1939 Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Earth Rabbit

Detail	1939
Animal	Rabbit (兔)
Element	Earth, yin
Stem and branch	Ji Mao (己卯)
Year starts	February 19, 1939
Year ends	February 7, 1940
Year before	1938, Earth Tiger
Year after	1940, Metal Dragon

Born in January or February 1939?

The Chinese year does not start on January 1. It starts at Chinese New Year, which follows the Moon and usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, somewhere between January 21 and February 20. In 1939 it fell on February 19 (China time), so the Rabbit starts with births on that day and everyone born before it in 1939 is still an Earth Tiger. If your birthday sits close to the line, the Chinese zodiac calculator checks the exact date for you.

The Rabbit in Chinese astrology

Gentle and diplomatic, the Rabbit is the most conflict-averse of the twelve in Chinese astrology. Rabbit people are described as refined and observant, with an eye for beauty and a gift for making a space feel calm. They are read as good listeners and careful with words, the type to smooth over a disagreement before it hardens. Others experience them as courteous, discreet and easy to be around.

The blind spots follow from the same gentleness. A Rabbit may avoid hard conversations, say yes when the answer is no, and carry quiet resentment instead of naming it. Caution can slide into indecision, and a sensitivity to tone makes harsh criticism linger. If you are a Rabbit, the old advice is to keep your sense of tact but practice saying the plain thing early, while it is still small. Friends often describe Rabbits as the ones who remember small details, such as a favorite tea or a difficult anniversary, and who show care through thoughtful gestures.

The Earth Rabbit

Earth stands for stability, patience and practicality in Chinese astrology. Tradition links it to the turn between seasons, to soil and the harvest, and reads an Earth year as grounding the animal it touches. Earth people are described as reliable, nurturing and thorough, with an instinct for building something that lasts. The classical shadow is stubbornness and worry, a preference for what is known over what is new. Earth gives the animal weight, loyalty and a steady pace.

A home base is what Earth gives the Rabbit. Tradition reads the most stable of the Rabbits: caring, practical and quietly industrious, with a steady hand around money and household matters. It is calm and unhurried, and creates comfort wherever it goes. It is seen as a dependable, gracious presence, and it would sooner repair something than replace it. A fear of change means opportunities may pass unexamined. Testing new ideas in small steps, and saying plainly what it needs, is the traditional suggestion. Guests tend to remember the Earth Rabbit's house for how easy it was to stay in.

The same pairing of element and animal returns every sixty years, so 1999 is Earth Rabbit years as well. The other earth year next to 1939 is 1938, an Earth Tiger, because each element lasts two years, one yang and one yin.

Rabbit compatibility

Tradition groups the twelve animals into four trines of three. The Rabbit shares its trine with the Goat and the Pig, the pairings read as the easiest. Its secret friend, a second close match, is the Dog, while the Rooster, six places away on the wheel, is read as its clash. These are tendencies of the tradition, not verdicts on any couple.

Tender, loyal and considerate, the Rabbit values a peaceful home and gentle manners. Rabbits prefer a slow courtship, show affection through small kindnesses and want to feel emotionally safe before they commit. They can be shy of conflict and may need encouragement to share what bothers them. A Rabbit flourishes with a partner who is kind, consistent and willing to ask how things are going.

The Rabbit at work

Tact, aesthetics and negotiation are the Rabbit's strengths, so the sign suits roles where they matter. Rabbits have a good eye for quality and a conservative approach to money: they save, avoid big gambles and prefer a stable income. The weak point is putting off decisions that carry risk, so that a good chance passes while the Rabbit weighs it.

Other Rabbit years

The Rabbit comes back every twelve years, each time with the next element: 1939 Earth Rabbit (this page), 1951 Metal Rabbit, 1963 Water Rabbit, 1975 Wood Rabbit, 1987 Fire Rabbit, 1999 Earth Rabbit, 2011 Metal Rabbit, 2023 Water Rabbit.

Your Western sign

Your Chinese sign comes from your birth year. Western astrology works from the sky on the day you were born instead: your Sun sign follows the date, and your Moon sign and rising sign also need the time and place. Two people born in 1939 share the Rabbit and can still have any of the twelve Western Sun signs. Draw your free birth chart to see your Sun, Moon and rising sign together, or look up your Sun sign by date with the zodiac sign dates calculator.

All twelve animals, the five elements and every year from 1930 to 2030 are listed in Chinese zodiac years.