If you've ever used a Xiaomi smartphone, you've probably encountered a mysterious symbol, the white hare in an orange scarf, which appears in the most unexpected places, from the boot screen to the hidden Easter eggs in MIUI. But what is the name of this hare, and why it became the unofficial mascot of the company? In this article, we'll not only reveal his name, but also dive into the history of his appearance, analyze the hidden functions associated with him, and show how to "catch" him on your device.
Spoiler: The answer to the question "what is the name of the Xiaomi hare" is easier than it seems. But there is a culture around this name, from memes to official brand events. We will also tell you why the hare became a symbol of speed and optimization in MIUI firmware, and how its image has evolved from 2010 to today. Ready to learn more?
Where did Xiaomi hare come from: the history of the appearance
The first appearance of the hare dates back to 2010, when Xiaomi introduced its first MIUI firmware for Android smartphones, a symbol that was invented as part of the branding to indicate the speed and ease of the system. Founder Lei Jun mentioned in an interview that the hare represents “fast, like a hare, who always reaches the finish line first.”
Interestingly, the hare was originally unnamed, it was just a graphic element. However, as Xiaomi's popularity in China grew, fans began to name it. The official name came later, when the company decided to fix the image in the culture of the brand. Today, the hare is not only a logo, but also part of the corporate identity that you can find on device boxes, in commercials and even in the offices of the company.
- 📅 2010 - The first appearance of a hare in the MIUI v1.
- 🎨 2012 – The hare becomes part of the boot animation.
- 📦 2015 – the symbol begins to print on the packaging of smartphones.
- 🎮 2018 – The hare appears in Xiaomi’s games and mini-apps.
The symbol is also associated with Chinese culture: in China, the hare is associated with luck and rapid success. It was perfectly combined with Xiaomi's philosophy of making technology devices available to a wide audience. By the way, if you look at the early versions of the logo, you can see that the hare had a slightly different design - more angular and minimalistic.
The official name of the hare Xiaomi: debunking myths
So what's the name of the Xiaomi hare? The official name is Mitu. It's a word play on words: «» (mǐ) means “rice” (and is also the first part of the Xiaomi brand name, “) and «» (tù) So Mitu literally means "rice hare».
Interestingly, the name Mitu was not announced immediately, first appearing in a Chinese promotional video in 2014 and later confirmed on Xiaomi’s official social media accounts, but many users still refer to the hare simply as “Xiaomi hare” or “MIUI Bunny” (in English-speaking communities).
⚠️ Attention! Alternative versions of the name, such as Mi Bunny or Xiao Tu, are available online, but only Mitu is the officially confirmed name.
Why is the Mitu name not so widely known? The fact is that Xiaomi has never made it into a separate marketing campaign, the name mentioned in only a few sources, and the brand focuses on the visual image of the hare, not its name. However, for real Xiaomi fans, knowing this fact is a kind of “secret level”.
Where to find Mitu hare in Xiaomi devices: hidden Easter eggs
The Mitu hare is hidden in the most unexpected places of MIUI firmware, and here are some ways to catch it:
- Boot Animation: When you turn on your smartphone on some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or Xiaomi 11T), you can see the animation with a running rabbit. To activate it, you sometimes need to press the volume button when you turn on.
- Hidden menu of engineering settings: enter the code ##4636## in the phone application, then go to the section "Phone Information" - on some firmware there is a hare icon hidden there.
- Mini-game in settings: in older versions of MIUI (for example, MIUI 8) you could find a game with a hare if you repeatedly click on the firmware version in Settings → About phone.
- Wallpaper and themes: Themes app periodically features wallpaper with Mitu hare, especially during holidays (e.g. Chinese New Year).
On some devices, the hare appears when you update the firmware, for example, when you install a large update, an animation can be displayed on the screen where the hare runs with a flash drive in its paws, which symbolizes fast data loading.
How to play a secret game with a hare on MIUI 12?
If you do not find a hare on your device, do not worry: its appearance depends on the version. MIUI And the smartphone models. POCO-Easter eggs with a hare are less common, as they are focused on the international market.
Mitu Hare in Pop Culture: Memes, Merch and Collaborations
The image of the Mitu hare has long gone beyond firmware and has become part of pop culture. Here are some interesting facts:
- 🎭 Memes: Chinese social media sites have memes with a hare that steals a smartphone battery or hides in settings. One of the most famous is "Mitu Hare Eats My Charge," when users joke that a quick battery discharge is secret Taiwan leprosy.
- 🛍️ Merch: Xiaomi makes limited batches of hare-clad products, from T-shirts to plush toys. In 2021, for example, there was a Released plush Mitu in an orange scarf that fans instantly bought up.
