Greeting Season:
春节 The Spring Festival
农历 lunar calendar
正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
除夕 Ne Year's Eve; eve of lunar Ne Year
初一 the beginning of Ne Year
元宵节 The Lantern Festival
Customs
过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
对联 poetic couplet: to successive rhyming lines in poetry
春联 Spring Festival couplets
剪纸 paper-cuts
年画 Ne 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 fireorks
爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts ith the loud pop.)
红包 red packets (cash rapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and ealth in the ing 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 eather and good harvests)
戏曲 traditional opera
杂耍 variety sho; vaudeville
灯谜 riddles ritten on lanterns
灯会 exhibit of lanterns
守岁 staying-up
拜年 pay Ne Year's call; give Ne Year's greetings; Ne 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 Ne Year gift
Culture Note: In the old days, Ne Year's money as given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one ould live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and ealth
辞旧岁 bid fareell to the old year
扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
Blessings:
金玉满堂 Treasures Fill The Home
生意兴隆 Business Flourishes
岁岁平安 Peace All Year Round
恭喜发财 Wishing You Prosperity
和气生财 Harmony Brings Wealth
心想事成 May All Your Wishes Come True
吉祥如意 Everything Goes Well
国泰平安 The Country Flourishes And People Live In Peace
招财进宝 Money And Treasures Will He Plentiful
一帆风顺 Wishing You Every Success
步步高升 Promoting To A Higher Position
出入平安 Safe Trip Wherever You Go
祝你新的一年快乐幸福 Wish you happiness and prosperity in the ing year!
事业成功，家庭美满 Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
Food names:
年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; Ne Year cake
团圆饭 family reunion dinner
年夜饭 the dinner on Ne Year's Eve
饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of seet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed ith either seet or spicy fillings
八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding
糖果盘 candy tray
什锦糖 assorted candies-seet and fortune
蜜冬瓜 candied inter melon - groth 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 e
糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
红枣 red dates - prosperity
花生糖 peanut candy - seet
