1986 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Fire Tiger

1986 is the year of the Fire Tiger (丙寅 Bǐngyín), from 9 February 1986 to 28 January 1987. Anyone born in 1986 before 9 February 1986 belongs to the Wood Ox year.

• Animal: Tiger
• Element: Fire (Yang)
• Cycle name: 丙寅 Bǐngyín, year 3 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 9 February 1986
• Ends: 28 January 1987

The Fire Tiger

Fire years are traditionally linked with passion, visibility and momentum: the element of warmth, courage and ideas that spread quickly. 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 1986?

Anyone born from 1 January to 8 February 1986 belongs to the Wood Ox year of 1985. From 9 February 1986 the Fire Tiger year begins.

Famous people born in the Fire Tiger year

• Lady Gaga, born 28 March 1986
• Robert Pattinson, born 13 May 1986
• Megan Fox, born 16 May 1986
• Rafael Nadal, born 3 June 1986
• Usain Bolt, born 21 August 1986
• Drake, born 24 October 1986

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.

1985: Wood Ox · 1987: Fire Rabbit · All Tiger years · All 12 animals