---
title: "1974 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Wood Tiger (甲寅), 23 Jan 1974 to 10 Feb 1975 | Mandarin The Wild"
description: "1974 is the Year of the Wood Tiger, 虎 hǔ: from Chinese New Year on 23 January 1974 to 10 February 1975, so a birthday before 23 January 1974 is a Ox. What Wood means, and how to say it in Chinese: 我属虎."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1974"
published: "2026-10-15"
updated: "2026-10-26"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

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

# 1974: Year of the Wood Tiger

1974 is the Year of the Tiger, 虎 hǔ, a Wood year. It starts at Chinese New Year on 23 January 1974 and runs to 10 February 1975. Born from 1 January to 22 January 1974? You are a [Ox, 1973](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1973).

虎

hǔ

Wood Tiger

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

**Element**
木 mù Wood, yang

**Cycle name**
甲寅年 jiǎ yín nián

**Starts**
23 January 1974

**Ends**
10 February 1975

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

**Age**
Born in 1974? You turn 52 in 2026.

[Save or share this card](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac?d=1974-06-15) from the zodiac finder.

## Say 1974 in Chinese

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

- 一九七四年 yī jiǔ qī sì nián 1974
- 甲寅年 jiǎ yín nián the 甲寅 year, its name in the sixty-year cycle
- 我是一九七四年出生的 wǒ shì yī jiǔ qī sì nián chū shēng de I was born in 1974.
- 我属虎 wǒ shǔ hǔ I'm a Tiger.
- 木虎 mù hǔ Wood Tiger

## What Wood means

木Wood is growth: a tree reaching up and out. People born in a Wood year are said to be generous and kind, slow to anger and quick to help.

**Season**
春 chūn spring

**Direction**
东 dōng east

**Colour**
青 qīng green

### Words for a Wood Tiger

- 勇敢 yǒnggǎn brave
- 大方 dàfang generous
- 仁慈 réncí kind

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 1974?

1974 is the Year of the Tiger, 虎 (hǔ), from Chinese New Year on 23 January 1974 to 10 February 1975. Its element is Wood, so people born in it are Wood Tigers.

### What if I was born in January or early February 1974?

The zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. Born from 1 January to 22 January 1974? You belong to 1973, the Year of the Water Ox.

### What element is 1974 in the Chinese zodiac?

Wood, 木 (mù). 1974 is 甲寅 (jiǎ yín) in the sixty-year cycle, a yang Wood year; the Wood Tiger comes round once every sixty years.

### How do you say 1974 in Chinese?

Read the digits one by one and add 年 (nián, year): 一九七四年 (yī jiǔ qī sì nián). “I was born in 1974” is 我是一九七四年出生的 (wǒ shì yī jiǔ qī sì nián chū shēng de), and “I'm a Tiger” is 我属虎 (wǒ shǔ hǔ).