第一篇：關于春節的英文介紹

關于春節的英文介紹

Spring Festival 1The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is ○when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West.All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival.Airports, railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.(春節是中國人民最重要的節日，所有家庭成員聚在一起，在西方圣誕節一樣。所有遠離家鄉的人都要回家，成為了為期半個月左右的運輸系統最繁忙的時間——春運。機場，火車站和長途巴士站都擠滿了回家的人。)

○2The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar.It originated in the Shang Dynasty(c.1600 BC-c.1100 BC)from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.（春節落在正月的第一天，往往比公歷晚一個月。它起源于商朝（西元1600 BC-C。公元前1100年）從人民祭祀神靈和祖先，在舊的一年結束和一個新的開始。）

○3Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid-1st lunar month of the next year.Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days.The Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.（嚴格地說，春節是指從臘月初開始一直到第二年中旬的一個月。其中，最重要的日子是除夕和一年的前三天。現在中國政府規定，人民在中國農歷新年有七天的休假。）

○4Many customs accompany the Spring Festival.Some are still followed today, but others have weakened.（春節的時候有不少傳統習俗。有的人至今還在保持，不過有的人已經慢慢淡化了這種習俗。）

○5On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge, a delicious kind of porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job's tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko.（臘月的第8天，許多家庭做臘八粥，糯米，小米，薏苡種子，紅棗漿果，蓮子，豆類，龍眼，銀杏制成美味的粥樣。）

○6The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve（小年）.At this time, people offer sacrifice to the kitchen god.Now however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves.（臘月23日，被稱為小年。在這個時候，人們祭祀灶神。但是現在，大多數家庭做出美味的食物來過節。）

○7After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year.This is called “Seeing the New Year in”.（過了小年之后，人們開始為新年做準備。

這被稱為“看得見的新年”。）

○8Store owners are busy then as everybody goes out to purchase necessities for the New Year.Materials not only include edible oil, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish and meat, but also fruit, candies and kinds of nuts.What's more, various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives, are all on the list of purchasing.（商店老板都那么忙，因為每個人都出去購買生活必需品新年。材料不僅包括食用油，大米，面粉，雞，鴨，魚，肉，而且水果，糖果和各種堅果。更重要的是，各種裝飾，新衣服和鞋的兒童以及老人的禮物，朋友和親戚，所有的采購清單。）

○9Before the New Year comes, the people completely clean the indoors and outdoors of their homes as well as their clothes, bedclothes and all their utensils.（在新的一年到來之際，人們徹底清理自己的家里以及他們的衣服，被褥和他們所有的器具的室內和室外。）

○10Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity.All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper.The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year.Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.（然后人們開始裝飾潔凈室，洋溢著一種歡樂和喜慶的氣氛。人們將所有的門板貼上春聯，在紅紙上寫上對聯。內容多是憧憬一個光明的未來，表達人們新年交好運的意愿。此外，門神和財神的照片也將被張貼在前門，分別用來辟邪和招財招福。）

○11The Chinese character “fu”(meaning blessing or happiness)is a must.The character put on paper can be pasted normally or upside down, for in Chinese the “reversed fu” is homophonic with “fu comes”, both being pronounced as “fudaole.” What's more, two big red lanterns can be raised on both sides of the front door.Red paper-cuttings can be seen on window glass and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall.（中國漢字“?！保ㄒ鉃樽８；蛐腋＃┦潜仨毜?。通常放在紙上的字符可以被粘貼或上下顛倒，中國的“倒福”諧音“福到”，既突出福到了。更重要的是，兩個大的紅燈籠，可以提高前門兩側。在窗戶玻璃上，可以看到紅色的窗花，還有可以貼在在墻壁上的鮮艷的年畫，表的這吉祥的寓意。）

○12People attach great importance to Spring Festival Eve.At that time, all family members eat dinner together.The meal is more luxurious than usual.Dishes such as chicken, fish and bean curd cannot be excluded, for in Chinese, their pronunciations, respectively “ji”, “yu” and “doufu,” mean auspiciousness, abundance and richness.After the dinner, the whole family will sit together, chatting and watching TV.In recent years, the Spring Festival party broadcast on China Central Television Station(CCTV)is essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad.2

According to custom, each family will stay up to see the New Year in.（人民高度重視除夕。那個時候，所有家庭成員一起吃年夜飯。這頓飯是比平時更加豐盛。菜，比如雞，魚和豆腐不能被排除在外，在中國，他們的發音，“雞，“魚”和“豆腐”，意味著吉祥，富裕和福氣。晚飯后，全家人會坐在一起，聊天，看電視。近年來，中國中央電視臺（CCTV）播出的春節聯歡晚會是海內外中華兒女的重要娛樂節目。按照習俗，每個家庭都會守夜，迎接新的一年的到來）

