Spring Festival Words

Greeting Season:

春节The Spring Festival

农历lunar calendar

正月lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar

除夕New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year

初一the beginning of New Year

元宵节The Lantern Festival

Customs:

过年Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival

对联poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

春联Spring Festival couplets

剪纸paper-cuts

年画New Year paintings

买年货special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping

敬酒propose a toast

灯笼lantern: a portable light

烟花fireworks

爆竹firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)

红包red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)

舞狮lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)

舞龙dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)

戏曲traditional opera

杂耍variety show; vaudeville

灯谜riddles written on lanterns

灯会exhibit of lanterns

守岁staying-up

拜年pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit

禁忌taboo

去晦气get rid of the ill- fortune

祭祖宗offer sacrifices to one's ancestors

压岁钱gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift

Culture Note: In the old days, New Year's money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and wealth

辞旧岁bid farewell to the old year

扫房spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

Blessing:

Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity

Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace

Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go

祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!

事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!

Food names:

年糕Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake

团圆饭family reunion dinner

年夜饭the dinner on New Year's Eve

饺子Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli

汤圆Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings

八宝饭eight treasures rice pudding

糖果盘candy tray:

什锦糖assorted candies - sweet and fortune

蜜冬瓜candied winter melon - growth and good health

西瓜子red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity

金桔cumquat - prosperity

糖莲子candied lotus seed - many descendents to come

糖藕candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship

红枣red dates - prosperity

花生糖peanut candy - sweet