1939 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Earth Rabbit

1939 is the year of the Earth Rabbit (己卯 Jǐmǎo), from 19 February 1939 to 7 February 1940. Anyone born in 1939 before 19 February 1939 belongs to the Earth Tiger year.

• Animal: Rabbit
• Element: Earth (Yin)
• Cycle name: 己卯 Jǐmǎo, year 16 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 19 February 1939
• Ends: 7 February 1940

The Earth Rabbit

Earth years are traditionally linked with steadiness, practicality and care: the element that holds things together and keeps promises. The Rabbit is the diplomat of the cycle. Tradition describes Rabbit people as gentle, tactful and careful, with good taste and a strong wish for peace. They notice atmosphere before words, and they would rather smooth a conflict than win it.

Born in January or February 1939?

Anyone born from 1 January to 18 February 1939 belongs to the Earth Tiger year of 1938. From 19 February 1939 the Earth Rabbit year begins.

Famous people born in the Earth Rabbit year

• Ian McKellen, born 25 May 1939
• Tina Turner, born 26 November 1939

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

1938: Earth Tiger · 1940: Metal Dragon · All Rabbit years · All 12 animals