1986 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Fire Tiger

1986 is the Year of the Fire Tiger — a Yang Fire year. The animal sign is the Tiger, the third of the 12-animal cycle.

1986 carries the Fire element (Yang Fire). Element is set by the year's heavenly stem and cycles every 10 years, so the full Fire Tiger combination returns only once every 60 years.

Those born in 1986, the Year of the Tiger, are traditionally described as brave, confident, and competitive. With the Fire element added, passion, energy, and boldness are emphasised.

The Tiger is traditionally most compatible with the Horse, Dog, Pig.

Almost — but the Chinese zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year (late January or early February), not January 1. So someone born in early 1986, before that year's Chinese New Year, is actually a Ox (the 1985 sign). If your birthday is in late January or early February, enter your full date of birth in the Age Calculator to confirm your exact sign.