Rat - Tiger Love Compatibility in Chinese Astrology

The Rat and Tiger are the first and third signs of the Chinese zodiac calendar. The two share some similarities as well as differences in personalities which leaves the compatibility quotient somewhere in between.

High points of a Rat-Tiger love match

The two signs share an excellent romantic rapport primarily because of certain similar personality traits and motivations. Prime among these is the ability to make sense of the world through their mental faculties instead of through their emotions or practical logic. Such people are great at shooting up ideas, thinking up plans and experimenting with various intellectual pursuits. For such signs a desirable partner is not so much one who provides material security like an Ox or emotional bonding like a Pig, but rather an intellectual companion - someone with whom they can range through the realms of thought and ideas. This common attribute provides the basis of romantic compatibility between a Rat and Tiger.

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Yet another meeting ground between the Rat and Tiger is a love of socializing. While the Rat is considered more sociable than the Tiger, even the latter tends to have a lively circle of friends and acquaintances. For both signs, it is important to nurture a wide social circle outside their family and work relationships, since this is important for the free and productive exchange of ideas which they thrive on. Thus if the Rat and Tiger come together, they are likely to take pleasure in going out to a party today or a concert tomorrow. Both share a love of the arts, even though the Tiger can be more culturally oriented than the Rat. Finally both the Rat and Tiger know how to be charming and socially attractive when required and a common love of networking and friends could be an important factor in keeping them together.

Finally both the Rat and Tiger are emotionally self-sufficient. They do not seek the unswerving loyalty which is so important to an Ox partner nor the intense involvement of a Dog lover. In fact both Rat and Tiger are known to be rather emotionally distant as lovers but which suits them fine in a mutual relationship since neither has to deal with expectations of unquestioning loyalty and commitment from the other.

Challenges to a Rat-Tiger love match

The chief source of difficulty in a Rat-Tiger pairing seems to lie in certain personality differences. While the Tiger can be quite social when he/she wishes to be, there is a strong streak of individuality in the character. He/she revels in their originality of opinions and actions and thus often anticipate new trends and systems which others still find inconceivable. A tendency to solitude is only to be expected of such a personality since when immersed in a project or research work, they often wish to be by themselves. The Rat on the other hand is far more gregarious and it is practically inconceivable for him/her to remain cut off from their extensive social circuit; thus the Rat may be initially exasperated and then upset by his/her Tiger partner’s insistence on solitude and isolation.

Then again both the Rat and Tiger like to have the upper hand when it comes to a relationship. And what can make this struggle for supremacy particularly nasty is as much the Tiger’s obstinacy as the Rat’s tendency to resort to underhand means. Even though the Tiger is largely tolerant of unconventional lifestyles and thought systems, he/she does not take well to opposition to his/her own ideas and plans. The Rat on the other hand when faced with danger to his/her own interests will not think twice before employing a little manipulation and subterfuge, even against a loved one. Thus a clash of personal motivations is inevitable when the Rat and Tiger are paired with each other.

Then again while both the Rat and the Tiger are attracted to intellectual pursuits, the latter is much more devoted to her ideals. When a philosophical notion or an abstract thought germinates in the Tiger’s mind, he/she is unlikely to let go of it until it has developed into a full-fledged system. A Rat partner on the other might lose interest more quickly and move onto another attractive thought or pursuit. This might make the latter come across as flighty and even irresponsible to the Tiger partner who is deeply committed to humanitarian and progressive issues. For his/her part, the Rat might look askance at the serious involvement of the Tiger with his/her intellectual concerns and wish to be allied with someone more geared towards enjoying life.

In the end the potential for differences seems much more than that of compatibility between the Rat and Tiger. And yet finally so much depends on how each partner decides to use their respective traits, whether to strengthen or to destabilize their relationship. The main thing required for the relationship to last over time is a genuine interest in each other; this will keep the partners grounded enough to make their relationship a higher priority than individual compulsions.