|
Spring Festival Words
$ |- _3 y/ P8 e2 ?* D; `6 N" E9 Y Greeting Season: $ J* ]4 b Q& N# ]7 G2 g
春节 The Spring Festival
/ z/ c* Q/ S/ r* R: F 农历 lunar calendar & t0 l" E M. L v% @# @
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar ) V6 u! H$ l+ Y, T: `) v
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year 7 d0 n6 }% _ k9 G6 I4 D/ Z
初一 the beginning of New Year 9 I9 e* q# S' G6 z! c8 m
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
# H& w% W: R8 _$ k Customs:
- R) R! [% f( Z' g- i 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 9 R g8 o3 Q8 J, z9 t/ w
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
0 j! z% ^" ?8 P/ j; ]9 h j 春联 Spring Festival couplets
; C9 D# X- y |- u 剪纸 paper-cuts $ Y i- c0 y* g
年画 New Year paintings
5 z# z* X" C( d1 C, A2 k5 O 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 7 h T; C8 H+ V2 W" L& P; x6 ~
敬酒 propose a toast
& m. j) p; N8 V2 }; z* E z. ~ 灯笼 lantern: a portable light ; z# Y/ {* ~5 Q+ @% D9 v
烟花 fireworks
4 L! X5 y/ U$ u7 a 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
/ O- F+ T7 s4 K( M& n 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
; W' q. R2 {2 [0 Q. g; b6 N& t& N 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
7 R8 s! B4 v* |$ g 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests) ( O1 Q9 x* N6 e6 X
戏曲 traditional opera - R$ o3 p, \! _& y7 Q
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville
1 k3 y! E: f% r5 D! ~3 G. I$ O 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 2 t. r8 X, x' W% R, t
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
. q6 J% ?# x: `1 Y, q3 Y+ R 守岁 staying-up
. ^& A: w; p8 O( U, v 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
: z0 R+ s+ y6 E 禁忌 taboo ) O0 _3 Q+ w/ q; }1 h
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ' a- |$ F- O: q, D: C
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
9 L$ h# v2 K1 E' V @/ f1 ~1 @ 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
7 ?* N% g$ s9 L7 F( S2 a) q 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 0 M6 E9 b1 G6 L$ `& O, `7 `1 v
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
. |6 d7 S" o- V. v& E- ~! @1 j' { 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning * r/ K/ Q" v9 Z7 b8 i% n
Blessing: ! x. u" r$ I; O# v/ G3 L( h1 U
Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity & h7 m% }- T; x
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
" c/ p; n) {, P# j* P3 Q Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go # Y. z2 O8 @0 N' d' b2 K& {8 ^
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
% h- r" V5 D$ h* {" k 事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
# q; x8 T$ x1 h* R1 ~: Y Food names:
9 P) U2 y- _' e) k# B* S# ]% ?- M) X6 Y4 w8 z 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 6 m3 v6 \: M: n& Y& _2 y
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
7 C4 w3 l$ z+ H) h 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve " Q" Y" ?% a% w2 t
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 5 S& \, r5 e! Z7 U
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
1 N' M. N! x* F6 x8 l Y3 P0 O* ] 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding C7 C( c* \' a1 J# `
糖果盘 candy tray: ( x1 R* v6 i4 d0 [) J8 ~: F0 s4 y4 F
什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
+ E1 D$ a, D& ~1 f3 K& c 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 1 J* `: A% L& |! c
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity ; Y% [7 D. b: E7 D' s' u8 W
金桔 cumquat - prosperity * @' v U; O/ D: Z7 d
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come * K2 |2 H, l. m9 w( ]( ]7 |* R
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
& D) F" x {7 E 红枣 red dates - prosperity " b- Z3 I8 J, Z
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00