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 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

　　红包 red packets

　　舞狮 lion dance

　　舞龙 dragon dance

　　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 give New Years greetings; New Years visit

　　禁忌 taboo

　　去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune

　　祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to ones ancestors

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

　　Culture Note: In the old days, New Years 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 Years 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

　　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 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

　　红包 red packets

　　舞狮 lion dance

　　舞龙 dragon dance

　　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 give New Years greetings; New Years visit

　　禁忌 taboo

　　去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune

　　祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to ones ancestors

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

　　Culture Note: In the old days, New Years 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 Years 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