Year of the Rabbit (Bunny)
兔 Tù
The Rabbit is the fourth animal of the Chinese zodiac and the sign of gentleness. In Chinese tradition, people born in a Rabbit year are seen as kind, elegant and thoughtful, with a talent for keeping the peace and a dislike of conflict.
- gentle
- elegant
- thoughtful
- kind
- cautious
- artistic
Are You a Rabbit?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
Rabbit at a Glance
- Order
- 4th of 12
- Chinese
- 兔 tù, branch 卯 mǎo
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Own element
- Wood
- Best matches
- Goat, Pig, Dog
- Clashes with
- Rooster
- Recent years
- 1999, 2011, 2023
- Next Rabbit year
- 2035, from Feb 8, 2035
Rabbit Zodiac Years
A Rabbit year comes every 12 years and begins on Lunar New Year, between January 21 and February 20. Born in January or early February? Compare your birthday with the start date. If it came first, you belong to the sign before: the Tiger.
- 1903Water RabbitJan 29, 1903 to Feb 15, 1904
- 1915Wood RabbitFeb 14, 1915 to Feb 2, 1916
- 1927Fire RabbitFeb 2, 1927 to Jan 22, 1928
- 1939Earth RabbitFeb 19, 1939 to Feb 7, 1940
- 1951 Chinese zodiacMetal RabbitFeb 6, 1951 to Jan 26, 1952
- 1963 Chinese zodiacWater RabbitJan 25, 1963 to Feb 12, 1964
- 1975 Chinese zodiacWood RabbitFeb 11, 1975 to Jan 30, 1976
- 1987 Chinese zodiacFire RabbitJan 29, 1987 to Feb 16, 1988
- 1999 Chinese zodiacEarth RabbitFeb 16, 1999 to Feb 4, 2000
- 2011 Chinese zodiacMetal RabbitFeb 3, 2011 to Jan 22, 2012
- 2023 Chinese zodiacWater RabbitJan 22, 2023 to Feb 9, 2024
- 2035Wood RabbitFeb 8, 2035 to Jan 27, 2036Next
Rabbit Zodiac Personality and Traits
In Chinese tradition the Rabbit is gentle, elegant and thoughtful. Rabbits are good listeners, avoid quarrels and notice how others feel. The same caution can make them hesitant and slow to speak up for themselves.
Strengths
- Kindness. Cares about how others feel and acts on it.
- Diplomacy. Smooths over disagreements before they grow.
- Taste. Has an eye for beauty and a gift for making things pleasant.
- Care. Thinks things through before acting.
- Loyalty. Stays close to the people it trusts.
Weaknesses
- Avoidance. Steps back from conflict even when it matters.
- Hesitation. Can take too long to decide.
- Sensitivity. Takes criticism to heart.
- Dependence. Looks to others to make hard calls.
- Secrecy. Hides worries behind a calm face.
The Rabbit Man and the Rabbit Woman
These are sketches from tradition, not rules.
The Rabbit Man
The Rabbit man is pictured as courteous, refined and quietly clever. He avoids a fight, listens well and prefers to persuade rather than push. His lesson is to say what he really thinks.
The Rabbit Woman
The Rabbit woman is described as graceful, warm and observant. She makes a home or a workplace feel comfortable and is loyal to her friends. She needs a partner who is steady and does not raise his voice.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water Rabbits
The last digit of your birth year sets your element, which is different from the Rabbit’s own element (always Wood). Born in January or early February? If your birthday came before Lunar New Year, use the year before. The cycle repeats every 60 years.
Wood Rabbit
Years ending in 4 or 51915, 1975, 2035
Wood is the Rabbit’s own element. The Wood Rabbit is said to be the most gentle and creative of the five, and the most generous.
Fire Rabbit
Years ending in 6 or 71927, 1987
Fire adds warmth and nerve. The Fire Rabbit is described as more outgoing and more willing to speak up than other Rabbits.
Earth Rabbit
Years ending in 8 or 91939, 1999
Earth steadies the Rabbit. Practical and dependable, the Earth Rabbit is pictured as the most patient of the five, and good with money.
Metal Rabbit
Years ending in 0 or 11951, 2011
Metal sharpens the Rabbit. The Metal Rabbit is said to be more determined and demanding of itself, with a firm will under a soft manner.
Water Rabbit
Years ending in 2 or 31903, 1963, 2023
Water deepens the Rabbit’s sensitivity. The Water Rabbit is described as the most intuitive of the five, and the most adaptable.
Rabbit Compatibility: Best and Worst Matches
Tradition gives the Rabbit three best matches: the Goat and Pig, its trine group, and the Dog, its Secret Friend. The hardest are the Rooster, directly opposite on the zodiac wheel, and the Dragon, a harm pair. These come from fixed rules, not opinion.
