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Spring Festival Words
9 g0 S7 R" h$ W+ m: M, L( v8 Z- |3 k Greeting Season: & y7 ?: V0 W! v
春节 The Spring Festival
* w# l( G2 U+ {, c0 @6 A 农历 lunar calendar , Z" e. G* }3 U9 V$ }8 S" S. {0 _+ d' y: v
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
$ m# w, x8 d, x3 ]4 z% d- X1 ^ 除夕 New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
9 U7 G3 u( ?, f$ _+ N; G 初一 the beginning of New Year
. l' }7 _6 }6 _7 J9 T 元宵节 The Lantern Festival % |0 s3 `9 y# g. D/ o: K
Customs: - t* y! I: R5 |5 |
过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival / B1 w1 ~2 m& r, G0 t2 A
对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry * {* {' T; Q0 @7 M# k* Q3 z T/ g% f0 C
春联 Spring Festival couplets
" U6 o6 l! @6 J% t% \ o4 G 剪纸 paper-cuts
/ }7 t. C. A9 w3 k& U9 r* r 年画 New Year paintings
$ q. N* _9 O5 |$ n! D4 {9 l5 F! a 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping ) Z g5 A" o7 x
敬酒 propose a toast 5 ^# p% }4 {5 L! \/ L
灯笼 lantern: a portable light
; f# R( B$ r3 h1 a% A 烟花 fireworks 1 }( K5 h5 x7 M" q
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.) 7 T& W# ^" N8 h5 d0 [9 z
红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
$ O3 l1 n+ e/ I0 \3 |9 K5 |7 y+ @ 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.) 3 @8 ]( g/ [5 X @
舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
; D8 M5 C2 W B9 c l5 F& S) n 戏曲 traditional opera 5 N" }2 Y6 j: R4 v5 p q0 C: M9 p
杂耍 variety show; vaudeville 1 k# T& V/ L7 Z$ ~8 g. N; o
灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 4 L6 G# ?- M; a) W( ^) A
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
1 V( Q: ~0 l+ ^: q1 b 守岁 staying-up
3 q6 H2 `4 s0 B7 {* B 拜年 pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
' M+ x3 J* S0 A' [: [ 禁忌 taboo $ B+ e R0 g3 b% _0 p; z8 t& W
去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune ! f7 i( G$ P( x' Z% x0 d
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
; `# }$ o, H+ z- E+ @* ~3 A9 D 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift 3 _6 G: _' h, m: X
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 8 @0 a* U0 z) }8 W! x
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
: }5 i& @4 S) h, z6 p$ M 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
% @2 _, W8 @0 l: \2 g Blessing:
+ \) K. s8 w7 P% }( V1 N Treasures fill the home Business flourishes Peace all year round Wishing you prosperity 5 R q. Z. r1 B8 U S
Harmony brings wealth May all your wishes come true Everything goes well The country flourishes and people live in peace $ S) \: R. L) R& y
Money and treasures will be plentiful Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position Safe trip wherever you go
4 I% t0 E) s. U. e# g: S' ^ 祝你新的一年快乐幸福: Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! , `2 i; ^% J. t! [2 n
事业成功，家庭美满: Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! - H2 l) D o. }& v% j% V
Food names:
: P# h) P: A( A* J2 F 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake Z# H; ^( k/ D
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
( g& `+ `9 ]- a0 C' x4 i( K 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve
# q2 Z% E% h L6 T, f 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
" ^% s% e6 D0 J+ S' X 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings 9 Y% o2 o% D. J8 [( M
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding 9 p C* T. p/ |; _! @: D; T: K. \
糖果盘 candy tray:
! [+ m( |' H' g9 H, f5 a p 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune
: S$ v, _7 w0 _& C 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 5 f# J; s+ @0 _7 y' B& o; D
西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
* J1 J) T$ e: Y2 j 金桔 cumquat - prosperity
0 p+ V# {; K2 D! Y 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
) m D% r/ ^. N, r" ~' M) O) L 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship 3 ]! O* W* p8 P( f4 l' L
红枣 red dates - prosperity 2 n( S; H! }' r- d$ g
花生糖 peanut candy - sweet | 
发表于 2005-2-8 08:37:00
