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
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
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!
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
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