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Spring Festival Words
- o! |6 s* S9 w' R8 @ Greeting Season:
* @! d5 Q% a$ z4 o# P 春节 The Spring Festival 4 k+ e2 _4 U+ P n
农历 lunar calendar # y7 q' i6 o6 s; s" Q/ B
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar : W/ t! S9 C; R6 p% P
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
+ {$ N0 v2 F# L: G& p 初一 the beginning of New Year
2 M' }2 e" a/ L$ O$ m: d: {* H0 K 元宵节 The Lantern Festival
8 H$ k; u0 f1 {* E5 b Customs: & m( A5 [, M+ j" @! L) J/ x: z
过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
/ O# V) J- C- l- @' v! N 对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry 7 T+ i3 \6 \' |5 Z. z3 P; l
春联 Spring Festival couplets $ R) c' D8 u5 m4 M: \- D
剪纸 paper-cuts $ Y& b7 z3 C0 S2 ]
年画 New Year paintings
+ O0 d1 L5 L( | 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping : V$ x6 H/ P# F2 }. Z, R
敬酒 propose a toast ! w5 D4 O9 j: ]5 j N! w
灯笼 lantern: a portable light 3 @6 `% G) J, u& G, F3 N
烟花 fireworks
% m2 Q: q4 M& m3 Z; Y0 i' q 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) ' G4 C2 Z' v3 j% X) X$ Z
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) $ ?+ |' Y1 n; f+ D, w5 [, I
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
6 x- @# I- g3 V" v2 r" e 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
( m, U* M8 K A5 D u 戏曲 traditional opera
8 I8 v2 ] H' M) u, f' w8 j) O# x" r 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville 8 _5 o2 T" L3 i P
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
# S: ~0 e/ g y 灯会 exhibit of lanterns $ \$ b% g+ B0 Z; ]* n K3 W
守岁 staying-up
5 S; R# i( K4 K# B. ^ 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit ! s' m; Z' C+ B# n
禁忌 taboo 8 `7 O* R$ T; ?5 t; x+ k
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune - L4 o3 ^: d. U5 n! _: @, L- m7 t
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
1 Q" v) ~$ S3 D$ I( Q8 L5 l' E 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
' T: i2 S3 q1 Z! N+ m* ~: W% p 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 4 I: w/ {" j- g' a- z* p" Q
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
6 f* ?4 V3 E/ v3 A `% z2 _* \ 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
% k) {) l7 d4 P' N6 c; i Blessing:
2 M1 }! h2 ]& J2 ?8 I- ` Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity 8 d5 K5 X- {( B D
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
0 C! O3 u$ T5 s7 f/ E/ q Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
7 z- H. D s2 }6 R/ x6 h: r" C2 V 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! . p0 }6 z0 {1 b& t6 V
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
& Q& V% v9 @- t# e6 S Food names:
! P: F2 E6 b7 p 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake h0 E: w* g& u$ G% r' y1 F6 g. y2 _
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
" i* `& d7 s1 s& {; W4 O& L0 q 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
( q4 _; _; l& y" v% }' D 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 1 C, } E4 G" ?9 }. n* X, n
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings ( a- Y2 h: e2 {) l+ w0 c% R0 |% x% \
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
0 @) |7 `0 ]! f) l 糖果盘 candy tray: 3 H! L: N5 z" a1 c
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
, a# v: R; y3 | 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health ; S( n; P s9 l. N' Q0 l ]
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
, C' s' u( ~. f 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
& r" t5 x) w! G5 y4 E# r 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come % M9 |+ X2 T; W0 b7 O
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
/ q, D0 a" J+ X 红枣 red dates - prosperity # S! N# H7 m7 l$ F3 l
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00