○13Waking up on New Year, everybody dresses up.First they extend greetings to their parents.Then each child will get money as a New Year gift, wrapped up in red paper.People in northern China will eat jiaozi, or dumplings, for breakfast, as they think “jiaozi” in sound means “bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new”.Also, the shape of the dumpling is like gold ingot from ancient China.So people eat them and wish for money and treasure.（初一大家起來之后，都打扮好。首先，他們給他們的父母拜年。然后每個孩子都會收到在紅包，里邊是壓歲錢。在中國北方的人，會吃餃子，因為他們認為“餃子”的聲音意味著“辭舊迎新”。此外，餃子的形狀就像是從中國古代的金元寶。所以，人吃了他們，并期盼財富。）

○14Southern Chinese eat niangao(New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour)on this occasion, because as a homophone, niangao means “higher and higher, one year after another.” The first five days after the Spring Festival are a good time for relatives, friends, and classmates as well as colleagues to exchange greetings, gifts and chat leisurely.（中國南方吃年糕（糯米粉）新年蛋糕，在此之際，因為作為一個同音字，年糕意味著“年年高升?！背跷迨且粋€走親訪友的好日子，互致問候，互送禮品，并悠閑地聊天。）

○15Burning fireworks was once the most typical custom on the Spring Festival.People thought the spluttering sound could help drive away evil spirits.However, such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities once the government took security, noise and pollution factors into consideration.As a replacement, some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to, some break little balloons to get the sound too, while others buy firecracker handicrafts to hang in the living room.（放爆竹曾經是最典型的春節的習俗。人們認為爆竹聲可以幫助驅趕邪靈。然而，這樣的活動在大城市是被完全或部分禁止的，政府考慮到了安全，噪音和污染等因素。作為替代，一些人買磁帶放著聽，有的人扎破小氣球來制造類似聲音，而其他人則買爆竹工藝品掛在客廳。）

○16The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but permeates to streets and lanes.A series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days.The Spring Festival then comes to an end when the Lantern Festival is finished.（熱鬧的氣氛，不僅充滿了每家每戶，也蔓延到了到大街小巷。這些天將舉行一系列活動，如舞獅，舞龍燈，燈會和廟會。春節后到元宵節結束時結束。）

○17China has 56 ethnic groups.Minorities celebrate their Spring Festival almost the 3

same day as the Han people, and they have different customs.（中國有56個民族。少數民族和漢族的春節幾乎同一天，他們有不同的習俗。）

春節風俗

New Year celebrations is a grand event of China.New Year festivitieslasts for one month in China.Chinese New Year is also called Springfestival.It begins from the middle of the last month of the year andends up in the first month of the new year.These last day celebrationsin China is called Lantern Festival。

History of Chinese New Year

追溯歷史：名叫“年”的怪獸

ChineseNew Year has a very interesting and unique history.According to theChinese legends, there was a giant beast Nian who used to swallowhumans in a single bite.Relief from the horrifying beast came onlywhen people realized that Nian was scared of red color and loud noises.They started bursting crackersand used red color to scare the beast.Since then, this day was namedas GuNian meaning “Pass over the Nian”.Chinese considered the day an auspicious one as it brought new life for them and celebrated it as a New Year。

Chinese New Year Dates

農歷新年，年年不同（生肖）

Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year.Chinese calendar is a combination of solar and lunar calendar.Chinese New Year falls on second new moon after the winter solstice(冬至).Chinese calendar has a 12 year cycle and each year is named afteranimal.Chinese believe that every person resembles an animal and thisreflects their traits.Year 2006 was the Year of the Dog.People born on this date are said to be very loyal and trustworthy。

Chinese New Year Celebrations

新年找樂，日日不同

Lot of excitement can be seen in the last 15 days of New Year celebrations.Every day has a special importance to it.Chinese ritualize and celebrate each day in a customary manner.Given below are the line wise celebrations of the New Year in China:

年初一：祭拜天地

Day1: People began their day by offering prayers and welcome the gods ofheaven and earth.Most of the people stay away from meat to ensurehealthy living。

年初二：狗狗過生日

Day 2:Successively, prayers are offer to their ancestors and other gods.Chinese are strict care-taker of dogs and feed them well.This is dayis considered to be the birthday of all dogs。

初三初四：走親訪友，媳婦回娘家

Day3 and 4: These are very important days for the families to keep uptheir relations.It calls for every son-in-law to pay respect to theirparents-in-law。

