節日名 Greeting season
春節 The Spring Festival 農曆 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 元宵節 The Lantern Festival
習俗 Customs
過年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 對聯 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry 春聯 Spring Festival couplets 剪紙 paper-cuts 年畫 New Year paintings 買年貨 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 敬酒 propose a toast 燈籠 lantern: a portable light 煙花 fireworks 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) 舞獅 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) 舞龍 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) 戲曲 traditional opera 雜耍 variety show; vaudeville 燈謎 riddles written on lanterns 燈會 exhibit of lanterns 守歲 staying-up 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit 禁忌 taboo 去晦氣 get rid of the ill- fortune 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors 壓歲錢 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 辭舊歲 bid farewell to the old year 掃房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning 祝福語 Blessings 金玉滿堂 Treasures fill the home 生意興隆 Business flourishes 歲歲平安 Peace all year round 恭喜發財 Wishing you prosperity 和氣生財 Harmony brings wealth 心想事成 May all your wishes come true 吉祥如意 Everything goes well 國泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 招財進寶 Money and treasures will be plentiful 一帆風順 Wishing you every success 步步高升 Promoting to a higher position 出入平安 Safe trip wherever you go 祝您新的一年快樂幸福!Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! 祝您事業成功,家庭美滿 Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! 食品 Food 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 團圓飯 family reunion dinner 年夜飯 the dinner on New Year's Eve 餃子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 湯圓 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings 糖果盤 candy tray 什錦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 金桔 cumquat - prosperity 糖蓮子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship 紅棗 red dates - prosperity 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet |