1974 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Wood Tiger

1974 is the year of the Wood Tiger (甲寅 Jiǎyín), from 23 January 1974 to 10 February 1975. Anyone born in 1974 before 23 January 1974 belongs to the Water Ox year.

• Animal: Tiger
• Element: Wood (Yang)
• Cycle name: 甲寅 Jiǎyín, year 51 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 23 January 1974
• Ends: 10 February 1975

The Wood Tiger

Wood years are traditionally linked with growth, generosity and cooperation: the element of things that grow towards the light and make room for others. The Tiger is the zodiac's bold one. Tradition describes Tiger people as brave, confident and competitive, with a strong sense of fairness and a generous streak. They would rather act and apologise later than wait for permission.

Born in January or February 1974?

Anyone born from 1 January to 22 January 1974 belongs to the Water Ox year of 1973. From 23 January 1974 the Wood Tiger year begins.

Famous people born in the Wood Tiger year

• Eva Mendes, born 5 March 1974
• Leonardo DiCaprio, born 11 November 1974
• Bradley Cooper, born 5 January 1975

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

1973: Water Ox · 1975: Wood Rabbit · All Tiger years · All 12 animals