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Spring Festival Words % F4 v% l% O6 q
Greeting Season: 0 d5 x# j4 E/ C/ Z
春节 The Spring Festival
: _* Z5 R7 D; q 农历 lunar calendar . y7 y8 B6 C; g9 w% H# t* y! R1 [7 m
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
" C" p& s' Y9 {7 ?0 o# P& ]0 l; V 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year # x3 Z. Q" u( Y' T4 K3 C+ ^
初一 the beginning of New Year - l6 z: {2 J! h% p/ j4 R# W
元宵节 The Lantern Festival : z8 C2 X1 C; y# x
Customs:
Z; e$ o9 v1 ]# e 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 9 I# K% T e/ @
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
~) N" J) `/ o O$ J% O 春联 Spring Festival couplets / h- z9 H: I$ @& b8 z; ~% o
剪纸 paper-cuts % {8 W# W' P* Q& H3 A4 T+ E, r
年画 New Year paintings 9 R* ^% `# j1 Y: R* w( m; Y; v
买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 5 P5 E; y! f) n; b) v1 E
敬酒 propose a toast
8 A; F$ i/ D+ e 灯笼 lantern: a portable light
8 c" Z8 p3 c& H( c4 M' o 烟花 fireworks 0 I+ j; l, Y4 y; {
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) ( \8 f! Z. U' j3 O! y+ Y
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
3 p- \8 m4 S+ A' G( |; k1 R 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) 0 t. N4 [ n( L) F W
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
$ N$ ?$ I" z( G6 G/ M 戏曲 traditional opera
) m. n7 u0 F3 K6 |8 [6 H- A& h 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
5 h" J( z3 k! t' y2 W 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns
" p% C) k# E( o% T1 f 灯会 exhibit of lanterns
& T+ C6 ?! @( h& ~6 L1 @& V6 R 守岁 staying-up
! h+ T6 w, f7 u% B 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
) L: R6 Z c5 s0 ^! s 禁忌 taboo - X: o2 l7 K9 s( u% q
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune
! y' g) e4 Y8 k9 N' n6 _ 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
' f! Z8 |7 T8 Q8 Z- z4 v8 P( d 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
0 e+ ~( l% t- c2 w: P* a 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 / }& |. p4 v, A$ [% H" U
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
! t& N6 \3 L) ]3 q6 m: z 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning 0 d# K8 r- b2 I; q2 X
Blessing:
4 |; I2 ?/ f( T: a" Z6 U, A, H Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity
& U1 v" j$ l& ^) q( _+ }4 R Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace - V% N' `; K" I) I/ i% @
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go C, I# I3 W% Y( y% g3 G$ O
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! + O. G+ ~/ s' W+ ]7 F/ ~! U* Z
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
) a1 q) v7 r3 ~- l0 {( c: b2 s! `1 m Food names: ' m* b2 p9 O: u, U
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake
+ D% I7 l" {4 s" h: T9 H 团圆饭 family reunion dinner
: |, X4 K0 L& u3 [2 V; \" ~+ B 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve + ^8 x6 K3 X& a; x& I
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
1 ^0 ?3 ?1 A- n8 r k# K 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
$ J( k& O) G0 ]& Y: S. A" Q1 Z, ~ 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
- |6 r* @3 u4 g' q& x l: j" h' ` 糖果盘 candy tray: ) Q: o- D# z, g4 o' A* {- E% j
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune + j& P- D8 Y d# {+ W
蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
0 m& c# O/ X: l! k 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
( v( m. V; z, d& W/ b 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
) x5 M z% N3 q; f( u% g 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come ; W+ ^9 Z# J$ ]) |. k8 s
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship 0 c3 f1 m# l% }4 \" X# c7 w
红枣 red dates - prosperity " @+ {& {/ Q' e- m/ D5 T$ d, I
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00