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

遥竹 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

压岁遥 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 (来源：遥英语学习网站 http://www.
2hzz.
com)

辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

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


事业遥，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