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

過年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival

對聯(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

祝你新的一年快樂幸福

Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!

煙花 fireworks

爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop)

紅包 red packets

(cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)

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

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

八寶飯 eight treasures rice pudding

糖果盤 candy tray:

什錦糖 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

辭舊歲 bid farewell to the old year

掃房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

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 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(fēng)順 Wishing you every success

步步高升 Promoting to a higher position

出入平安 Safe trip wherever you go

事業(yè)成功，家庭美滿: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!

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