Best Matches
- GoatSame trine group 三合Rabbit and Goat compatibility
- PigSame trine group 三合
- DogSecret Friend 六合
Hardest Matches
- RoosterOpposite sign (clash) 六冲
- DragonHarm pair 六害Rabbit and Dragon compatibility
Goat and Pig
Same trine group. Gentle, kind and easygoing, the Goat and Pig share the Rabbit’s dislike of conflict and its love of a comfortable home.
Dog
The Rabbit’s Secret Friend, a traditional natural ally. The Dog’s loyalty and honesty give the cautious Rabbit something it can trust.
Rooster
Opposite the Rabbit on the wheel, a clash. The Rooster speaks plainly and the Rabbit avoids conflict, so a blunt remark can wound.
Dragon
A harm pair. The Dragon’s big, forceful style can overwhelm the quiet Rabbit, and each can feel the other does not listen.
The Rabbit in 2026 and 2027
For the full forecast, see the Rabbit horoscope for 2027 and the 2027 Year of the Goat.
2026, the Fire Horse Year
The Horse has no formal link to the Rabbit in the traditional rules, so tradition reads 2026 as neutral. It rewards patience and steady habits.
2027, the Fire Goat Year
The Goat is one of the Rabbit’s trine partners, so tradition reads 2027 as a supportive year. It is a good time to lean on friends and family and to try something new.
The Rabbit in Chinese Culture: Meaning and Symbols
The Rabbit took fourth place in the Great Race, the legend that set the order of the 12 animals. In a popular version it hopped across stepping stones, nearly fell in, and floated the last stretch on a log to reach the bank.
The Jade Rabbit
In Chinese folklore a rabbit lives on the moon and pounds the elixir of life with a mortar and pestle. This is the Jade Rabbit (玉兔, yùtù), the companion of the moon goddess Chang’e, and it is a favorite image at the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Rabbit or Hare
The Chinese character 兔 (tù) covers both rabbits and hares, so the zodiac animal is not tied to one species. English sites also call it the Bunny.
Dawn and the Second Month
The Rabbit’s earthly branch, 卯 (mǎo), marks the second month of the traditional solar calendar, which starts around March 6, and the hours from 5 to 7 in the morning.
The Cat in Vietnam
In the Vietnamese zodiac the Cat takes the Rabbit’s place. This is one of the most common differences between the Chinese zodiac and its neighbors.
Rabbit Career, Money and Health
Traditional advice for the Rabbit is the same in every area: trust the quiet judgment, and speak up sooner.
Career
Rabbits do best in work that rewards tact, taste and care: design, teaching, counseling, writing, the arts and healthcare. Loud, high-pressure environments are harder.
Money
Tradition describes the Rabbit as cautious and a good saver, but slow to take a chance. A useful habit is to decide in advance how much risk you are comfortable with, then act on it.
Health
Rabbits are described as gentle but prone to hold worries inside. Tradition links the Rabbit’s Wood element with the liver and with stress that has nowhere to go. That is cultural symbolism, not medical advice. Gentle exercise and time outdoors help most.
Rabbit Zodiac FAQ
What years are the Year of the Rabbit?
Rabbit years include 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 and 2035. The next one starts on Feb 8, 2035. Each Rabbit year begins on Lunar New Year, so check the exact dates if you were born in January or February.
I was born in January 2023. Am I a Rabbit?
Probably not. Lunar New Year 2023 fell on January 22, so births from January 1 to 21 belong to the Tiger year that began in 2022. From January 22, 2023 on, you are a Rabbit.
Is the Chinese zodiac Rabbit a hare?
It can be either. The Chinese character 兔 (tù) covers both rabbits and hares, so the zodiac animal is not tied to one species. English sites say Rabbit, and some say Bunny, for the same sign.
Why does the Vietnamese zodiac have a Cat?
In the Vietnamese zodiac the Cat takes the Rabbit's place. A common explanation is that mǎo, the sound of the Rabbit's earthly branch 卯, resembles the Vietnamese word for cat, mèo, though the origin is not settled.
What is the Rabbit's enemy sign?
The Rooster. It sits opposite the Rabbit on the zodiac wheel, a pairing tradition calls a clash. The Dragon is the other hard match, a harm pair. Both point to friction in style, not a ban on friendship or marriage.
Who should a Rabbit marry?
Tradition favors the Dog, Goat and Pig. The Goat and Pig share the Rabbit's trine group, and the Dog is its Secret Friend. The Rooster and Dragon are harder. Real couples depend more on the two people than on their signs.