节日名 Greeting season’s Terms
- 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
习俗 Customs
- 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
- 对联 red couplets; 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.)
- 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
祝福语 Blessings
- 金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home
- 生意兴隆 Business flourishes
- 岁岁平安 Peace all year round
- 恭喜发财 Wishing you prosperity
- 和气生财 Harmony brings wealth
- 心想事成 May all your wishes come true
- 吉祥如意 Everything goes well
- 国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace
- 招财进宝 Money and treasures will be plentiful
- 一帆风顺 Wishing you every success
- 步步高升 Promoting to a higher position
- 出入平安 Safe trip wherever you go
- 祝您新的一年快乐幸福！Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
- 祝您事业成功，家庭美满 Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
食品 Food
- 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
- 糖果盘 candy tray
- 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
- 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
- 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
February 8th, 2008 at 8:00 am
These are very useful greetings. Thank you so much, steven.
How about your spring festival in UK? Is it fantastic?
Anyway, i send my best wishes to you.Have a great day. And enjoying your learning experience in UK!
cheers!
February 9th, 2008 at 1:43 am
这些太实用了！！！ 教科书上很难学到！
谢谢了！ 收藏了。
February 17th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Dear Catherine, you are welcome, and thank you so much for your kind wishes
I have got used to being away from home. Yet this year is a bit different, my loved ones are thousands of miles apart, which makes the essence of Spring Festival — family reunion — a rather unbearable affliction.
I wish you a happy and promising year as well
February 17th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Dear Realwind, glad that you find them helpful