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1962 Chinese zodiac: Year of the Tiger
1962 is the year of the Water Tiger, 壬寅: from Chinese New Year on 5 February 1962 to 24 January 1963.
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. Water years favour adaptability: plans that bend, conversations that flow, patience with the long way round.
The Water Tiger
Element
Water years are associated with adaptability and depth: rivers finding their way. In the sixty-year cycle each animal meets each element once, so the Water Tiger came last in 1902 and returns in 2022. The year's 纳音 (the "sound" of its stem and branch in the old almanacs) is 金箔金.
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 1962?
Between 5 February 1962 and 24 January 1963 you are a Water Tiger.
Anyone born from 5 February 1962 to 24 January 1963 is a Water Tiger (壬寅) and turns 64 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. Water years favour adaptability: plans that bend, conversations that flow, patience with the long way round.
Born in January or early February 1962, before the 5 February 1962 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 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034, 2046, 2058; 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 1962?
1962 is the Year of the Water Tiger. Anyone born from 5 February 1962 to 24 January 1963 is a Tiger; a birthday earlier in 1962, before Chinese New Year, belongs to the Ox.
When does the Year of the Tiger 1962 start and end?
It starts at Chinese New Year, 5 February 1962, and ends on 24 January 1963, the day before the next new year.
What element is the Tiger in 1962?
Water (水), from the heavenly stem 壬. Water years are associated with adaptability and depth: rivers finding their way.
Is a baby born in January 1962 a Tiger?
No. A baby born before 5 February 1962 belongs to the previous animal, the Ox. The zodiac year follows the lunar calendar, not 1 January.
Which other years were Water Tiger years?
2022. 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.