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Spring Festival Words 5 r `, Y# Q" O$ D. P
Greeting Season: 9 x0 b0 j5 G! o; Z' @$ [! D
春节 The Spring Festival
% r/ x$ m# ?% [: `0 B5 k0 S) ?" ^) J$ H 农历 lunar calendar
! Q4 Y$ ]* T! u; h/ @6 U 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
' v3 u+ R' f: H 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year % F8 K9 p4 M/ P8 p
初一 the beginning of New Year 6 M/ r% \; C% A5 P. K8 O: ^
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
+ i% R/ Y6 p) l8 t Customs:
3 x/ V! I8 o+ Y# z& @7 n: V 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 5 X l) s7 Z4 e1 e; N
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
: ^9 ]2 Z" v4 P1 e5 p* @. |3 a 春联 Spring Festival couplets
* Z: c- P, w2 V- k, { 剪纸 paper-cuts
9 C3 [3 L; w$ W 年画 New Year paintings
+ C8 M2 h' a+ f 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 0 u5 m+ X- z: n* @4 E
敬酒 propose a toast
; ^+ S O! ^. X% [, w 灯笼 lantern: a portable light ( b$ N5 [8 W5 V# O
烟花 fireworks
! W" M8 A, i0 i4 i$ o! f 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
/ a- L( R6 d+ s. k 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) ! B6 Q9 w# b k' M( {8 p
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) 9 H4 p1 M/ Z; C4 l
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
\! ^1 C R7 u& v, I 戏曲 traditional opera / R& s# e( ~7 B* K
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
U& h" `# T2 _$ a5 C2 w4 V 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns & p/ n: v, ~. K" g4 C! a
灯会 exhibit of lanterns ) i: b- Y. \% X3 F p9 L
守岁 staying-up , ~0 Q! e! j# A) `1 n3 c
拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
+ n4 W# L' S5 n. U& @2 R$ ^0 ~ 禁忌 taboo % ~+ n: l0 q2 D5 m' U2 i
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
- p; g. v% x- x7 r k2 z 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
8 ^+ D6 J) y+ R& c; _& a 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
2 y9 R. W! e4 w& f. 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 - Z) o/ h: s! C7 A5 y& V
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year ! m$ e5 r9 R1 \$ ^8 S( n5 w
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
# n" y* O. ~) c- [% M9 Z Blessing: % ~4 b& N8 r# l% P, ?" K) `* R
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity ! [( [, V/ s& q0 u' u
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace * i1 M* N! N2 c+ p0 ~) m* t. n
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
5 w, R2 v: E# A6 u 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
4 L% M5 _- _: v) P c; E- P 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
6 [4 n- D9 i* q! ^$ z Food names: 8 X7 J) k* W& \
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake & h3 i$ F; ]1 D* W& j- Z" s* D
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
* F2 o! R, Z% E+ W$ S 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve $ `' v; C" H" o& ^- y# ?
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli & r, A( }9 a0 k5 M. S; u
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings $ B- c) T/ t+ P/ i+ G, g: z, F
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
8 l1 n( g3 ]* E3 Y 糖果盘 candy tray: % M, S, [0 L s$ B/ x
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
* A/ r0 a$ I ^& J 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health " _4 S* d3 K# r! ]6 X$ A: C
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
9 o( F5 L- V( w" J 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
9 A7 R3 [9 s9 m 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come s4 v9 J6 ]+ t& k% i% G
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
( E. Z0 g2 r4 \: _. R3 \ 红枣 red dates - prosperity
! G3 N; |6 R* ^4 | 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00