The first Chinese lunar rover was named Yutu.
Yutu was deployed by Chang’e 3 after the mission made China’s first soft landing on the Moon on December 14, 2013. The rover’s name means “Jade Rabbit” and comes from Chinese lunar mythology, in which the rabbit is associated with Chang’e, the Moon goddess. Yutu is therefore the rover’s proper name, while Jade Rabbit is its familiar English translation or nickname.
The six-wheeled rover explored Mare Imbrium using cameras, spectrometers, and ground-penetrating radar. Its instruments examined the lunar surface and subsurface, including soil layers and the composition of rocks. Yutu was designed for a three-month mission but survived far longer, although a mechanical-control failure eventually left it unable to move.
A common mix-up is Chang’e, which names the Chinese lunar exploration missions and the mythological goddess, not the rover itself. Shenzhou refers to China’s crewed spacecraft program. Yutu-2 was the later rover carried by Chang’e 4 and became the first rover to operate on the Moon’s far side.