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Spring Festival Words 7 O2 y2 H: w4 c3 w1 [( s
Greeting Season:
( J& M' A; F4 H. e8 n 春节 The Spring Festival
( d- M4 ]+ ~& ?, @0 G 农历 lunar calendar
9 ~& c6 [. C& `0 A9 T 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar 0 `# B5 R8 d, Q2 | [* X7 d
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year " G" \2 H6 y! |+ o0 \; E, Y- K% Z
初一 the beginning of New Year
) I4 c7 H8 K6 d* r& g# k" T" a 元宵节 The Lantern Festival
( B9 i' K. _3 i& k7 O9 C3 l Customs:
. h7 [7 K" C$ c. l5 i' y 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
2 h6 O6 d9 X6 w( ~: k 对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry ' g7 O$ I" P6 f8 S
春联 Spring Festival couplets 7 B' X9 n/ k4 y5 ~
剪纸 paper-cuts
2 s$ N+ F) Q5 m# L- C 年画 New Year paintings
" x" G" `- X% P( g4 {" C, K/ G 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
/ A' W5 ~$ B4 K0 w% A, L 敬酒 propose a toast
$ c9 b% v' o b4 k7 p- | 灯笼 lantern: a portable light
! g7 w% z# ~1 d9 B4 x) X, I 烟花 fireworks P% S# l, e* b& C' }( `- d$ B
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
2 L& M5 S) y) u6 r4 G3 S 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
% Y) }9 R- K) `* e5 E 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) ( }& Y% h6 ]. V3 r
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) & y- e% Q( q1 e% d; s
戏曲 traditional opera
" ?# G" q& U' [, r* u7 v 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
, z0 z4 ]) O$ m" V: h 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
7 N+ `' j. d4 e+ a* p& J 灯会 exhibit of lanterns ( Y h+ h+ o5 G+ b
守岁 staying-up - S3 {& r5 ?$ m1 P
拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
8 G: S# Y2 G- }. a 禁忌 taboo
- _% G: O0 N% @ z3 W 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
1 u! P0 h6 W" K$ o0 ? 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
9 C* Z+ ?6 s5 [' B 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift $ T6 T. H" P. ?. `) D; ?' l
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 2 F5 r; r e5 t( x! S2 E$ Z% \+ i
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year 7 v+ o8 i! T- n# y/ h
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
) n1 L. i9 E0 N6 H7 U' I; c Blessing:
1 m/ s) [, s7 G z* p# W Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity , D4 r8 o7 x, r6 l0 i9 G* A
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace 9 G/ n4 R$ y) j
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
) j7 e1 u5 O3 [$ U0 ~% {1 Z 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! ) Z$ ^( t k/ I1 }
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! 2 B4 W8 I+ M7 m& p$ k+ z
Food names:
! _! |% ]/ q" ]/ F" n& { 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake ( A0 P' Q0 z9 P8 V0 f
团圆饭 family reunion dinner 0 B1 K: V; e- z3 W4 x
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve 8 A" }' W }& c0 U) S* W* D Z# H( e
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
* z1 A0 U. W( G7 H b J 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
. J& B7 P. {. l- v5 y 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding 3 N$ {0 o& v) c0 t" Z9 c/ K6 x
糖果盘 candy tray:
5 z2 B; h# z& j3 Y+ p# k 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune / `+ @$ c% H; |5 f3 ~) Q- A
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health ) b+ E( g- K$ |
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
: }! X' m9 F9 x/ L" k) D' ~ 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
3 y: F! ^% y; G 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come 7 Z5 w4 [2 _6 z- f4 p" y
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
1 q' h' w4 q5 f) v 红枣 red dates - prosperity 3 [5 Q0 q7 q. p2 R: }& u9 p9 G
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00