rabbit
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rabbit
A small herbivorous mammal with long ears that is often kept as a pet or lives in the wild. It belongs to the hare family.
Die Kinder haben zu Ostern ein Kaninchen geschenkt bekommen.
The children were given a rabbit for Easter.
to pull a rabbit out of a hat
An idiom that means to present an unexpected and surprising solution to a problem.
In letzter Minute hat der Anwalt noch ein neues Beweismittel und damit das Kaninchen aus dem Hut gezaubert.
At the last minute, the lawyer produced a new piece of evidence, effectively pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
Another fixed expression is 'wie das Kaninchen vor der Schlange dastehen' (to stand there like a rabbit in front of a snake). This describes a person who is completely paralyzed and unable to act because of fear or shock.
Als der Lehrer ihn aufrief, saß er da wie das Kaninchen vor der Schlange und sagte kein Wort.
When the teacher called on him, he sat there like a rabbit in front of a snake and didn't say a word.
The idiom 'das Kaninchen aus dem Hut zaubern' (to pull/conjure a rabbit out of a hat) is used as a whole. It describes how someone finds a surprising solution to a difficult problem, often when no one expects it anymore.
Wir dachten, das Projekt sei gescheitert, aber dann hat die Chefin ein Kaninchen aus dem Hut gezaubert.
We thought the project had failed, but then the boss pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
In the literal sense, 'Kaninchen' (rabbit) is often used with verbs that describe keeping one as a pet. Typical phrases are 'ein Kaninchen halten' (to keep a rabbit), 'ein Kaninchen füttern' (to feed a rabbit), or 'ein Kaninchen streicheln' (to pet a rabbit).
Meine kleine Schwester möchte unbedingt ein Kaninchen als Haustier halten.
My little sister really wants to keep a rabbit as a pet.
hare / bunny
Kaninchen and Hase refer to related small mammals with long ears and can be confused in everyday speech. A Kaninchen is often kept as a pet, while a Hase usually lives in the wild and is adapted to running fast. Choose according to the specific situation rather than treating this as an absolute rule.
Zu Hause fütterte das Mädchen ihr Kaninchen mit frischen Karotten.
At home, the girl fed her rabbit fresh carrots.
Am Waldrand sahen wir einen Hasen über das Feld laufen.
At the edge of the forest, we saw a hare running across the field.
