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Spring Festival Words 0 T& r+ s& V' D4 J; V
Greeting Season:
- X% E6 t1 T* M i 春节 The Spring Festival
! C+ d7 }" a1 d 农历 lunar calendar
6 k& c* L. L! l# O- T, | 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar ; O+ d4 h* z& T: U1 D! G* }5 P
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
& G2 M/ F7 E+ D 初一 the beginning of New Year * c& e% ~4 ~) U5 M/ Z4 u1 W
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
9 W Y; }. U4 b Customs:
* a* f6 n% u' n/ M! f 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival & F4 `: b0 W8 e7 e8 q% [& {, h
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry 7 ]4 \7 ^$ b( m$ O! l1 O2 ~
春联 Spring Festival couplets
4 F/ o- I9 |" ] 剪纸 paper-cuts
. [7 l9 n5 F3 ~! ]2 C7 ?2 X) a/ A 年画 New Year paintings
$ n% q; {. c4 Y1 O4 g& X 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping + T; F! p8 s; Y% Y/ z c5 t
敬酒 propose a toast 8 Z& w7 [% E) h0 t* K
灯笼 lantern: a portable light
7 ?2 `( H- B8 s! Z5 i 烟花 fireworks 8 j+ k& l$ j; i }6 {
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
! [) h9 g K+ n. Z! S 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
' e. F2 g" @9 f5 |( h 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
8 m6 k5 Y i5 j! i 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
- D- ?8 K5 K% w" P8 ~9 Z( _1 p 戏曲 traditional opera
: }% E. g& U( j& r6 p 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
# @ l- Y: v# r6 q 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
$ a" N+ X" r$ n3 H6 _+ G+ [& O9 V 灯会 exhibit of lanterns
. I& T! h9 E. ]* H 守岁 staying-up ) d2 x. }1 q6 s8 t
拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit f6 y- j6 P n+ Z/ D8 S
禁忌 taboo 0 Y9 f/ a) V, k: y( `
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ( e) c+ X& }1 {. x* q7 Y
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors + Q5 ]: r+ ]% Q5 I4 f( K
压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
D: p4 O1 n& j4 A; m6 P3 j 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 9 J- ]( a: @6 W/ g' V; s
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
$ @; y: M: X! ? 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning - `7 z$ i5 |& {3 u# e" `$ ^8 v
Blessing: ) `7 q) E. u, B; b0 I9 g5 ]8 Z' g" Y7 K
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity * X7 K+ T/ @2 p) c4 Z
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace ' a5 Y+ V2 e9 w; D
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
! i- f( K- F2 \) b0 u' y4 [ 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
6 O6 L, y( A& T% q 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
9 m% Q4 n- Z4 |* @! i6 H! H Food names:
; b) x8 ?; Y* {! s4 c+ p8 ? 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake # K2 L) d7 b3 B
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
; R7 t' ~" h8 u4 _ 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
6 Z* s1 x3 A4 ]7 @: r 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli % U7 F- w' N! G" _" l' m% e. [
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
0 h3 v" I, I( L6 t9 [ 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
. j5 H! y& o2 s/ B 糖果盘 candy tray: s# @/ K! ?) c
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune ' K% b/ u( Q+ K: l
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 5 |1 @4 d8 S, [+ K0 |
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
! T$ X( @+ y+ s1 ?- r/ ~* i( X 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
' b2 G. R$ Z/ ?/ l1 ^: N 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come ! U7 e7 u/ W- t
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship 8 ~! |$ J& ~$ q( y) a
红枣 red dates - prosperity 9 I/ G8 F' I$ q( a3 T F2 f
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00