Year of the Rabbit: Chinese Zodiac Rabbit Years, Traits and Matches
The short answer
Rabbit years come every 12 years and begin at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. The most recent ran from 22 January 2023 to 9 February 2024, and the next begins on 8 February 2035.
Rabbit years come every 12 years and begin at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. The most recent ran from 22 January 2023 to 9 February 2024, and the next begins on 8 February 2035.
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.
Strengths and challenges
Strengths: Gentle, Diplomatic, Tasteful, Careful. Challenges: Avoids conflict, Overly cautious, Easily hurt, Can seem aloof.
The Rabbit in love
In love the Rabbit is tender and loyal and makes a calm, beautiful home. It needs kindness and security, and it can take a while to say what it really wants.
The Rabbit at work
At work the Rabbit brings judgement and polish. It suits diplomacy, design, counselling, editing and roles that need a steady hand with people.
Best and hardest matches
Traditionally the Rabbit works best with the Goat and Pig (its trine) and has a quiet ally in the Dog. Its opposite is the Rooster, the pairing tradition calls a clash.
Every Rabbit year, 1924 to 2044
| Year | Element and animal | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | Fire Rabbit | 2 February 1927 | 22 January 1928 |
| 1939 | Earth Rabbit | 19 February 1939 | 7 February 1940 |
| 1951 | Metal Rabbit | 6 February 1951 | 26 January 1952 |
| 1963 | Water Rabbit | 25 January 1963 | 12 February 1964 |
| 1975 | Wood Rabbit | 11 February 1975 | 30 January 1976 |
| 1987 | Fire Rabbit | 29 January 1987 | 16 February 1988 |
| 1999 | Earth Rabbit | 16 February 1999 | 4 February 2000 |
| 2011 | Metal Rabbit | 3 February 2011 | 22 January 2012 |
| 2023 | Water Rabbit | 22 January 2023 | 9 February 2024 |
| 2035 | Wood Rabbit | 8 February 2035 | 27 January 2036 |
Branch: 卯 Mǎo · Fixed element: Wood · Yin · Hours: 5am to 7am
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.