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1938 Chinese zodiac: Year of the Tiger
1938 is the year of the Earth Tiger, 戊寅: from Chinese New Year on 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939.
Bold, warm and unafraid of risk. The Tiger is the king of the mountain in Chinese lore, a guardian figure painted on doors and sewn onto children's shoes to keep harm away. Earth years favour steadiness: consolidating, caring for what is already there, the harvest of earlier work.
The Earth Tiger
Element
Earth years are associated with steadiness and care: harvest, soil, the centre. In the sixty-year cycle each animal meets each element once, so the Earth Tiger came last in 1878 and returns in 1998. The year's 纳音 (the "sound" of its stem and branch in the old almanacs) is 城头土.
Company
The Tiger shares a trine with the Horse and the Dog; its secret friend is the Pig. Those signs are said to find a Tiger year easiest. Children born in Tiger years were given tiger-head hats and shoes so the animal's courage would protect them.
Years of the Tiger
Each starts at Chinese New Year.
- 1926Fire Tiger, from 13 February 1926
- 1938Earth Tiger, from 31 January 1938
- 1950Metal Tiger, from 17 February 1950
- 1962Water Tiger, from 5 February 1962
- 1974Wood Tiger, from 23 January 1974
- 1986Fire Tiger, from 9 February 1986
- 1998Earth Tiger, from 28 January 1998
- 2010Metal Tiger, from 14 February 2010
- 2022Water Tiger, from 1 February 2022
- 2034Wood Tiger, from 19 February 2034
Born in 1938?
Between 31 January 1938 and 18 February 1939 you are an Earth Tiger.
Anyone born from 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939 is an Earth Tiger (戊寅) and turns 88 in 2026. Bold, warm and unafraid of risk. The Tiger is the king of the mountain in Chinese lore, a guardian figure painted on doors and sewn onto children's shoes to keep harm away. Earth years favour steadiness: consolidating, caring for what is already there, the harvest of earlier work.
Born in January or early February 1938, before the 31 January 1938 new year? Then the previous animal, the Ox, is yours: the zodiac follows the lunar calendar, not 1 January. The zodiac calculator settles it from the exact date.
Your zodiac years (本命年, when the Tiger comes round again) are 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034, 2046; the next one is 2034. Tradition has you wear something red through a 本命年 for protection. The signs said to suit a Tiger best are the Horse, the Dog and the Pig: the compatibility table has every pair.
Questions
What is the Chinese zodiac for 1938?
1938 is the Year of the Earth Tiger. Anyone born from 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939 is a Tiger; a birthday earlier in 1938, before Chinese New Year, belongs to the Ox.
When does the Year of the Tiger 1938 start and end?
It starts at Chinese New Year, 31 January 1938, and ends on 18 February 1939, the day before the next new year.
What element is the Tiger in 1938?
Earth (土), from the heavenly stem 戊. Earth years are associated with steadiness and care: harvest, soil, the centre.
Is a baby born in January 1938 a Tiger?
No. A baby born before 31 January 1938 belongs to the previous animal, the Ox. The zodiac year follows the lunar calendar, not 1 January.
Which other years were Earth Tiger years?
1998. The same stem and branch return every sixty years.
Your Tiger in ink
The Tiger painted in ink wash above your name and lunar birthday.
Make the poster
Enter your birthday; we set the animal, the element, the lunar date and your name, and add a Chinese name as a seal if you have one.
Start with my birthdayMore about the animal: Year of the Tiger. All twelve: the zodiac.