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Spring Festival Words 8 z: }6 h/ Z1 Y5 O) T
Greeting Season:
* K/ ^4 e- x7 R& \( `, L 春节 The Spring Festival & p: Y4 V+ `7 \% O& F
农历 lunar calendar 7 r( [- C% V" g1 `8 s/ P9 y% M3 R
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar % j& ]3 S) p* q/ q9 J$ J8 C
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year 5 f9 ?" D0 x! C2 a% ]
初一 the beginning of New Year
! x9 r! G7 _" M+ q+ _3 m% G1 i 元宵节 The Lantern Festival 6 z- @7 L t) G- L8 U7 M! m1 k
Customs:
2 [9 D& ]3 N8 V& M' Y! j+ W5 m( | 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 6 ^8 J; H/ t# G' E1 m- l
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
; A1 I/ l0 Q8 d0 k- ?0 a 春联 Spring Festival couplets
# Q7 E! h* P! g& e7 Q/ L! r 剪纸 paper-cuts I; }( A, u. X8 T
年画 New Year paintings
2 t8 h4 ~, w& X# t% ] 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
: t/ b" ~; R. d( R& R1 W% [6 N/ ~5 g 敬酒 propose a toast ( J, v) }1 E! S2 U* `( c/ E
灯笼 lantern: a portable light ) Q2 S# s% U2 B
烟花 fireworks
2 d ~$ F+ P _9 h: E' _( v 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) - {% e/ R& H* K3 r
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
/ w7 z9 E) b4 y( s 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
* d! @# p) O1 A% j8 e( A8 ^ 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) % K- n7 J' `0 I1 X/ E9 U& R; ^# _! c* r$ S
戏曲 traditional opera # c: }* i: z1 R# l, G3 e
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
6 k" P9 a* }. n" R 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 3 a! R# ~7 Q+ _' h+ S" V
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
3 K! [3 l, D# a 守岁 staying-up
# b) w- o6 T. s8 Q6 i/ A 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit - c+ i+ r, C' o5 Z! V/ o
禁忌 taboo ; i6 Q8 l/ l6 p; [% d, l
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ; ]9 p; l8 \6 k% n; S' f1 }5 M5 T
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
6 t3 o' F5 o9 P0 {0 U1 I 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
( ^5 D; \' y. ?' r% 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
+ L4 l" ^% A7 m5 h2 c: ^ 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year 9 U6 u" d9 r/ a$ |7 I' ]
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning 6 p) l2 a# r1 I0 z
Blessing:
0 u( v: w. v5 }5 J Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity ) J! p* w0 F. [' e: n
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace 8 O6 o1 k) q6 e4 \( _
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
9 n: x/ R& ]& t$ X) M7 Y o 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
, ~# d+ w1 _ x2 i( e( p) G- g& r" i 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
3 i3 t! A9 {) K# e3 ~. `6 N Food names: 6 B9 m( G) B" K$ T) d6 ~
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 0 \! Q: F& W/ L4 \6 I- ^
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
# J" M3 M5 ~% n! v5 U7 D; f 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve ! j$ U* H( Z7 S9 {
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
4 M* l9 V1 G, n1 Y8 { 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings 4 u, t# t5 Z1 C9 t5 p
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding . b4 B0 s d' x f+ y8 [
糖果盘 candy tray:
( s" @0 }. R. l* W! D 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
: X) o, k4 p% L: A; T ]! t/ s 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health % _8 ]( R/ F. v- i* Q7 b4 O* F& U0 L
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
7 E8 l! _1 C, G8 J2 R* L; | 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
5 k0 D: n1 H! h/ m4 R 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come $ B- j% X* V+ m! [4 s1 h/ l% K
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
u% M) B4 ]3 k! \! ~; p 红枣 red dates - prosperity
) r$ M$ N+ V4 H: o; f/ P 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00