1938 Chinese zodiac —
the Earth Tiger
| Animal sign | Tiger 寅 — the Earth Tiger |
|---|---|
| Element | Yang Earth (戊) |
| 1938 Tiger year | Jan 31, 1938 – Feb 18, 1939 |
| Born Jan 1 – Jan 30, 1938 | Fire Ox of 1937 |
| Korean saju year | Starts at Ipchun, Feb 4, 1938 |
| Best matches | Horse, Pig, Dog |
| Next Tiger year | 2034 (Wood Tiger) |
| Age in 2026 | 88 (Korean age 89) |
People born between Jan 31, 1938 and Feb 18, 1939 are an Earth Tiger. The Earth Tiger is the grounded Tiger, pairing courage with realism and a longer attention span.
Born in January or early February 1938?
The 1938 Tiger year began at Chinese New Year on Jan 31, 1938. If you were born from January 1 to Jan 30, 1938, your sign is the Fire Ox of 1937. The year ended on Feb 18, 1939, so birthdays in early 1939 up to that date still count as Tigers.
The Korean saju year starts at Ipchun
In Korean saju (the Four Pillars), the year pillar changes at Ipchun, the start of spring — Feb 4, 1938 at about 20:16 Korea time — not at Lunar New Year. A birthday from Jan 31 to Feb 3, 1938 is already a Tiger by Lunar New Year but still 丁丑 (Fire Ox) in a saju chart. Why saju starts the year at Ipchun →
The Earth Tiger personality
The Earth Tiger is the grounded Tiger, pairing courage with realism and a longer attention span. Earth brings steadiness, patience and practical sense.
Tigers see the big picture and move first. They are generous and exciting to be around, and sometimes leave the clean-up to someone else. Strengths: the courage to start what others only discuss; natural authority; protectiveness toward the people they lead. Watch for: impatience; pride that turns small conflicts into big ones; boredom with routine.
Compatibility
Best matches for the Tiger: Horse (84/100), Pig (81/100), Dog (72/100). Hardest: Monkey (25), Rooster (42). All twelve Tiger matches →
Age
People born in the 1938 Tiger year turn 88 in 2026 (89 in Korean age) and 89 in 2027. The same Earth Tiger returns every sixty years — 1998.
Tiger years
1926 Fire · 1938 Earth · 1950 Metal · 1962 Water · 1974 Wood · 1986 Fire · 1998 Earth · 2010 Metal · 2022 Water
The Tiger in 2027
The Year of the Fire Goat gives the Tiger 80/100 — a favorable year. Read the 2027 forecast →
Questions about the 1938 zodiac
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1938?
1938 is the Year of the Tiger — the Earth Tiger (戊寅). The Tiger year runs from Jan 31, 1938 to Feb 18, 1939: it starts at Chinese New Year, not on January 1.
Is someone born in January 1938 a Tiger?
Only if the birthday falls on or after Jan 31, 1938, when the Tiger year began. From January 1 to Jan 30, 1938, the sign is still the Fire Ox of 1937.
What element is the 1938 Tiger?
Earth. The year stem 戊 is yang earth, so everyone born in the 1938 Tiger year is an Earth Tiger. Earth brings steadiness, patience and practical sense.
When is the next Year of the Tiger?
2034 — the Wood Tiger. The Earth Tiger itself comes back every sixty years — 1998.
Who is the Tiger most compatible with?
The Tiger’s best matches are the Horse (84/100), the Pig (81/100) and the Dog (72/100); the hardest are the Monkey (25) and the Rooster (42).
Nearby years
← 1937 Fire Ox · 1939 Earth Rabbit → · All years and the calculator
