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Spring Festival Words
5 d% R5 G0 o | Greeting Season:
4 k; L- v% G5 i& Q s3 O0 a# m. G- | 春节 The Spring Festival , B F: C; ?& @% T% s4 U
农历 lunar calendar
+ ^; y% ?+ u- Q8 ` 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar $ ]9 T8 ~* N( B1 C
除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
4 H6 I2 O! G7 i) P5 l; F* Z 初一 the beginning of New Year
" J( u* l1 j+ n9 d0 p" f# B7 ] 元宵节 The Lantern Festival
- W' [6 e) v6 P/ i- T0 A4 E Customs:
8 Y4 |! \( G4 i8 d0 p 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival % K$ a' t/ N" N% e
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
# I! e) \" X3 a% o5 [8 a* C 春联 Spring Festival couplets
, X& K1 F* D; `! i' W0 R, W 剪纸 paper-cuts $ F: n- }* q6 z) t+ ~$ r$ L8 n
年画 New Year paintings * T( X) L B! E4 {' c
买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping 3 J7 P/ k( c7 {. @
敬酒 propose a toast 3 f: B# ~& B9 c7 k j+ B: |+ @
灯笼 lantern: a portable light . h7 l' ^" l1 H/ e' y
烟花 fireworks 8 s" B% j& _/ `, A( H
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) - y" |4 y8 Z2 U! _
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.) \# {2 c! l: o5 e9 X/ K
舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
9 Y9 @: o7 T! a2 M 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
9 r X6 G- H! Y 戏曲 traditional opera
# D3 n! k' L# c( g7 A: w7 e 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville & c, B; _* s. U0 K% v/ D/ W$ M) ]
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 4 ^( T2 ?9 T8 Z$ R
灯会 exhibit of lanterns 3 X$ V2 ?: Q7 @/ I8 Z$ n" r
守岁 staying-up 7 r. j% r' V8 B# t& ^
拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
; H7 q8 K8 g2 I% P8 C2 O 禁忌 taboo
4 r, m, S: L2 k7 Q0 C6 Q8 d2 C7 i 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ! ~- z4 P6 R f1 X. m! ~8 P
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
* ~, M9 f- [, W, O* ^: D& G5 ~ 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
% U# D+ V u! [; U( ] 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
z6 m, [, D6 F5 [# Q 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
7 c! e) ~7 x) ^/ C& M: g* X4 {# X 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning 8 H- w$ X8 z; c
Blessing:
9 {$ t, {: E. x1 w1 U1 b Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity 8 f4 M0 y! Z: a3 a
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace
4 W- q2 W2 n* Z. {/ ? Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go / |" D% |9 D" ?% {" s3 b
祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! 2 z1 P! v$ g0 L2 h, }( a; }
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
; ] C P: _5 B2 k% q Food names:
! w) i, Z8 Z* V1 m4 g 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake : |7 O% x( J% J7 m9 Y8 T
团圆饭 family reunion dinner ! z* u/ U& B4 { ]( R: d
年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
a1 \3 y. ?0 R. i/ B 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
2 G* Z/ [- z& ~7 w# Z, V% t/ x 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
+ E; N/ Y6 L% @* u0 R! z# J 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
D$ J2 i% v3 C 糖果盘 candy tray:
& l. W. P# `3 z# ^0 C) j 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
" H# { b) _/ ]6 O6 o" j; V 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health
* F7 O F6 L$ r 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity C0 Y9 g5 F, ^& P8 m' P4 e
金桔 cumquat - prosperity " O B7 z3 p2 c
糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
7 ^: i" B+ ^# k, m+ L# S 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
5 V- V7 r7 n) k) R1 U3 Z: {3 o2 V 红枣 red dates - prosperity
# v$ f. E4 D4 [- l d4 Y, f 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00
