---
title: "1902 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Tiger (壬寅), 8 Feb 1902 to 28 Jan 1903 | Mandarin The Wild"
description: "1902 is the Year of the Water Tiger, 虎 hǔ: from Chinese New Year on 8 February 1902 to 28 January 1903, so a birthday before 8 February 1902 is a Ox. What Water means, and how to say it in Chinese: 我属虎."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1902"
published: "2026-10-15"
updated: "2026-10-26"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese zodiac](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac)

# 1902: Year of the Water Tiger

1902 is the Year of the Tiger, 虎 hǔ, a Water year. It starts at Chinese New Year on 8 February 1902 and runs to 28 January 1903. Born from 1 January to 7 February 1902? You are a [Ox, 1901](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1901).

虎

hǔ

Water Tiger

**Animal**
[虎 hǔ Tiger](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/tiger)

**Element**
水 shuǐ Water, yang

**Cycle name**
壬寅年 rén yín nián

**Starts**
8 February 1902

**Ends**
28 January 1903

**Matches**
Horse, Dog and Pig; clashes with Monkey

**Age**
Born in 1902? You turn 124 in 2026.

[Save or share this card](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac?d=1902-06-15) from the zodiac finder.

## Say 1902 in Chinese

A year is read digit by digit, then 年 nián: no “nineteen eighty-three”.

- 一九〇二年 yī jiǔ líng èr nián 1902
- 壬寅年 rén yín nián the 壬寅 year, its name in the sixty-year cycle
- 我是一九〇二年出生的 wǒ shì yī jiǔ líng èr nián chū shēng de I was born in 1902.
- 我属虎 wǒ shǔ hǔ I'm a Tiger.
- 水虎 shuǐ hǔ Water Tiger

## What Water means

水Water is calm and finds a way around anything. People born in a Water year are said to be wise and adaptable, good listeners who read a room.

**Season**
冬 dōng winter

**Direction**
北 běi north

**Colour**
黑 hēi black

### Words for a Water Tiger

- 勇敢 yǒnggǎn brave
- 聪明 cōngming clever
- 灵活 línghuó adaptable

Each year has one of five elements, 五行 wǔ xíng, two years each, so the same animal and element meet once every sixty years. The traits are what tradition says, for fun.

## The Tiger, 虎

The Tiger is king of the mountain forests, with the stripes of 王, “king”, on its forehead. People born in a Tiger year are said to be brave and confident, born leaders who act fast and protect the people they love.

[Tiger personality, matches and sayings](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/tiger)

## Questions

### What Chinese zodiac animal is 1902?

1902 is the Year of the Tiger, 虎 (hǔ), from Chinese New Year on 8 February 1902 to 28 January 1903. Its element is Water, so people born in it are Water Tigers.

### What if I was born in January or early February 1902?

The zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. Born from 1 January to 7 February 1902? You belong to 1901, the Year of the Metal Ox.

### What element is 1902 in the Chinese zodiac?

Water, 水 (shuǐ). 1902 is 壬寅 (rén yín) in the sixty-year cycle, a yang Water year; the Water Tiger comes round once every sixty years.

### How do you say 1902 in Chinese?

Read the digits one by one and add 年 (nián, year): 一九〇二年 (yī jiǔ líng èr nián). “I was born in 1902” is 我是一九〇二年出生的 (wǒ shì yī jiǔ líng èr nián chū shēng de), and “I'm a Tiger” is 我属虎 (wǒ shǔ hǔ).