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Spring Festival Words
' _$ E9 p! ~% ]% Q _: Y; t Greeting Season: / b: d! Z2 G9 H! Z+ N
春节 The Spring Festival 5 N6 m4 H9 F/ J; k% P
农历 lunar calendar % Y$ r3 q4 Y. s; {7 h
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
' ?. d+ Z. ?7 R* } 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year % P. H, L4 }7 q7 M1 C7 Q
初一 the beginning of New Year 2 X. {; I) G- D* i9 L+ J
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
1 T s9 |% ? J2 u) a Customs:
8 q9 Y" ~: \6 i+ L: ^% z; c 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival % n5 L& a9 m9 ?6 d- k
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
. U9 j: @" p0 P; [' m* A 春联 Spring Festival couplets * W) g, S# O3 \6 M3 D# O" t6 r- M
剪纸 paper-cuts 1 r: C) V/ c+ |* m+ {( D
年画 New Year paintings
" K* I( h* F3 U* ^ 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 2 H5 k7 ?: m5 `( I
敬酒 propose a toast
6 A$ s! X* K% E 灯笼 lantern: a portable light
8 Z+ @$ n2 ]- ~5 L4 Y9 K 烟花 fireworks
: [2 s6 g7 f- A' B; v; t 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
, |/ T) X% K, T. t) _: X 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
( z. U2 \3 o# ^0 m5 v0 J4 ? 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) ' W( z7 R0 h* H' M" Q
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) % n- M$ ^3 ?9 ]" }
戏曲 traditional opera
' _" R3 g; W$ f" C5 a 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
8 L- b+ G8 ~: e4 I, L 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns , G P4 D$ i6 T& ~9 m: M: r
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
4 E, _$ @& `2 M7 k& y% m% b 守岁 staying-up
l: i9 ^. \( v2 ~$ T 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
) E4 B7 ~7 ~8 E5 _2 m 禁忌 taboo 8 }1 D$ z4 r) y
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ' G p) \+ B# L( F5 n5 N8 H
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
! |& J5 m( x* K% o' r9 `$ ^ 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
, L9 Z$ O/ G$ P( j+ K3 f+ p 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 0 C8 z: v. j: `/ Y. T" D" n
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
0 p- ?& a" a$ ~ 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning + U& a: g" K7 A) [, r" J! }; M, J
Blessing: 7 X& [# Q: i4 g5 @4 z" \ N
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity & P1 c/ e" k! H) Q) v; \3 y
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
% ~2 E5 n( h! k" i1 n Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go 4 T2 a/ ^, p+ R) y P) ?; J3 l$ S
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! ! U$ R3 H& \$ W m
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
0 J& U7 a+ x5 Q+ \. f6 k Food names:
3 _; k" `9 o2 g$ ] 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake
" d! c* Y3 ?. { 团圆饭 family reunion dinner
4 D m) r0 @. {; W" J 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve " ~% n5 s$ A& K* p% P
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 1 a& F8 I8 R6 w& w
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings 8 \3 C$ C) ?2 g) _. T% d
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
8 e* T! H2 t* V/ W4 c; { 糖果盘 candy tray:
8 Z; d% C) K" g0 w& _' l 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune & m0 q, H% n ?- z; |+ l% j) j& x
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
' c" S k! e- s, ~3 R5 e. [' E 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity 6 ]# R% }/ u4 X: K
金桔 cumquat - prosperity ( Q7 P: e$ F+ W# G' L2 ^4 V- D! }
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
1 s2 u) d1 ^2 P% m$ S 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship % N% N+ O* ? ?4 k K4 J
红枣 red dates - prosperity
1 m9 V4 M/ t6 V 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00