春节相关英语词汇春节 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
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-cleaningBlessings:
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 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 Best wishes for the year to come! 恭贺新禧！ Good luck in the year ahead! 祝吉星高照！ May you come into a good fortune! 恭喜发财！ Live long and proper! 多福多寿！ May many fortunes find their way to you! 祝财运亨通！ I want to wish you longevity and health! 愿你健康长寿！ Take good care of yourself in the year ahead. 请多保重！ Wishing you many future successes. 祝你今后获得更大成就。 On this special day I send you New Year’s greetings and hope that some day soon we shall be together. 在这特殊的日子，向你致以新年的祝福，希望不久我们能相聚在一起。 I would like to wish you a joyous new year and express my hope for your happiness and good future. 祝新年快乐，并愿你幸福吉祥，前程似锦。 May the New Year bring many good things and rich blessings to you and all those you love! 愿新年带给你和你所爱的人许多美好的事物和无尽的祝福！ Rich blessings for health and longevity is my special wish for you in the coming year. 祝你在新的一年里身体健康，多福多寿
