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Chinese New Year 2034
Sunday, 19 February 2034. It opens the Year of the Wood Tiger, 甲寅, which runs until 7 February 2035.
- New Year's Eve18 February 2034
- New Year's Day19 February 2034
- Lantern Festival5 March 2034
- Animal and elementWood Tiger 木虎, Yang
- Year ends7 February 2035; the next new year is 8 February 2035
What the Tiger year carries
The Tiger
Bold, warm and unafraid of risk. The Tiger is the king of the mountain in Chinese lore, a guardian figure painted on doors and sewn onto children's shoes to keep harm away.
Children born in Tiger years were given tiger-head hats and shoes so the animal's courage would protect them.
Wood 木
Wood years are associated with growth and flexibility: spring, bamboo, new shoots. Wood years favour growth and beginnings: planting, building, the first steps of long projects.
The pairing of stem and branch, 甲寅, returns once every sixty years; the last Wood Tiger year was 1974, the next is 2094.
How the festival is kept
New Year's Eve, 18 February 2034
The reunion dinner (年夜饭): the whole family at one table, dumplings in the north, fish everywhere because 鱼 sounds like "surplus". Red couplets go up on the door, and the house is already cleaned so bad luck is not swept out in the new year.
New Year's Day, 19 February 2034
Red envelopes (红包) from elders to children, visits to relatives in order of seniority, new clothes, and the first words of the year chosen with care: 新年快乐, happy new year, and 恭喜发财, wishing you prosperity.
Lantern Festival, 5 March 2034
The fifteenth night, the first full moon of the year: lanterns, riddles hung on them, and sweet rice balls (汤圆) whose round shape stands for the family together. It closes the season.
Chinese New Year in other years
The second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February.
- 202410 February 2024, Wood Dragon
- 202529 January 2025, Wood Snake
- 202617 February 2026, Fire Horse
- 20276 February 2027, Fire Goat
- 202826 January 2028, Earth Monkey
- 202913 February 2029, Earth Rooster
- 20303 February 2030, Metal Dog
- 203123 January 2031, Metal Pig
- 203211 February 2032, Water Rat
- 203331 January 2033, Water Ox
- 20358 February 2035, Wood Rabbit
Questions
When is Chinese New Year 2034?
Sunday, 19 February 2034. New Year's Eve is 18 February 2034, and the Lantern Festival that closes the celebrations is 5 March 2034.
What animal is 2034 in the Chinese zodiac?
The Tiger. From 19 February 2034 to 7 February 2035 it is the year of the Wood Tiger (甲寅). Before 19 February 2034, the year still belongs to the previous animal.
Why does the date change every year?
The festival falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February on the Western calendar.
How long does Chinese New Year last?
Fifteen days, from New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. Most people have a week of public holiday in mainland China.
Born in a Tiger year?
Your animal depends on the exact date, not the calendar year.
Find your animal
Enter your birthday and we count it by the lunar calendar: the animal, its element, your lunar birth date and your next zodiac year.
Chinese zodiac calculatorWant the Tiger in ink on your wall? The zodiac poster sets the animal above your name and lunar birthday. Giving a Chinese name this new year? Three real names, free.