- 🎮 Collaborations: The hare appeared in mobile games, such as Mi Bunny Run, an arcade runner where you collect carrots and avoid obstacles, and there was a crossover with Tencent, where Mitu became a character in one of the mini-games WeChat.
- 🎬 Advertising: In 2020, Xiaomi released a series of videos where the Mitu hare “tests” new smartphones. For example, in one of the videos he checks the Xiaomi 11 Ultra camera, photographing carrots.
In 2022, the hare even became part of the NFT-Xiaomi has released a limited series of digital tokens featuring Mitu in different styles (from pixel to pixel). 3D). It was timed for the 10th anniversary. MIUI.
Interestingly, in some countries, the hare is associated not only with Xiaomi, but also with Chinese culture in general, for example, in Vietnam it is sometimes confused with the symbol of the moon from local fairy tales, which led to the emergence of fan arts where Mitu is depicted in traditional Asian costumes.
How Mitu Rabbit Is Linked to MIUI Performance: Technical Details
The Mitu hare is not only a cute mascot, but also a symbol of MIUI firmware optimization. In early versions of the system, developers used the image of the hare as a marker for internal performance tests. For example, if the animation with the hare was played smoothly, this meant that the system worked without lags.
Over time, the hare became associated with the performance mode in the MIUI. For example, in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 once) → Developer Mode: There is an option “Optimization” MIUI», And it's not just a metaphor, but it's got scripts in the firmware code that are called "rabbit speed." mitu_boost And they're responsible for speeding up animations.
| MIUI version | The role of the Mitu hare | Where to find him. |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 5-7 | Load speed symbol | Boot screen, hidden settings |
| MIUI 8-10 | Character mini-game in settings | Settings → About the phone (multiple pressing) |
| MIUI 11-12 | Mascot of the performance mode | Developer settings (mitu_boost) |
| MIUI 13+ | Element of design and Easter eggs | Wallpaper, themes, commercials |
V MIUI 14 Mitu hare has a new role as part of the memory management system. mitu_mem_cleaner, This indicates the process of cleaning RAM, and it underscores once again that the hare is not just a mascot, but a full-fledged technical symbol.
⚠️ Attention, if you see errors in the device logs related to mitu_*, Don’t worry, it’s not a virus, it’s a business process. MIUI. However, if they cause failures, it is recommended to reset the settings to factory or update the firmware.
Create your Mitu hare: customization and modding
If you're into customizing your smartphone, you can add a Mitu hare to your device yourself. Here are a few ways:
- 🖌️ Castom wallpaper: There are many high-resolution wallpapers on the Internet with a hare, which can be downloaded and installed through the Wallpaper app or Google Wallpapers.
- 📱 Topics for MIUI: Mi Theme Editor (available for download on forums) XDA Developers) can create your own theme with the image of Mitu on icons and boot screen.
- 🔧 Mod boot animation: for advanced users there is an opportunity to replace the standard bootanimation.zip It's going to require root rights and software. TWRP.
- 🎮 Port of mini-games: enthusiasts carry the old game with a hare from the MIUI 8 on new firmware versions. APK-Game file (available on forums, for example, 4PDA).
If you want to go further, you can order. 3D-model of the Mitu hare and print it on 3D-Printing drawings are sometimes shared by fans of the brand on platforms like Thingiverse.
Download wallpaper or theme with a hare
Install Mi Theme Editor (to create themes)
Get root rights (to change bootanimation)
Download APK mini-games (optional)
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Before experiments, it is recommended to make a backup of data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
The future of the Mitu hare: what awaits the mascot Xiaomi?
With each passing year, the role of the Mitu hare in the Xiaomi ecosystem is expanding. In 2023, the company announced that it plans to make it more interactive. For example, in future versions of MIUI, the hare can become a virtual assistant that will prompt users to optimal settings for performance.
There are also rumors that Xiaomi is preparing a full-fledged animated series about the adventures of Mitu. While this is not officially confirmed, but fan trailers are already appearing in Chinese social networks, and Xiaomi has filed patent applications for the design of new plush toys of a hare with IoT control (for example, a hare can blink its ears when notified on a smartphone).
In terms of technology, the Mitu hare could become part of Xiaomi’s artificial intelligence, for example, HyperOS (which replaces MIUI) already has references to a “Mitu mode” that will automatically optimize the device’s performance in the background.
It is possible that in the future the hare will become a full-fledged brand ambassador for new categories of devices, for example, his image could be used in children’s Xiaomi gadgets (as does Samsung with the character Bixby) or in a line of smart toys.
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The Mitu hare is not only a mascot, but also a technical symbol of MIUI optimization. In the future, it could become a virtual assistant or part of the IoT ecosystem from Xiaomi.