In the Chinese zodiac, 1987 is the Year of the Rabbit, with Fire as its element. The Fire Rabbit year began on Thursday, January 29, 1987 and ended on Tuesday, February 16, 1988. It is one of the long years, so it includes everyone born in the first weeks of 1988. People born from January 1 to January 28, 1987 are Fire Tigers.
What are the exact dates of the 1987 Rabbit year?
| Birthday | Sign |
|---|---|
| January 1 to January 28, 1987 | Fire Tiger |
| January 29, 1987 to February 16, 1988 | Fire Rabbit |
| February 17, 1988 and later | Earth Dragon |
From first day to last the Rabbit year covers 384 days: all of 1987 except its first four weeks, plus 47 days of 1988.
Where did the extra days come from?
From a thirteenth month. The traditional calendar follows the moon, and 12 lunar months fall about 11 days short of a year of seasons. Every two or three years a leap month is added to make up the gap.
In 1987 it came in midsummer. The Hong Kong Observatory's table lists the sixth lunar month beginning on June 26 and then a second sixth month beginning on July 26. With that repeat, the next Lunar New Year slid to February 17, 1988.
A leap month changes how long the zodiac year is. It does not change the sign: a baby born in the leap month of 1987 is a Fire Rabbit like any other.
Were you born at the edge of the year?
- Born on January 25, 1987? You are a Tiger. That year is covered in 1986 in the Chinese zodiac.
- Born on January 29, 1987? A Rabbit, born on Lunar New Year's Day.
- Born on February 5, 1988? A Rabbit, though the calendar says 1988.
- Born on February 17, 1988? You are a Dragon, on the first day of its year. See 1988 in the Chinese zodiac.
For any date in between, or any other year, enter the birthday below. The tool is the same as on the Birthday Profile page.
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What does Fire Rabbit mean?
The Rabbit is the quiet sign of the zodiac, traditionally said to be gentle, kind and diplomatic. National Museums Liverpool describes it as talented, articulate, affectionate and shy. Fire is the element linked with passion, energy and leadership. The tradition sets the two side by side: a mild animal in a spirited year. As with all zodiac portraits, it is folklore and says nothing dependable about a person.
In the old system of year names, 1987 is ding-mao. Ding is the fourth of the ten "heavenly stems"; mao is the "earthly branch" of the Rabbit. The cycle of 60 that they produce is explained on our page about Chinese New Year animals. Every Rabbit year and the five element types are in the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac.
In the Vietnamese zodiac the fourth sign is the Cat, and the years line up with the Chinese ones, so the same year is counted there as a Year of the Cat.
When was the last Fire Rabbit year, and when is the next?
| Fire Rabbit year | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| 1927 | February 2, 1927 | January 22, 1928 |
| 1987 | January 29, 1987 | February 16, 1988 |
| 2047 | January 26, 2047 | February 13, 2048 |
Animal and element meet again every 60 years. The length of the year is not part of the pattern: the 1927 Fire Rabbit year had no leap month and was over by late January.
How old are people born in 1987, and when is their next Rabbit year?
People born in 1987 turn 40 in 2027. Their sign has returned three times, in 1999, 2011 and 2023. The next Year of the Rabbit begins on February 8, 2035 and ends on January 27, 2036.
A person's own zodiac year is known as the ben ming nian. By folk belief it is a hurdle and not a lucky year, and the custom is to wear red while it lasts.
The years on either side
- 1986 was a Fire Tiger year: February 9, 1986 to January 28, 1987.
- 1988 was an Earth Dragon year: February 17, 1988 to February 5, 1989.