年初五：“破五”祭財神

Day5: According to the traditions, nobody visits friends and relativeshouses as it 4

would bring bad omen.They stay back home to worship theGod of wealth.The day is called Po Woo。

年初六：百無禁忌，出門活動筋骨

Day6: On this day, people freely meet their near and dear ones and evenvisit nearby temples to pray for their well being and high spirits。

年初七：吃面條，祝長壽

Day 7: This is Chinese farmers' day.They display their backbreaking

produce.They also prepare a drink from seven different types ofvegetables.On this day, everybody eats noodles which is a symbol oflong life and fish representing success。

年初八：凌晨拜天公

Day8: It's an other day to be celebrated with the family and friends.Theyalso offer midnight prayers to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven。

年初九：玉皇大帝登場

Day 9: Prayers are offered to Jade Emperor。

初十、十一、十二、十三：大吃大喝，最后記得回歸清淡

Days 10 to 13: From 10 to 12, people celebrate the days by having sumptuous dinner with the loved ones and the 13th day is left for a very light dinner to cleanse the system。

年十四：準備鬧元宵

Day 14: People start preparing for the celebration of Lantern Festival to be held on next day。

年十五：吃元宵看燈火

Day 15: Since it is the first night to see full moon, people hang out colorful lanterns, eat glutinous rice balls and enjoy the day with their family.5

第二篇：英文春節介紹

英文春節介紹.txt單身很痛苦，單身久了更痛苦，前幾天我看見一頭母豬，都覺得它眉清目秀的什么叫殘忍？ 是男人，我就打斷他三條腿；是公狗，我就打斷它五條腿！A cheery New Year hold lots of happiness for you!給你特別的祝福，愿新年帶給你無邊的幸福、如意。May you have the best New Year ever.愿你度過最美好的新年!Much joy to you in the up coming year.May the warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at New Year and stay with you all the year through.讓溫馨的祝愿、幸福的思念和友好的祝福，在新年來到你身邊，伴你左右。A New Year greeting to cheer you from your daughters.愿女兒的新年祝福帶給你快樂。At New Year and always, may peace and love fill your heart, beauty fill your world, and contentment and joy fill your days.新年的祝福，平日的希冀，愿你心境祥和、充滿愛意，愿你的世界全是美滿，愿你一切稱心如意，快樂無比。May the joy of New Year be with you throughout the year.愿新年的快樂一年四季常在。Peace and love for you at New Year from all your students.祝老師新年充滿平安和愛。Wishing you a sparkling New Year and bright happy New Year!May the season bring much pleasure to you.愿你的新年光彩奪目，愿你的新年燦爛輝煌!佳節快樂!Wishing you all the blessings of a beautiful New Year season.愿你擁有新年所有美好的祝福。Wishing you all the happiness of the holiday season.祝節日幸福如意。Hope all your New Year dreams come true!愿你所有的新年想都成真!Hope you enjoy the happiness of New Year and all the trimmings.祝你享盡新年佳節的快樂和新年的禮品。Warm hearted wishes for a happy New Year filled with all your favorite things.傳統佳節之際，獻上殷殷祝福，祝新年萬事如意!I wish you a happy New Year.All affection and best wishes to you and yours.以我所有的愛心與真誠祝你及全家圣誕快樂。In the season of joy I present my sincere wishes and kind thoughts.May the kind of New Year outshine all the rest.在這歡樂的時節給你我最真的祝福和親切的思念，愿你今年的新年比往年更璀璨。May the New Year be a time of laughter and real enjoyment for you.Best wishes.愿新年不僅是你歡笑的時刻，更是你欣喜的日子。祝福你。May the glow of New Year candle fill your heart with peace and pleasure and make your New Year bright.Have a love filled New Year!愿新年的燭光帶給你祥和與喜悅，祝你新年充滿愛。May the bright and festive glow of New Year candle warm the days all the year through.Hoping you will have a wonderful time enjoying New Year that is happy in every way.愿明亮喜慶的新年燭光溫暖一年中的每個日日夜夜，祝你歡歡喜喜度新年!New Year time is here.I hope you have a wonderful New Year.May every day hold happy hours for you.新年來臨，祝新年快樂，愿你時時刻刻幸福歡樂!

中國春節習俗(英文版)

The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.People usually decorate the doors and windows with red papercuts.becouse red means good luck.People usually clean house too.becouse they want to sweep away bad luck.Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.On New Year's Eve,family always have a big dinner.Everybody are watch TV and talk.In the midnight,there usually fairworks.On New Year's Day,people usually put on their new clothes and visit their femily and friends.They usually say:“Happy New Year's Day.”

