節(jié)日名 Greeting season
    春節(jié) The Spring Festival
    農(nóng)歷 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(jié) The Lantern Festival
    習(xí)俗 Customs
    過(guò)年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
    對(duì)聯(lián) poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
    春聯(lián) 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(huì) 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(yǔ) 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(fā)財(cái) Wishing you prosperity
    和氣生財(cái) Harmony brings wealth
    心想事成 May all your wishes come true
    吉祥如意 Everything goes well
    國(guó)泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace
    招財(cái)進(jìn)寶 Money and treasures will be plentiful
    一帆風(fēng)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(lè)幸福！Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
    祝您事業(yè)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(tuán)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