

Those born in The Year of the Wood Tiger can have a tendency toward laziness and sloughing off personal responsibility.

Earth Tiger

  • Jan. 31, 1938-Feb. 18, 1939
  • Jan. 28, 1998-Feb. 15, 1999

Based on their actions, it’s often times hard to discern that an Earth Tiger is a Tiger at all. They rarely show their emotions and, whatsmore, do not allow emotions to color their thought processes.

These Chinese Tigers are neither risk takers nor impulsive in any way. They do tend to show their stripes, though, when it comes to status and recognition. These things are important to them and they will stop at nothing to achieve both.

Those born in The year of the Earth Tiger are not romantic in any way, shape or form and rarely marry for love.

Learn all about the symbolism and meaning of the earth element.

Chinese Zodiac Tiger Compatibility

A romantic dreamer, the Chinese Tiger is warm, passionate and generous. They will stalk their intended no matter how long it takes. If rejected, the Tiger can turn into a snarling, vengeful beast.

This Chinese zodiac animal is moody but at the same time adventurous so needs a partner who can roll with the emotional ups and downs yet at the same time be ready to investigate whatever or whoever is around the next corner.

For best zodiac compatibility, The Tiger’s best options are The Chinese Horse and The Chinese Dog.

Chinese Tiger Facts & Metaphysical Associations

Fixed Element: Wood

Direction: East

Color: Red

Flower: Carnation

Tree: Sycamore

Number: Numerology: 7

Birthstone: Ruby

Western Zodiac Twin: Aquarius

Funny Horoscopes: Funny Chinese Tiger

Best Love Compatibility: Horse, Dog

Celebrity Tigers: Ludwig van Beethoven, Emily Bronte, Queen Elizabeth II, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Sir Alec Guinness, Hugh Hefner, Isadora Duncan, Ho Chi Minh, Jessica Lange, Gypsy Rose Lee, Groucho Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Tennessee Williams, Stevie Wonder, Jodie Foster, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers

Chinese Zodiac for Kids: The Tiger Child

The Tiger child is a complete delight! Energetic, fun loving, super smart, loving and confident they are sure to light up the room wherever they go. You’ll never have to guess at what a Tiger child is feeling. They will let you know and in no uncertain terms, too.

They will be leaders amongst their peers and are generous and sympathetic but will have to learn almost from the moment they’re born how to contend with or control their temper.

The Tiger child’s natural curiosity, lack of fear and innate belief that they are entitled to have every single thing they want makes them the most challenging of all the Chinese zodiac children.



What Are Your Thoughts?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

eleven + 7 =