The Spring Festival finishes at the Lantern Festival after two weeks.People usually

eat a kind of rice dumpling called yuanxiao.It can take people good luck all the year round.春節常用英文

過年 Guo-nian;have the Spring Festival

對聯 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

春聯 Spring Festival couplets

剪紙 paper-cuts

年畫 New Year paintings

買年貨 special purchases for the Spring Festival;do Spring Festival shopping敬酒 propose a toast

燈籠 lantern: a portable light

燈會 exhibit of lanterns

守歲 staying-up

拜年 pay New Year's call;give New Year's greetings;New Year's visit禁忌 taboo

去晦氣 get rid of the ill-fortune

祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors

壓歲錢 gift money;money given to children as a lunar New Year gift

辭舊歲 bid farewell to the old year

掃房 spring cleaning;general house-cleaning

八寶飯 eight treasures rice pudding

糖果盤 candy tray

什錦糖 assorted candiesgrowth and good health

西瓜子 red melon seedprosperity

糖蓮子 candied lotus seedfulfilling love relationship

紅棗 red datessweet

--給父母親

Mom and Dad: Thank you for everything this holiday season!

爸爸媽媽：值此佳節，感謝您們所給予的一切。

Warmest thoughts and best wishes from your daughter.寄上無限的思念和最美好的祝愿，你們的女兒。

May you have the best season ever.愿你過個最愉快的節日。

A New year greeting to cheer you from your daughter.愿女兒的祝福帶給您歡樂。

Happy New year to the world's best parents!

祝世界上最好的父母節日快樂！

Season's greetings to my dearest parents!

祝我最親愛的父母節日愉快！

--給師長-

Much joy to you in the upcoming year.愿您在新的一年充滿快樂。

Thank you for your hard work and patience on this holiday season.值此佳節，謹對您的辛勤栽培表示感謝。

May happiness follow you everywhere …just like we do.愿快樂隨時與您同在——如同我們與您寸步不離。

Wishing you and your family a very happy new year.祝福您及全家新年快樂。

--給朋友

A New Year greeting to cheer you, my good friend.希望新年祝福給你帶來歡樂，我的好朋友。

Take your passion and make it come true.發揮你的熱情，讓理想變為現實。

Best of luck in the year to come.愿你在未來的一年里，吉星高照。

Wish all the best wishes for you.獻上最美好的祝愿。

Wish many good wishes for the holidays and the coming year.新的一年，向你獻上最誠摯的祝福。

Wishing you all the blessings of a beautiful season.愿你擁有美麗的新年所有的祝福。

May its blessings lead into a wonderful year for you and all whom you hold dear.祝福你及你所愛的人新的一年中萬事如意。

To wish you special joy at the holidays and all year.祝你在節日和新的一年中享有無限的快樂。

春節英文介紹：

The Origin of Chinese New Year

中國春節的來歷

The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the Begining of Spring(the first of the twenty-four terms in coodination with the changes of Nature).Its origin is too old to be traced.Several explanations are hanging around.All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means “year”, was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite.People were very scared.One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian.To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harrassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian.He turned out to be an

immortal god.Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life.Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again, because red is the color the beast feared the most.From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation.The term “Guo Nian”, which may mean “Survive the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the(New)Year” as the word “guo” in Chinese having both the meaning of “pass-over” and “observe”.The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers to scare away Nian should it have a chance to run loose is still around.However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration.

第三篇：春節英文介紹

春節英文介紹：

The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.People usually decorate the doors and windows with red papercuts.becouse red means good luck.People usually clean house too.becouse they want to sweep away bad luck.Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.On New Year's Eve,family always have a big dinner.Everybody are watch TV and talk.In the midnight,there usually fairworks.On New Year's Day,people usually put on their new clothes and visit their femily and friends.They usually say:“Happy New Year's Day.” The Spring Festival finishes at the Lantern Festival after two weeks.People usually eat a kind of rice dumpling called yuanxiao.It can take people good luck all the year round.The Origin of Chinese New Year 中國春節的來歷

The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the Begining of Spring(the first of the twenty-four terms in coodination with the changes of Nature).Its origin is too old to be traced.Several explanations are hanging around.All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means “year”, was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite.People were very scared.One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian.To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harrassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian.He turned out to be an immortal god.Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life.Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again, because red is the color the beast feared the most.From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation.The term “Guo Nian”, which may mean “Survive the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the(New)Year” as the word “guo” in Chinese having both the meaning of “pass-over” and “observe”.The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers to scare away Nian should it have a chance to run loose is still around.However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration.

第四篇：春節的英文介紹

what does the holiday mean?

