Sweet and serene, the Rabbit is the empath of the Chinese zodiac. These beautiful bunnies are delicate creatures who can be prone to escapist behavior.
Rabbit Years in the Chinese zodiac
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
What is the personality of a Rabbit?
Serene and ethereal, Rabbits have a softness to their auras, much like cuddly bunnies. These sweet souls can be a little mysterious at times, and keep their emotions private. Beneath the surface, there’s a lot going on. Rabbits are delicate souls who at times seem too fragile for life on Earth. They need support, and constant reminders of their own resilience.
With their vivid imaginations, Rabbits want to escape the harshness of reality. At times, they do this through self-destructive behavior and chemical addictions, like Rabbits Drew Barrymore and Whitney Houston. Most Rabbits can benefit from a strong therapist to draw out the subconscious turmoil that brews under their gentle facades. Pretty people with kind faces and hearts, Rabbits find their true strength by healing the world.
The Rabbit is ruled by the planet Neptune
The ethereal Rabbit is ruled by imaginative Neptune, the planet of the subconscious. This watery influence makes the Rabbit a natural fit with Pisces, its Neptune-ruled Western astrology counterpart. The Rabbit shares the delicate aura of Pisces, the bountiful creativity and sensitivity. Rabbits exude the enchanting spell of Neptune, a beauty that radiates from within when they’re aligned in mind, body and spirit. They are communal and cooperative, a soothing presence that tunes into poetry, music and art.
Bunnies beware: gullible Neptune can also make your Chinese zodiac sign susceptible to predators who take advantage of the timid, shy and compliant parts of your nature. Your openness is lovely, but it can be disingenuous. Rabbit folk benefit from learning assertiveness skills to help them set clear boundaries, a struggle thanks to porous Neptune. (Recommended Rabbit reading: Boundary Boss, written by Rabbit author Terri Cole!) Without these tools, Rabbits may passively retreat, keeping people at arm’s length, or flashing a sunny smile while they silently seethe. If you find yourself withdrawing to avoid conflict, this is your sign to add a little tough to your fluff.
Nonetheless, “make love, not war” will forever be the Rabbit’s mantra, and this bountiful animal can certainly multiply and manifest. From the prolific litters that bunnies birth to their ability to make miracles from thin air (thanks, Neptune!), abundance is a superpower for spiritually-aligned Rabbits. Neptune, the planet of illusions, rules the subconscious—and that still-mysterious part of the mind that science is only starting to understand. Is it any surprise that Albert Einstein, whose theory of relativity blew open our concepts of time and space, was a Pisces Rabbit? It’s hardly a quantum bunny hop to suggest that his double-Neptune rulership is evident here, all the way down to his trademark silky cloud of hair!
The “Animal Planets” in Chinese astrology (planetary rulers)
Rat: Jupiter
Ox: Saturn
Tiger: Uranus
Rabbit: Neptune
Dragon: Mars
Snake: Venus
Horse: Mercury
Sheep: Moon
Monkey: Sun
Rooster: Mercury
Dog: Venus
Pig: Pluto
Other traits of the Rabbit Chinese astrology sign
Western Sign: Pisces
Who is the Rabbit compatible with? Sheep, Pig
Famous Rabbits: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Whitney Houston, Drew Barrymore, Tina Turner, Tara Reid, Mike Myers, Kate Winslet, Fergie, Eva Longoria, David Beckham, Enrique Iglesias, Albert Einstein, Kimora Lee, Andre 3000, Zac Efron, Evan Peters, Kesha, Wiz Khalifa, Rob Kardashian, Meek Mill, Michael B. Jordan, Snooki, DJ Khaled, will.i.am, 50 Cent, Tiger Woods, Kate Winslet, A-Rod, Lauryn Hill, MIA
The 5 Elements of Chinese Astrology
The Chinese zodiac is divided into five key elements of nature, or Wu Xing: wood, water, metal, fire and earth. Each lunar year is governed by a different element.
Years Ending in are ruled by:
0-1: Metal
2-3: Water
4-5: Wood
6-7: Fire
8-9: Earth
Rabbit years and their elements
1927: Fire Rabbit
1939: Earth Rabbit
1951: Metal Rabbit
1963: Water Rabbit
1975: Wood Rabbit
1987: Fire Rabbit
1999: Earth Rabbit
2011: Metal Rabbit
2023: Water Rabbit
Not a Rabbit? Find your Chinese zodiac sign and element using the calculator below:
Find your Chinese Zodiac sign
Find your Chinese/lunar year zodiac sign
Learn which animal archetype ruled over the 12-month lunar year that you were born:
Find our elemental year (metal, water, wood, fire or earth)
Every decade is divided into two-year blocks, each ruled by an element:
The Chinese zodiac sign that governs your birth year can tell you a lot about your personality, interests, romantic compatibility and career path. Learn more about your Chinese zodiac in the Chinese astrology section of Astrostyle.
Feature art by Rosie Dienhart
