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Spring Festival Words
7 c6 `* g' z1 B" W5 M: ^# s3 e Greeting Season:
. c2 M+ p0 \7 B/ n a8 A' C* ]' ~ 春节 The Spring Festival
3 t) W0 q5 P# |! U 农历 lunar calendar # F3 Y& o0 D0 C
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
( k2 R' ]) \. K1 b: x. e- W( a$ m 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year 8 o3 L9 q- b7 m& N% x; t
初一 the beginning of New Year
$ a* n( W2 ~$ t( v 元宵节 The Lantern Festival , b! v3 ~8 R/ W7 a
Customs:
" |" c, \5 d% I1 G" E( ^% ~( z 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
3 p0 D% }4 F" D5 Q; A; T, G 对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
8 Q" W8 w3 K0 G! X. [8 S% h9 }0 l 春联 Spring Festival couplets & |. m* L5 q/ I+ v
剪纸 paper-cuts # I; a8 G& B& |/ o, p3 q/ h1 H6 h
年画 New Year paintings
: @* |. _$ e \- d( P 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 1 d6 W% G3 H/ `
敬酒 propose a toast
# z" B5 n+ j0 w7 y8 {1 @ 灯笼 lantern: a portable light
( Q3 E; `. Y8 j+ ~, R0 j 烟花 fireworks / q+ \, C9 U) @! } k
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) 9 x7 M2 E5 @( `+ u
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) ' h* P& d3 v0 d6 w; z2 s
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) + [- K6 @6 W/ h$ u/ }7 e
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) / E1 p9 p! k$ a& g
戏曲 traditional opera ! U5 M& p* L$ Z" E3 y% M; c
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
, E9 ~# z9 r6 k 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns % S2 P7 C1 `: m1 S& X/ t) t
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
. ?/ g: m P3 I) K 守岁 staying-up
# ~% q+ M% n- ` ? 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit 2 p; G' E3 C4 ~0 {2 G- ~' z
禁忌 taboo ( v m) @" V% O
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
% [' T4 O; Q% F 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors 9 Q( i# u+ Z2 \0 H- w
压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift # H! y$ [0 R3 y& 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 $ i, s6 f3 R6 C
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year B5 d+ ]7 w0 [0 L9 M3 }6 y
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
; p* w/ u9 c9 x7 F# I/ L Blessing:
/ ?' [% g9 k) p! z% b8 `5 M Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity / ]6 W m2 n6 I1 n
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
% P: y5 E; `5 Q3 ~+ U% O Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
- e; ^' z2 d- h {) j2 g% | 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! / z- S+ N- q: T' D5 e! n; f
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! " A+ z6 r; b' H8 S4 M( \
Food names: ( `$ @+ ?; f5 K. @3 Y7 Q9 e8 J
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 8 j# g6 [2 L# T7 h) d8 X: L7 c
团圆饭 family reunion dinner 7 q% z3 L& n4 b% z7 S. B* ^6 z
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
1 F; @# ~& t$ B6 J3 u2 ]* ? 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
1 [2 @2 B7 o% t; F- \( j$ d5 [& J 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings # Y2 p, l* x9 U% V
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding ! D5 S* q5 f: X) ?' ~8 C
糖果盘 candy tray:
) F- {! J* P% ]# C7 x 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune / D- s# C. \( p. _! o! }
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health . `0 |1 _$ E1 @- F
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
4 ]& W# |! g! |$ B( T( M 金桔 cumquat - prosperity ' @3 O" J: Z# x/ D& h% [
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
! h6 T% _# e8 z' \9 B5 ~# p) U) C$ n. E 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
1 x3 @/ `* A: M Z3 ? 红枣 red dates - prosperity
4 f# c( k5 ^9 C% _8 j 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00