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Spring Festival Words
$ F8 x8 T, Y' |- R6 V Greeting Season:
' C# u5 Q7 }1 |: G 春节 The Spring Festival
' b) [7 P! p/ { 农历 lunar calendar # R" J+ h% k: `# q
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar 0 @+ j/ Z9 y" v& D, [; N; M$ r
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year / h0 V8 R* }& I: l
初一 the beginning of New Year & f+ u9 M, j$ A9 j4 w. J4 v3 R
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
/ e( g" p0 z* ~2 d& P* | Customs:
; n: l2 f# Y& F4 M6 ~: [ 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival + M! D! j$ K$ F7 p4 V
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
. A `' X0 Z# `% r 春联 Spring Festival couplets
8 V9 R' v% _; L5 ]7 |: I' M 剪纸 paper-cuts ! `' l! o2 l6 H% X
年画 New Year paintings * f/ i! d- N( u& }3 ?) J
买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
8 f+ o7 w) _% }( j, g 敬酒 propose a toast 3 Q) D$ C6 \ X6 }
灯笼 lantern: a portable light
2 s' J% i; O4 x) }6 @9 E7 I 烟花 fireworks . K- l) [: z; e% q
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) / m7 U h- F3 e. i
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) 6 m6 h- ^) J8 y5 Q `8 B0 z
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) 0 a: k3 L- l: J7 ~. |
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
$ W" b5 V. t& S: _ 戏曲 traditional opera 7 [7 T B& |. J
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville - y1 M; R1 L* Q6 ~$ T5 w: g6 ~+ y1 \2 Y
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 8 l( e ~$ j7 j* B
灯会 exhibit of lanterns 8 R4 P1 |- `6 y% J. u* s" A( {
守岁 staying-up
1 g, ~! r/ J6 ?0 K) }+ l c 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit : T3 K0 U" P) O+ X* F% M& x0 p. ^3 }
禁忌 taboo
4 |( \+ z; q6 ^ 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune , b& r, h% [8 V6 Y- \ p2 K
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
. U4 T, Z) o1 x; [, | 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
6 q( t" Z3 z+ T, F) z 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 6 `- I3 L5 T$ t9 ^ X
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year 0 B% |. k! p: Y" w, l0 m4 b
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
6 r* _9 S- V$ ]5 ]: n' W' C8 T* Z Blessing:
+ L0 `; @( K& k/ S" K4 Q Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity
9 {6 j7 h7 d* @& ]1 M! J7 k0 W( d Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace / t+ K9 D# e' @
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go 3 B2 C* G6 U8 O' L
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
9 l$ R7 z! h6 P4 G( K 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! * U) N7 G$ l% u0 _
Food names: & N+ j* `; e4 M: k" J
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake . x! t) X4 |( t
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
- d' n3 K& H8 x1 O4 w 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
- S- v* ^1 I2 J* O 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
7 a- i/ v: L0 ` 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
7 v" c' N) M& d+ Z$ L9 j# ]. C 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding # S- b+ }7 z2 U8 Q! t' g0 G
糖果盘 candy tray:
. P8 F7 H2 @* O# t- d2 K 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
- R/ e+ A9 b Z; Z4 v5 i6 t 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
# ^# a- Q, S4 P/ O 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity : t# Y7 q- t, q
金桔 cumquat - prosperity
7 [1 }/ R9 g0 C# S 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
. U [: j* ]- L3 p$ ]1 q" l! o" ? 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship 7 h/ u1 E- e- @& v* l& \
红枣 red dates - prosperity 7 }- \* z+ c$ H% h0 K& u
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00