Chinese New Year 2023 is the year of the water rabbit, starting on January 22, 2023 (Chinese New Year), and ending on February 9, 2024 (Chinese New Year’s Eve).

If you were born in one of the following years, then you are a Water Rabbit:  

1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

The Chinese New Year is the biggest celebration in China, representing a renewal of good fortune, happiness, and health. Each Chinese new year is represented by one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, or pig. 

According to Chinese astrology, people born in the years of the Water Rabbit are gentle, quiet, elegant, sensitive, creative, and alert, as well as quick, skillful, kind, patient, and very responsible. They can be reluctant to reveal their minds to others and have a tendency to escape reality but are faithful to those around them.

In Chinese culture, the rabbit is the 4th animal in the zodiac, known to be the luckiest of the 12 animals, and symbolizes peace and longevity. This year of 2023 is held to be a year of hope. 

Across Asia, red and gold symbolize good fortune, therefore many people wear red during the Lunar New Year, and often children are given red envelopes stuffed with money.

In Cantonese, the common way to say ‘Happy Lunar New Year’ is “gong hei fat choy” (恭喜发财), which means ‘wishing you happiness and prosperity’.