戊寅

1998: the year of the Earth Tiger (戊寅)

In Korean saju, 1998 is the year of 戊寅 (Mu-in). The top character, 戊, is yang Earth, and the bottom character, 寅, is the Tiger. Together they make 1998 the year of the Earth Tiger. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 1998 at 09:56 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1999.

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1998 at a glance

Year pair: 戊寅 · Mu-in
Element: Earth (yang)
Animal: Tiger
Old poetic name: 城頭土 · City-wall earth
Saju year starts: February 4, 1998 09:56
Ends: February 4, 1999
Age in 2027: turns 29

Born in January or early February 1998?

The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 1998 at 09:56 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 丁丑: you belong to 1997, the year of the Fire Ox.

Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on January 28 in 1998. So for birthdays from January 28 until just before Ipchun, those sites already say Tiger while saju still says Ox.

The two characters of 戊寅

戊Mu · a solid hill of earth — earth that holds things steady
寅In · Tiger · a forest waking in early spring

The Earth element of 1998

The top character decides the year’s element, so 1998 is a Earth year. When Earth energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel grounded, patient, and able to hold things together for everyone.

Color: Yellow
Food: Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and whole grains
Direction: Center
Activity: Tidying your room or gardening

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 1998 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 戊寅 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.

Month pair	Starts
甲寅Gap-in	February 4
乙卯Eul-myo	March 6
丙辰Byeong-jin	April 5
丁巳Jeong-sa	May 6
戊午Mu-o	June 6
己未Gi-mi	July 7
庚申Gyeong-sin	August 8
辛酉Sin-yu	September 8
壬戌Im-sul	October 8
癸亥Gye-hae	November 8
甲子Gap-ja	December 7
乙丑Eul-chuk	January 6, 1999

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:

The exact pair 戊寅 returns every 60 years: 1938 and 2058.

Read 戊寅 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 1998? 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.

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Questions about 1998

What Chinese zodiac animal is 1998?

1998 is the year of the Tiger, and more exactly the Earth Tiger (戊寅). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 1998 to February 4, 1999.

What element is 1998?

Earth. The top character 戊 is yang Earth, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 寅 adds Wood.

I was born in January 1998. What is my sign?

Before Ipchun (February 4, 1998, 09:56 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 丁丑, the Fire Ox of 1997. 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.