๐
Rabbit
RAB-it
Definitions
1
Animals ยท Mammals
Very Common
A small mammal with long ears, a short tail, and powerful hind legs. Used to represent rabbits, bunnies, or hares in literal contexts, or to symbolize qualities associated with rabbits.
Commonly used for Easter celebrations, to indicate speed, cuteness, or fertility. Often appears in animal-themed conversations.
Just adopted the cutest little ๐ from the shelter! He's so soft!
Social media post about pets
Happy Easter! The ๐ brought lots of chocolate eggs this year!
Holiday greeting message
Symbolizes luck in many Western cultures, while representing the moon, cleverness, or trickery in East Asian traditions.
2
Symbolism ยท Cultural
Common
Used metaphorically to represent speed, fertility, luck, or cultural references like the Easter Bunny, White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, or the Lunar Zodiac.
Often appears in holiday contexts, zodiac discussions, or metaphorical expressions about speed or reproduction.
She runs like a ๐! Finished the marathon in under 3 hours!
Sports commentary
I'm late, I'm late! ๐โ Following the white rabbit down the rabbit hole.
Reference to Alice in Wonderland
Carries varied symbolic meanings across cultures, from innocence and vulnerability to trickery and fertility.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Introduction of the rabbit emoji in Unicode 6.0, initially designed with more realistic features.
Growing emoji adoption and need for animal representations.
2014
Redesign across platforms to appear cuter and more cartoonish, aligning with kawaii aesthetic trends.
Influence of Japanese cute culture on emoji design standards.
2023
Surge in usage during Year of the Rabbit in Chinese Zodiac, spreading to global social media.
Lunar New Year celebrations and cross-cultural emoji adoption.
Cultural Context
The rabbit has been a potent symbol across cultures for millennia, representing fertility in ancient traditions, lunar deities in East Asia, and trickster figures in Native American folklore.
The term 'rabbit hole' (often paired with this emoji) entered digital culture to describe falling into an internet research spiral, derived from Alice in Wonderland.
Rabbits symbolize contradictory traits across cultures: vulnerability yet rapid reproduction, innocence yet sexual fertility, good luck yet trickery.
In Australia, rabbits are invasive pests causing ecological damage, creating tension with the cute, positive emoji representation popular elsewhere.
Regional Variations
Australia
Has complex connotations due to rabbits being invasive pests, yet still used in Easter traditions.
China
Associated with the Jade Rabbit of the Moon and the Zodiac Year of the Rabbit.
United States
Strongly associated with Easter traditions and the Easter Bunny, particularly in spring celebrations.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used more literally for actual rabbits, Easter traditions, and occasionally for Alice in Wonderland references in professional contexts.
Gen_Z: Often used in aesthetic posts, cottagecore content, and as a cute reaction. Sometimes references Alice in Wonderland or 'down the rabbit hole' memes.
Older: Primarily used for Easter greetings, to represent actual pet rabbits, or in messages about grandchildren's Easter celebrations.
Millennials: Commonly used for Easter references, pet posts, and literary allusions. May be used to symbolize fertility when discussing family planning.
Common Combinations
๐๐ฅ
Easter Bunny and Easter eggs, representing Easter celebrations.
Traditional Western Easter imagery combining the Easter Bunny with colored eggs.
๐๐
Moon Rabbit or Jade Rabbit, referencing East Asian folklore.
Based on East Asian legends about a rabbit living on the moon, making elixirs of immortality.
๐โฑ๏ธ
White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, indicating lateness or urgency.
Reference to the character who repeatedly checks his pocket watch saying 'I'm late!'
๐๐ข
The Tortoise and the Hare fable, representing overconfidence vs. persistence.
References Aesop's fable about a race between a fast rabbit and slow tortoise.
๐๐
Rabbit breeding or multiplying quickly, sometimes used euphemistically.
References rabbits' reputation for rapid reproduction and large litters.
Related Emojis
๐ฐ
Rabbit face variant, often used interchangeably but with more emphasis on cuteness.
๐ฅ
Easter egg, frequently paired with rabbit for Easter celebrations.
๐
Full moon, connected to the Moon Rabbit legends in East Asian cultures.
๐ข
Tortoise from the Tortoise and Hare fable, representing the opposite of rabbit's speed.