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Spring Festival Words
4 S+ ? M# b) A6 E$ e9 _3 x, J Greeting Season: : _5 @7 d: g# g K2 @ S
春节 The Spring Festival 1 B' ~; S# D& o; r$ S+ Y
农历 lunar calendar - n1 @8 o4 j5 @. D& \. z
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
) R5 \2 I3 r+ O; ^# j5 K 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year 7 u4 _# x5 Z# i2 S o% R
初一 the beginning of New Year
8 A1 g& ]9 m( p4 @. K9 t 元宵节 The Lantern Festival 1 Z7 `/ m% `+ z: A! Y
Customs:
( z. M/ I0 a. T. {( M, z; Q* } 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival $ q2 Q0 G J A: c4 e
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
4 T/ P0 s# I+ V) k$ n 春联 Spring Festival couplets
8 v4 d2 q& ?4 B- O 剪纸 paper-cuts
t5 c$ `5 D9 K" F: l 年画 New Year paintings ) Y+ b- b! B5 r. E% L, {
买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 5 C& Q5 r- B7 w( x
敬酒 propose a toast ; Q6 J5 Q9 S6 ^) I
灯笼 lantern: a portable light 7 `: {7 v; ~; S" ?1 F' M
烟花 fireworks
! `, e2 E% j, e2 F0 f0 L4 E" k- U6 m 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
, @/ _3 k( ?2 j8 }2 R 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) ! ^) K& A9 j* V1 a+ Y' k/ o& ^
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) - \9 h i. H, r8 a0 h4 l% ?$ v" U: L. I
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
0 W8 w& s' b, W/ G: ~( n% \) J 戏曲 traditional opera
/ j. x8 k, L6 z( t5 E: a 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville ( x, F9 p0 W. U! S
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
$ w+ P1 ?1 g; l7 C) Y \: ^ 灯会 exhibit of lanterns 3 ^: D; N7 C2 m2 [4 `& b
守岁 staying-up
. H; x6 |3 }/ y( y B% a 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
9 ~2 S0 [! i# V q5 f 禁忌 taboo 3 ~' O4 N# D7 d' o# O# T
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
' ~0 W) o. x3 c 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors + t( k9 T5 k0 T8 g' A, o% J x
压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift ! S D$ v) h1 @0 V' \
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 ^0 Y) x5 E1 |) j8 _! B 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year ! O% \) @! w$ p B" z
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
* t: C0 }+ `; L2 u, C3 z& X* U Blessing: 6 d1 {# h8 u( X# {. a
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity
7 K3 r; D5 N; [- V; m$ L Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace : y" V7 g: C, v! ~, j' E
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go : a4 m) H' j' {& z/ x
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! 1 L! D& A4 R: `8 t6 W0 U/ t
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
4 H: r! {! m: L Food names: % f e) l; q: D; p
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake . i8 ]' r: l W' d; D
团圆饭 family reunion dinner 3 O* {2 P' m* Q' [+ g# l1 V
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve ; D f6 M3 v& ^2 h
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
9 K# ?2 N& e% G* N 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
{# x4 h( w& ?. Y- I7 L 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
% ]/ l) Z) p" i% @4 A) n2 c 糖果盘 candy tray:
- ~ h4 O$ ^$ \( @3 R6 a( m; M* } 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune / i/ A2 W$ I" x; M; k
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health , A6 Z3 r0 h$ p# @6 w( L7 h3 `
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
$ b& p- ?: n3 N0 j 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
6 y7 {/ _+ Z2 {5 p+ p2 l. K 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
* D9 {7 [+ u3 a1 [/ O 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
6 }- W7 N4 N0 B" }8 |: i6 r 红枣 red dates - prosperity R/ r$ }. D" l5 H
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00