Tiger and Monkey
Tiger and Monkey are an opposing pair in the Chinese zodiac; their fixed elements are Wood and Metal. The nominal compatibility score is 42%. Below is how it's arrived at under the traditional rules and what it means in practice.
How compatible they are
The signs stand opposite each other on the circle. This is one of the “six clashes,” the most difficult combination in the Chinese system. Such signs are believed to see life in fundamentally different ways: what seems natural to one seems unacceptable to the other.
What each brings to the pair: the Tiger, courage, zest and a readiness to defend their own; the Monkey, inventiveness, humor and the ability to solve the unsolvable.
An important caveat: in this horoscope the Chinese year doesn't start on January 1 but on the day of Lichun — February 3, 4 or 5. If you were born in January or early February, check your sign with the calculator, or you may be reading someone else's page.
In love
The Tiger falls in love passionately and cools off quickly when controlled. The Monkey gets carried away easily and grows bored once things become predictable.
The Tiger wants freedom and acknowledgment that they're in charge; the Monkey, interest and room to maneuver.
In marriage and at home
The Tiger handles the household in bursts: a grand renovation one month, nothing at all the next. The Monkey optimizes housework rather than doing it — they'll figure out a way not to.
Opposing signs get along better at work than in marriage: at work their roles are kept separate, while at home the same differences keep hitting the same spot.
The pair's weak spots
In a conflict, the Tiger flares up instantly and says things they later regret. The Monkey resorts to cunning where an honest agreement would be simpler.
The main risk is mutual misunderstanding on the fundamental questions, not on the small stuff.
Advice for the pair
- The Tiger should give themselves an hour to cool down before an important conversation.
- The Monkey should, for once, choose the direct route over the clever one.
- For both: remember that the “six clashes” are not a verdict but a description of difference. Plenty of such couples live together for decades; they just have to explain themselves more often.