Tiger strengths in tradition
- Brave and willing to act
- Confident and charismatic
- Generous and protective
- Sets its own course
1938 Chinese zodiac: Year of the Earth Tiger
The 1938 Chinese year ran from Monday 31 January 1938 to Saturday 18 February 1939.
Its sign is the Yang Earth Tiger: 戊寅 (Wù-yín) in the 60-year cycle.
Born 1–30 January 1938? Then you belong to the previous Chinese year: the Fire Ox of 1937.
Chinese New Year or Lichun?
Most calendars change the animal at Chinese New Year. Four Pillars (BaZi) astrology starts the year at Lichun, the Start of Spring, instead. For births around the turn of the year the two counts differ:
- 31 January – 3 February 1938: Earth Tiger by Chinese New Year, Fire Ox by Lichun.
- 4 February 1938 (Lichun day): by Lichun, Fire Ox before 19:14 China time and Earth Tiger from then on; by Chinese New Year, Earth Tiger.
- 5 February 1939 (Lichun day): by Lichun, Earth Tiger before 01:10 China time and Earth Rabbit from then on; by Chinese New Year, Earth Tiger.
- 6–18 February 1939: Earth Tiger by Chinese New Year, Earth Rabbit by Lichun.
Dates and times in China time. The Chinese zodiac calculator converts them for your birthplace and shows both counts.
The Earth Tiger in Chinese astrology
An Earth Tiger is described as more grounded and realistic, pairing the Tiger's courage with patience and sound judgment.
The Tiger is the third Chinese zodiac animal, associated in tradition with courage, confidence and a strong sense of independence. Earth is the element of stability and balance, linked in Chinese tradition with the turning points between the seasons.
Tiger challenges in tradition
- Can act on impulse
- Chafes at rules and routine
- Quick to take offence
- Tends to push too hard
Traditions, not predictions. The Tiger in love and at work · The five elements
Other Tiger years
The Earth Tiger every 60 years
Questions and answers
What Chinese zodiac is 1938?
1938 is the Year of the Earth Tiger (yang Earth, 戊寅 Wù-yín), from 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939. Anyone born 1–30 January 1938 belongs to the previous Chinese year, the Fire Ox.
What element is 1938 in the Chinese zodiac?
Earth, in its yang form: the year’s Heavenly Stem is 戊 (Wù). Earth years are years ending in 8 or 9 – counted by the Chinese year, which begins in late January or February.
I was born in January 1938 — which animal am I?
If you were born before 31 January 1938, the date of Chinese New Year, your sign is the Fire Ox of the 1937 Chinese year; from 31 January 1938 on, it is the Earth Tiger. Four Pillars (BaZi) astrology counts from Lichun instead (4 February 1938, 19:14 China time).
When was Chinese New Year 1938?
It was on Monday 31 January 1938 (China time). The next one, on Sunday 19 February 1939, began the Year of the Earth Rabbit.