新年英语吉祥词汇

新年英语吉祥词汇一览表

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

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

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

辞旧岁

bid farewell to the old year

扫房

spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

Blessing

:

Treasures fill the home.

Business flourishes.

Peace all year round.