Your rabbit isn't vicious. It's usually frightened. Any kind of punishment will simply make it worse. It may be terrified of you, particularly if you haven't had it long or if it hasn't been used to human handling. Many rabbits don’t like being picked up.
A female rabbit may be defending the nest territory. One way to diminish the female instinct to defend its nest will be to get a female rabbit spayed. Some male rabbits, however, will continue to bite even after being neutered.
If the rabbit’s house is indoors, give it a little ramp or a couple of boxes to jump down to ground floor level –so it does not have to be handled. If it is outside, use a cat travel box, with a front entrance. Put the rabbit's favourite food in it each time, and say to it "Box" every time you want it to get into it.
To gain its trust, spend a lot of time with it on the floor. Start petting it there and giving it favourite titbits, putting the food in the palm of your hand not between your fingers. Then once it's learned to trust you, start picking it up.
When cleaning the rabbit house, lure the rabbit into the sleeping compartment with a food treat while cleaning the other area – and visa versa. In all, keep handling to a minimum.
Some rabbits are possessive about food and will bite while guarding their food bowl. Place a new bowl with food, before taking out the old. Change where you put the bowl, so that it is not always in the same place.
A usually tame rabbit who starts biting may be in pain -- get your vet to check for ear mites, dental problems, broken limbs or arthritis. Rabbits who are kept in hutches with nothing to do often develop limb deformities and are in constant pain.