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Spring Festival Words
( m) G4 n* @0 D5 y# }4 d( S; H* J+ d: B p Greeting Season:
4 F8 h4 j" Z( U2 I 春节 The Spring Festival
1 S3 r% L0 A/ |2 E: o% Z 农历 lunar calendar
2 a% i; A0 |8 h H. p1 N# |0 L 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar ; S2 C! p* P9 ? E, n2 H0 }+ N2 N
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
% L* x2 Q3 D* F K9 V 初一 the beginning of New Year 4 N, V+ Q. a, H& h4 Y/ |% F
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
- s8 |4 L( C8 {' }5 n% J9 I6 I Customs:
) c$ z4 r- X8 T7 Q" `. C* x4 l 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 6 r# {3 P4 c% A0 S; o) \4 @
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
! v3 \3 t+ }8 m+ h* }! k+ c 春联 Spring Festival couplets ) }, ?) y! O' ]! t' ~
剪纸 paper-cuts 0 A! F) X- e5 `7 s- n
年画 New Year paintings
% u* H& Z/ I. A: O 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping / Y& }4 ~" E: J5 O4 r; C8 Z `3 ]
敬酒 propose a toast
4 }7 `: I4 }& s( t9 c, y. \3 f 灯笼 lantern: a portable light . `& ~6 M0 j& x' D( K
烟花 fireworks ! a: r) b+ d1 A7 `! w
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
2 c* ~' D N4 V9 @' J8 Z 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) 7 O* {: y9 E* q! E' A6 |4 X
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) ! }+ g2 X5 G8 Y6 @' R
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
/ u% v+ l; i5 N! X y4 h 戏曲 traditional opera 8 Z4 E# l. v% [0 V7 J8 j
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville 1 f8 \4 v" y1 L- c' T7 X
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
# P% g/ o4 H1 h. L 灯会 exhibit of lanterns B. U; u( f, L$ ]4 `$ V
守岁 staying-up
" p, D) B. n3 A4 ] 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit 3 N* @% P- i6 N# f, q
禁忌 taboo
: ~7 g5 X' `! D# o 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
6 L7 n& n9 U3 N* |( s1 B7 t 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
# `) ~, ^+ X. b( B 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
- l1 K. [. z; _- l# S+ ?0 i 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 + a! @1 }; y* s$ p! \4 v
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
1 u4 W0 |5 ~+ j+ L: _0 z8 G 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
( E' |$ E& q, X" R Blessing: # m0 v. x" I3 w; K: F% |# h
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity
( [% b. V3 t; h1 C; Y8 \ Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace - p1 u7 M R8 N. \; P6 _/ y
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go 2 G1 p" ]( [& X. d
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
, S' B& \$ Z6 ?( W! A/ R8 R" y 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! - ?3 v8 X" P9 o! T+ |* G A
Food names:
1 I" q+ D( j. V) A3 e: U* a 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake ( ]3 d' h9 s7 P+ \& s
团圆饭 family reunion dinner 4 K: B* C. l& I1 L/ O T, P
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve 0 @9 j% [- V. o: E( T
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
) y. [8 a2 m: y0 Y) _ 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings $ q: a; l' V0 x0 ^% e1 X- d F
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding ; `/ q+ }+ U0 W5 e" K2 n- u
糖果盘 candy tray: ( x0 i' n% z5 Y) S! A' L5 M
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune 7 g, n! |- {9 u7 y6 n: l: J
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
% H4 M0 t/ Q( Z8 ?. B( h 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
9 a7 v. ?- G: `9 |- d, Y 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
; R2 ?2 U, D; }, B- S' e; s( | 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come 7 l5 x9 D" s% }
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship " s- W9 J A8 a6 |
红枣 red dates - prosperity
: s# ?- Q3 }7 B! ~, {0 h7 N. I 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00