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Spring Festival Words 4 m& T0 _3 g( c
Greeting Season:
& g9 H0 V( A2 Q# s7 b W 春节 The Spring Festival
( q0 P, z9 V9 n8 U5 S1 e 农历 lunar calendar
- a3 @/ L9 _; h 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
) f- w6 D1 N7 q# @3 s 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
# x& o* k/ B6 g( U, h 初一 the beginning of New Year
0 P8 o: O" Z$ f! v/ W2 a \1 e 元宵节 The Lantern Festival + e8 |- @4 z$ e6 e. G% @2 X
Customs:
, E2 c8 v4 Y; L3 e0 n 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
/ q+ K6 Y/ l, Y2 N& @$ G8 W 对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry : X3 S; |! D4 y1 Z" D6 V0 }
春联 Spring Festival couplets * }0 d3 q4 |6 ~" N* ?7 W( G! g
剪纸 paper-cuts 1 b5 v3 I7 _1 [; I9 ?; K
年画 New Year paintings
M1 z6 H3 X( D( [ r0 \ 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
! K' W$ B# O* ^! P6 N 敬酒 propose a toast ! g3 S- k' G4 @: J. d: `
灯笼 lantern: a portable light & B! Q) F: {1 E' q5 v" `
烟花 fireworks
9 W# `4 o8 i% t; @2 Z6 R' S6 U0 r2 D* i 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) ' f: I! G9 ] p3 X
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
: \6 D' E$ A- A/ q o6 ^$ a 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
+ U) K* b! | ]7 @6 z/ _6 R 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) ' R# z! ?$ ^& E! \
戏曲 traditional opera
2 M7 n3 l1 U8 n. h/ p 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville : `* w2 S) C+ K- G: @% z
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
) N+ D% F4 F0 d+ E7 i- \5 N 灯会 exhibit of lanterns + D) e" w7 K* |7 E
守岁 staying-up
% f+ U) J. [7 x7 ?) m, i 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
" l2 _( v8 \1 I# t; ~: ] 禁忌 taboo 7 P9 W2 q5 n/ ]8 ~" f
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
/ L1 M) `$ o' X" p, z$ M0 Z 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors % ?, |& M( d$ A. Y
压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift , N P# G9 Q) V2 u# a1 W
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 + J4 _9 k# |: b, {4 {1 C X: A
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
! R6 _: ^% z+ n/ ~$ J0 y# W& V& r 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
( A5 j; R7 S; a# \ ?3 S Blessing:
6 o' V3 {& ~% E" q$ B l Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity
" K6 v7 k9 q: |6 j) `* D; f Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
5 x8 I% E8 y6 z0 g9 b: t9 ` Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go / ~. E& G r3 r6 N
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
& l% q r A$ K- L 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! 9 p- e8 D$ N2 z; t; @0 @! g6 z; O8 u
Food names:
* Q' p) Z; V5 P, T( r; a 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake
1 g: N8 q0 N9 G9 Q' y$ y 团圆饭 family reunion dinner P$ Y) v" e3 @& X9 E$ u
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
: i/ K6 K$ l# A) R3 ^ 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
" n+ ^/ X! K0 p- K! I2 F( \ 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings , u8 F8 r \6 z2 i: w5 b {
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding - Y+ K) a4 v8 r' ~# d9 x
糖果盘 candy tray: w: u, f& d6 q% j9 \
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune 1 v/ M O2 u/ A: a) R
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
# \; j; \6 } X 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
3 j# @) T9 a7 ?! w 金桔 cumquat - prosperity # e5 r1 x, c [( n8 F1 ~
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come , U: ` P; P' c3 k7 U/ @
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship $ P; j! C L2 h4 P9 R
红枣 red dates - prosperity 5 W, T- i! h6 a ^8 C3 t. S
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00
