Spring Festival Words

　　Greeting Season:

　　春节 The Spring Festival

　　农历 lunar calendar

　　正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar

　　除夕 New Year’s Eve; eve of lunar New Year

　　初一 the beginning of New Year

　　元宵节 The Lantern Festival

　　Food names:

　　年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake

　　团圆饭 family reunion dinner

　　年夜饭 the dinner on New Year’s Eve

　　饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli

　　汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or

　　spicy fillings

　　八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding

　　糖果盘 candy tray

　　什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune

　　蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health

　　西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity

　　金桔 cumquat - prosperity

　　糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come

　　糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship

　　红枣 red dates - prosperity

　　花生糖 peanut candy - sweet

　　祝你新的一年快乐幸福 Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!

　　Customs:

　　过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival

　　对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

　　春联 Spring Festival couplets

　　剪纸 paper-cuts

　　年画 New Year paintings

　　买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping

　　敬酒 propose a toast

　　灯笼 lantern: a portable light

　　烟花 fireworks

　　爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)

　　红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming

　　year.)

　　舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)

　　舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)

　　戏曲 traditional opera

　　杂耍 variety show; vaudeville

　　灯谜 riddles written on lanterns

　　灯会 exhibit of lanterns

　　守岁 staying-up

　　拜年 pay New Year’s call; give New Year’s greetings; New Year’s visit

　　禁忌 taboo

　　去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune

　　祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one’s ancestors

　　压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift

　　辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

　　扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning　  

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