1974: the year of the Wood Tiger (甲寅)
In Korean saju, 1974 is the year of 甲寅 (Gap-in). The top character, 甲, is yang Wood, and the bottom character, 寅, is the Tiger. Together they make 1974 the year of the Wood Tiger. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 1974 at 14:00 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1975.
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1974 at a glance
- Year pair
- 甲寅 · Gap-in
- Element
- Wood (yang)
- Animal
- Tiger
- Old poetic name
- 大溪水 · Big creek
- Saju year starts
- February 4, 1974 14:00
- Ends
- February 4, 1975
- Age in 2027
- turns 53
Born in January or early February 1974?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 1974 at 14:00 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 癸丑: you belong to 1973, the year of the Water Ox.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on January 23 in 1974. So for birthdays from January 23 until just before Ipchun, those sites already say Tiger while saju still says Ox.
The two characters of 甲寅
- 甲Gap · a tall, straight tree — wood that keeps reaching upward
- 寅In · Tiger · a forest waking in early spring
The Wood element of 1974
The top character decides the year’s element, so 1974 is a Wood year. When Wood energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel a push to grow, start new things, and move forward with purpose.
- Color
- Green
- Food
- Leafy greens and fresh herbs
- Direction
- East
- Activity
- Walking in a park or caring for a plant
This is your birth-year element. In saju, your core element comes from your birth day instead (the day master), and it can be different. A free saju card shows yours.
Month pillars of the 1974 saju year
In saju, each month also has a pair, and it starts on a solar term, not on the 1st. These are the twelve months of 甲寅 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 丙寅Byeong-in | February 4 |
| 丁卯Jeong-myo | March 6 |
| 戊辰Mu-jin | April 5 |
| 己巳Gi-sa | May 6 |
| 庚午Gyeong-o | June 6 |
| 辛未Sin-mi | July 7 |
| 壬申Im-sin | August 8 |
| 癸酉Gye-yu | September 8 |
| 甲戌Gap-sul | October 9 |
| 乙亥Eul-hae | November 8 |
| 丙子Byeong-ja | December 7 |
| 丁丑Jeong-chuk | January 6, 1975 |
The Tiger in zodiac compatibility
By the branch tables, the Tiger’s closest match is the Pig (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Horse and Dog. Its opposite sign, the Monkey, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.
The Tiger in 2027
Your Wood feeds Fire. This is read as an output link: showing your work, speaking up, spending energy. Pace tends to matter more than push.
Ties with 丁未: Gwimun (鬼門)
2027 outlook for the Tiger →Other Tiger years
The Tiger comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:
- 1950庚寅 · Metal Tiger
- 1962壬寅 · Water Tiger
- 1986丙寅 · Fire Tiger
- 1998戊寅 · Earth Tiger
- 2010庚寅 · Metal Tiger
- 2022壬寅 · Water Tiger
The exact pair 甲寅 returns every 60 years: 1914 and 2034.
Read 甲寅 as a day pillar →How to read this
Your birth year is one pillar out of four. Your birth month, day and hour usually say more about you than the year does. Use this page for facts and fun, then check the full chart.
Born in 1974? See your whole chart
Your year is one pillar. Add your birthday for a free saju card with all four, worked out on your device.
Questions about 1974
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1974?
1974 is the year of the Tiger, and more exactly the Wood Tiger (甲寅). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 1974 to February 4, 1975.
What element is 1974?
Wood. The top character 甲 is yang Wood, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 寅 adds Wood.
I was born in January 1974. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 4, 1974, 14:00 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 癸丑, the Water Ox of 1973. Check your exact time if you were born that day.
Is my birth-year element my saju element?
Not exactly. The year element describes your birth year. Saju reads your core self from your birth-day character (the day master), which needs your full birth date.