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Spring Festival Words
0 ]8 b* T& D& ^( n1 h2 J6 H& n) v# v Greeting Season:
6 ^3 u) d' n* J' s. _( j 春节 The Spring Festival 6 A# u9 K% N* ?' z9 i# |+ I5 c' v
农历 lunar calendar
g1 @& Q! p$ z, f* A' t8 l 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
4 ^+ i ?3 D* Z8 B7 o6 _ 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year C. [1 V! w! h/ E0 |; T; x
初一 the beginning of New Year - N. L* _) o& _; _: ^9 O9 u" h
元宵节 The Lantern Festival 7 o: C: _! f. L
Customs: * Q; |' v$ S7 Q1 F
过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 3 Z+ ` @- Q' J/ ^( b
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
) H! \2 _8 u @! j, ^6 U5 {6 T0 W. S 春联 Spring Festival couplets
* i( J1 d+ s; d$ q" `$ ^/ t. ~ 剪纸 paper-cuts ; B5 P Y. s2 B/ n
年画 New Year paintings
7 O4 y8 w5 M3 U 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
$ O5 c$ Q6 y- t- Z2 i3 O) f; T 敬酒 propose a toast 5 x) S$ w' x# F/ \- z# R5 g# E! s4 b
灯笼 lantern: a portable light 8 s5 O1 J! Q3 g
烟花 fireworks
0 G. @) a# y, w 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
1 M* S4 `6 W& Q2 N4 [1 s# Y1 [" R 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) 0 U4 ]( t" o( v8 D
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
% @: k" W( C$ t, x% x$ A' R 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) 4 s9 O$ Z: k$ M! A1 ]
戏曲 traditional opera 4 z/ [! o1 E% ~3 o
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville . n8 M% `6 Y9 o
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
5 @6 }% Z, L2 C2 _1 Y! P 灯会 exhibit of lanterns & [2 G; ~% J6 z+ R& ~0 Y0 X5 n; \! B
守岁 staying-up
7 j, L" N5 a3 w: B 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit 9 {; f j- l4 x9 P/ R2 D" S
禁忌 taboo
9 H0 y+ s. j% j$ w9 ?/ b" l 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
$ C' x! }6 Q0 V; S 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
0 W) [& C# R9 [8 d9 h" A- V' b; o 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift y! p1 f4 W* E; [6 M: m
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 7 R, ^! \ A+ Z. K+ X
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
8 g2 S' E q* v0 J6 w 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
+ h |5 ?4 Z9 K Blessing:
! z. ?0 l6 l0 x: q) l; ] Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity + Z& i' b$ w+ n7 i# I
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace & j& h" K0 g$ a3 s7 @- [4 S/ E) p: z
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go . q& L$ m4 v7 p
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
; t( o& g( P) O 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
& m( M# ^( {- @( w4 B# E Food names:
4 F9 O) c4 K6 S! A 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake ' l K4 z, y! T) Z m D: h
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
1 A: c7 \4 d8 N5 y7 d& E 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve 8 t& ?1 V- f/ r; Z& o
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli " A6 o( L' l5 G
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
8 h3 o* J# J1 e5 f$ R2 C 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
2 G$ F0 }. Q% }- h9 K* Z- x4 b 糖果盘 candy tray: ! o1 i6 x' D& C6 y/ W
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
# p: I) D- z& @ 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 6 B$ O6 a& J" q
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
2 F) y5 U6 ?. Y$ p) G9 J 金桔 cumquat - prosperity & U& S( }4 Q( R3 `
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come + M7 E+ a9 ]" f
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship ( s2 q( [- T; p, C
红枣 red dates - prosperity
5 }8 R" M' b6 L; |8 B 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00