1998 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Earth Tiger
戊寅 · 虎 Hǔ
1998 is the Year of the Earth Tiger. The Chinese year ran from Jan 28, 1998 to Feb 15, 1999, so anyone born in that span is an Earth Tiger. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Jan 28, 1998, and earlier births belong to the Fire Ox year.
- Tiger
- Earth
- Yang
Born in 1998?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
1998 at a Glance
- Animal
- Tiger 虎 hǔ
- Element
- Earth
- Yin or Yang
- Yang
- Year name
- 戊寅 · sound element 城头土
- Begins
- Wednesday, Jan 28, 1998
- Ends
- Feb 15, 1999
- Age in 2026
- 27 or 28
- Next Tiger year
- 2010
1998 Earth Tiger, King of the Beasts
Chinese folklore calls the Tiger the king of the animals, and says the stripes on its forehead form the character 王, “king.” A 1998 Tiger turns 28 in 2026.
The year ran from Jan 28, 1998 to Feb 15, 1999; a 1999 birthday before mid-February still counts as an Earth Tiger. Its year name 戊寅 has the sound element 城头土, “earth on the city wall.”
Born in January or Early February 1998?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 1998 was on Wednesday, Jan 28, 1998, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Jan 27, 1998 | Fire Ox | 丁丑 |
| Jan 28, 1998 to Feb 15, 1999 | Earth Tiger | 戊寅 |
So someone born on Jan 27, 1998 is a Fire Ox, and someone born on Jan 28, 1998 is an Earth Tiger. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is an Earth Tiger?
An Earth Tiger combines the Tiger with the element of the birth year. 1998 ends in 8, which gives Earth. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Earth Tiger years include 1938.
How Old Is a 1998 Tiger, and When Is the Next Tiger Year?
Someone born in 1998 turns 28 in 2026 and 29 in 2027. The last Tiger year was 1986, and the next is 2010. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Tiger years a 1998 Tiger lives through:
- 1998Earth TigerBornThis page
- 2010 Chinese zodiacMetal TigerTurns 12
- 2022 Chinese zodiacWater TigerTurns 24
- 2034Wood TigerTurns 36
1998 Tiger Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Tiger's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 1998 Tiger in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Tiger to the next two years, and how old a 1998 Tiger will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Supported
Turns 28. Link to the Horse: Trine partner (三合).
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Steady
Turns 29. No formal link to the Goat in the traditional rules.
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 1998, and the other years of the decade.
- 1996 Chinese zodiacFire RatFeb 19, 1996 to Feb 6, 1997
- 1997 Chinese zodiacFire OxFeb 7, 1997 to Jan 27, 1998
- 1998Earth TigerJan 28, 1998 to Feb 15, 1999
- 1999 Chinese zodiacEarth RabbitFeb 16, 1999 to Feb 4, 2000
- 2000 Chinese zodiacMetal DragonFeb 5, 2000 to Jan 23, 2001
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
1990 Chinese zodiac1991 Chinese zodiac1992 Chinese zodiac1993 Chinese zodiac1994 Chinese zodiac1995 Chinese zodiac1996 Chinese zodiac1997 Chinese zodiac19981999 Chinese zodiacAll Chinese zodiac years
1998 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1998?
1998 is the Year of the Earth Tiger. The Chinese year ran from Jan 28, 1998 to Feb 15, 1999.
What element is the 1998 Chinese zodiac?
Earth. A year's element follows its last digit: 8 gives Earth. The Tiger's own fixed element is Wood, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 1998?
Lunar New Year 1998 fell on Wednesday, Jan 28, 1998. Born from January 1 to Jan 27, 1998, you are a Fire Ox. From Jan 28, 1998, you are an Earth Tiger.
How old is someone born in 1998?
In 2026 they turn 28, or are 27 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 29. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Tiger year after 1998?
2010, the Year of the Metal Tiger, begins on Feb 14, 2010.