Chinese New Year 2023: the Year of the Rabbit
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival (春节), is the biggest and most notable festival in China. It marks the start of a New Year and symbolizes new beginnings and fresh starts.
When is Chinese New Year 2023?
Chinese New Year 2023 falls on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 and it marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit.
Officially, the public holiday runs for 7 days. For Chinese New Year 2023, it’s from January 21st to January 27th. Unofficially, celebrations last up to 16 days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month). In 2023, it’s from January 21st to February 5th.
The most important dates of Chinese New Year 2023 are:
What is the Chinese New Year 2023 Animal? —— Rabbit
Chinese New Year 2023 animal is rabbit, which means 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac. By the way, Chinese New Year 2024 animal will be dragon.
The recent and incoming years of the Rabbit are 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, and 2035. If you were born in one of these years, you were probably born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Rabbit.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be gentle and lovely, innocent and lively, free and active, calm and obedient, generous, sympathetic and meticulous.
There are 12 Chinese new year animals signs on the Chinese zodiac. Aside from the Rabbit, the other Chinese new year animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. You can check out our Chinese zodiac page to find your own zodiac animal sign.
When is Chinese New Year?
You may wonder why Chinese New Year is always on a different date each year. Because the date of Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Lunar Calender rather than the Gregorian calendar.
Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, is the first day of the second new Moon after the Winter Solstice, usually falling between January 21 and February 20.
How Long is Chinese New Year 2023?
Traditionally, Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year for 16 days. It starts from Chinese New Year’s Eve and ends with the rise of the first full Moon of the lunar calendar two weeks later which also happens to be the Lantern Festival. Celebrations of Chinese New Year 2023 is from January 21st to February 5th.
But China’s public holiday for Chinese New Year is 7 days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the 6th day of the first lunar month. So, in 2023, that is from January 21st to January 27th.
Different from mainland China, public holiday for Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and Macao is 3 days.
How to Wish Someone a Happy Chinese New Year 2023?
1. 新年好
Instead of saying 你好 (nǐ hǎo), Chinese people usually greet one another saying “xīn nián hǎo” during Chinese New Year. It’s the most commonly used Chinese New Year greeting in Mandarin, meaning “good new year” essentially.
2. 新年快乐
You may also hear Chinese people say “xīn nián kuài lè” to wish someone a happy Chinese New Year. It’s a more formal greeting than “xīn nián hǎo”. This greeting literally means “New Year happiness”. You can also use it during the regular Jan 1st New Year.
3. 恭喜发财
“Gong hei fat choy” is the most common Chinese New Year greeting in Cantonese, which means wishing you happiness and prosperity. This greeting is commonly spoken in Hong Kong, parts of southern China, and wherever the Cantonese dialect is spoken, such as Chinatowns.
Chinese New Year Greetings for 2023 Rabbit Year
As the Chinese New Year animal 2023 is rabbit, Chinese people love using near homophones with the Chinese word for rabbit (tu) to greet people. Here are some of the most popular greetings for the year of the Rabbit 2023.
1. 宏图大展
2. 前程似锦
3. 扬眉吐气
When is the next Chinese New Year 2024?
Chinese New Year 2024 will fall on Saturday, February 10th, 2024 and it will mark the start of the Year of the Dragon.
Chinese New Year Calender & Dates in 2023, 2024, 2025 and more
The table below showcases when Chinese New Year is from 2021 to 2032 and what the Chinese New Year animal signs are for each year respectively.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | Animal Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Feb. 12 | Friday | Feb. 11-17 | Ox |
| 2022 | Feb. 1 | Tuesday | Jan. 31 - Feb. 6 | Tiger |
| 2023 | Jan. 22 | Sunday | Jan. 21-27 | Rabbit |
| 2024 | Feb. 10 | Saturday | Feb. 9-15 | Dragon |
| 2025 | Jan. 29 | Wednesday | Jan. 28 - Feb. 3 | Snake |
| 2026 | Feb. 17 | Tuesday | Feb. 16-22 | Horse |
| 2027 | Feb. 6 | Saturday | Feb. 5-11 | Goat |
| 2028 | Jan. 26 | Wednesday | Jan. 25-31 | Monkey |
| 2029 | Feb. 13 | Tuesday | Feb. 12-18 | Rooster |
| 2030 | Feb. 3 | Sunday | Feb. 2-8 | Dog |
| 2031 | Jan. 23 | Thursday | Jan. 22-28 | Pig |
| 2032 | Feb. 11 | Wednesday | Feb. 10-16 | Rat |
Where to Celebrate Chinese New Year 2023
Popular Chinese New Year Tour
★ 14-day Lunar New Year tour to Guizhou with various cultural activities and grand celebration