The Rabbit is the fourth of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Recent and coming Rabbit years include 1999 (from 16 February 1999), 2011 (from 3 February 2011) and 2023 (from 22 January 2023). A Rabbit year begins on the lunar new year and not on 1 January, so a Rabbit birthday in January or February may belong to the animal before.
Folklore, not science, is the right frame: a Rabbit year says nothing certain about the people born in it. This page sets out the Rabbit as the tradition describes it, with every Rabbit year and its exact start date, and you can check a birth date with the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Years of the Rabbit
These Rabbit years run from 1948 to 2047, with dates from the Hong Kong Observatory’s table, as in the calculator. Each Rabbit year begins on the lunar new year in China and Hong Kong and ends the day before the next. The element column is the element of that particular year, and the last column names it in the sixty-year cycle, where the Rabbit is always paired with the branch mao.
| Chinese year | Begins | Ends | Element | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 6 February 1951 | 26 January 1952 | Yin Metal | Xin-mao |
| 1963 | 25 January 1963 | 12 February 1964 | Yin Water | Gui-mao |
| 1975 | 11 February 1975 | 30 January 1976 | Yin Wood | Yi-mao |
| 1987 | 29 January 1987 | 16 February 1988 | Yin Fire | Ding-mao |
| 1999 | 16 February 1999 | 4 February 2000 | Yin Earth | Ji-mao |
| 2011 | 3 February 2011 | 22 January 2012 | Yin Metal | Xin-mao |
| 2023 | 22 January 2023 | 9 February 2024 | Yin Water | Gui-mao |
| 2035 | 8 February 2035 | 27 January 2036 | Yin Wood | Yi-mao |
| 2047 | 26 January 2047 | 13 February 2048 | Yin Fire | Ding-mao |
For example, someone born on 24 January 2011 was born before the lunar new year of 2011, which began on 3 February 2011, so that person is a Tiger and not a Rabbit. If a Rabbit birthday falls within a day of the new year, check the family date, since the time zone can move it.
Its place in the zodiac
In the Great Race the Rabbit could not swim, so the story has it hopping across stepping stones and then riding a log to the far bank, arriving fourth. In some tellings the Dragon’s breath helped push the log along. The tale is about cleverness and gentleness succeeding where force would not.
In the older calendar of earthly branches the Rabbit is mao (卯), branch number 4. It is Yin, its fixed element is Wood, its double-hour is 5 am to 7 am and its compass direction is east. That fixed element stays the same in every Rabbit year, whereas the year element changes.
What the tradition says
The Rabbit is described as gentle, tactful, artistic and careful, a person with an eye for beauty and a talent for keeping the peace. It stands for grace, quiet good fortune and a love of home. The shadow side described is avoiding conflict until it cannot be avoided.
- Tact. Knowing what to say and when to say it.
- Taste. A feel for beauty in objects, music, words and spaces.
- Caution. Thinking before stepping into risk.
- Diplomacy. Helping other people find middle ground.
Growth edges
Descriptions of the Rabbit mention timidity: a wish for harmony can mean saying yes when no is meant, or leaving a problem until it is large. The suggested practice is to say one small honest preference each day and to treat gentle disagreement as safe.
In relationships
In close relationships the Rabbit is pictured as affectionate, considerate and sensitive to mood, valuing a calm home. The growth point is speaking up early about needs. This is a description to consider for yourself, with no claim about anyone’s partner.
In work
The tradition links the Rabbit with the arts, design, teaching, diplomacy, counselling, hospitality and writing. These are descriptions of a working style found in any field, not predictions about a career.
The Rabbit with each element
The Rabbit returns every twelve years while the elements turn in a cycle of ten, so Rabbit years carry five different year elements, and the tradition reads each as a variation on the Rabbit. Across 1948 to 2047 they fall as follows.
- Wood Rabbit, in 1975 and 2035: the Rabbit’s gentle tact with a year that the tradition calls cooperative, idealistic and growth-minded. Read about Wood.
- Fire Rabbit, in 1987 and 2047: the Rabbit’s gentle tact with a year that the tradition calls energetic, enthusiastic and expressive. Read about Fire.
- Earth Rabbit, in 1999: the Rabbit’s gentle tact with a year that the tradition calls patient, practical and loyal. Read about Earth.
- Metal Rabbit, in 1951 and 2011: the Rabbit’s gentle tact with a year that the tradition calls determined, precise and self-disciplined. Read about Metal.
- Water Rabbit, in 1963 and 2023: the Rabbit’s gentle tact with a year that the tradition calls intuitive, adaptable and thoughtful. Read about Water.
Compatibility in the tradition
The tradition compares animals by a handful of old pairings. For the Rabbit the list is:
- Trine allies: Goat and Pig, with the Rabbit in the gentle and creative trine.
- Secret friend (six harmonies): Dog.
- Opposite (a clash): Rooster.
- Harm: Dragon.
- Penalty: Rat.
None of these is a verdict on a Rabbit’s relationships. The compatibility overview explains each pairing, and the Chinese zodiac compatibility tool compares a Rabbit with anyone, from two birth dates.
Names and variations
In Chinese the animal is tu, a word used for both rabbit and hare, and English writers use either. In the Vietnamese zodiac the Cat takes this place, which is why some people from that tradition say they were born in the Year of the Cat.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which years are Years of the Rabbit?
Recent and upcoming Rabbit years are 1999, 2011, 2023. The next one begins on 8 February 2035 and is a Yin Wood year (Yi-mao). Every Rabbit year to 2047 is in the table above, with its end date.
↳ I was born in January or February: am I A Rabbit?
Only if your birth date falls on or after the lunar new year that opens a Rabbit year. For the Rabbit year 2011 the new year was 3 February 2011, so a birth before that date counts as the Tiger. The calculator checks a Rabbit birthday, or any date from 1901 to 2100.
↳ Is the Year of the Rabbit lucky?
The Rabbit is traditionally read as a symbol of peace, gentleness and quiet prosperity, so its year is often described as calm. This is a cultural reading with no evidence behind any claim that a year brings luck.
↳ Who is the Rabbit most compatible with?
By the traditional pairings, the Rabbit's trine allies are Goat and Pig, and its secret friend is Dog. The tradition gives no score, and a Rabbit can do well or badly with any animal.
Return to the Chinese zodiac hub, or read about the Tiger and the Dragon.