這個節日有什么含義嗎？

The term “pass year” is used for the Spring Festival(Chinese New Year).The word “Year” in Chinese characters used to mean a horrible beast.To combat the beast, the Chinese hang “good luck” wishes on red paper on the door and use fireworks in the belief that the beast fears red and fire.This tradition in many ways resemble the Western belief of using garlic and crosses to fight vampires.中文中“過年”這個詞組用以表示對春節（中國新年）的慶祝?！澳辍边@個字在中文里是一種恐怖的怪獸。因為“年”害怕紅色和火，所以中國人會在門上懸掛“春聯”寫上美好祝福，并放鞭炮來趕跑它。這個傳統有點類似西方人用大蒜和十字架嚇跑吸血鬼的傳統。

Why New Year is so special?

為什么新年那么特別呢？

The Chinese zodiac features 12 animals in the sequence of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.This year is the year of Tiger.Each animal represents a different “personality”.According to legend, people held a conference with all the animals, informing them that they would pick the 12 to represent the zodiac.However, in spite of being fast, the cat was not picked as its then-close friend, the rat, did not wake it.This action sparked off a rivalry that continues till this day.中國的十二生肖代表了十二種動物，他們的順序是：鼠、牛、兔、龍、蛇、馬、羊、猴、雞、狗和豬。今年是虎年。每一種動物有他們自己的“性格”。根據傳說，人們當初和動物們開了一個會，最先到會的動物們就可以進入十二生肖。而身為貓最好的朋友，老鼠卻沒有把貓叫醒去開會。因此，它們之間的戰爭一直持續到今天。

What do people do?

那人們在新年都干啥呢？

Eat, eat again, and then eat some more!As the old Chinese saying goes: food is everything.吃、接著吃、再吃更多東西！就跟一句中國古話說的那樣：食物即一切。（滬江小編：這算是哪門子“中國古話”??？）

The tradition is to have different main courses everyday from the 1st day of the New Year to the 15th day of the New Year, from Jiao Zi(dumplings), noodles, spring rolls, sticky rice cakes, and Tang Yuan(stuffed rice balls).Besides culinary satisfaction, each food has a meaning as well: for instance, Jiao Zi looks like gold, implying a wealthy year ahead.傳統就是，從新年第一天開始直到正月十五，每天都要吃不同的主菜。從餃子、面條、春卷、年糕到湯圓。除了祭好五臟廟以外，每一種食物也有含義：比如餃子看起來就像金元寶，這意味來年的豐衣足食。

Besides eating, young people visit older family members and kids are blessed with a red pack of “lucky” money.And then, people gather and eat again(!), leading to a lot of advertisements about fitness right after the Chinese New Year holiday.除了吃以外，年輕人要去拜會家里的老人家，而小盆友們就有大把壓歲錢拿。跟著，人們又聚在一起吃，所以節后中國就會出現很多減肥廣告……（滬江小編：寫這東西的老外看就知道被騙了。這是哪家的規矩……不過沒事，大家隨機應變、等見了老外把真正的中國習俗告訴他們吧。）

Happy Chinese New year！!

第五篇：春節的英文介紹

what does the holiday mean?

這個節日有什么含義嗎？

The term “pass year” is used for the Spring Festival(Chinese New Year).The word “Year” in Chinese characters used to mean a horrible beast.To combat the beast, the Chinese hang “good luck” wishes on red paper on the door and use fireworks in the belief that the beast fears red and fire.This tradition in many ways resemble the Western belief of using garlic and crosses to fight vampires.中文中“過年”這個詞組用以表示對春節（中國新年）的慶祝?！澳辍边@個字在中文里是一種恐怖的怪獸。因為“年”害怕紅色和火，所以中國人會在門上懸掛“春聯”寫上美好祝福，并放鞭炮來趕跑它。這個傳統有點類似西方人用大蒜和十字架嚇跑吸血鬼的傳統。

Why New Year is so special?

為什么新年那么特別呢？

The Chinese zodiac features 12 animals in the sequence of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.This year is the year of Tiger.Each animal represents a different “personality”.According to legend, people held a conference with all the animals, informing them that they would pick the 12 to represent the zodiac.However, in spite of being fast, the cat was not picked as its then-close friend, the rat, did not wake it.This action sparked off a rivalry that continues till this day.中國的十二生肖代表了十二種動物，他們的順序是：鼠、牛、兔、龍、蛇、馬、羊、猴、雞、狗和豬。今年是虎年。每一種動物有他們自己的“性格”。根據傳說，人們當初和動物們開了一個會，最先到會的動物們就可以進入十二生肖。而身為貓最好的朋友，老鼠卻沒有把貓叫醒去開會。因此，它們之間的戰爭一直持續到今天。

What do people do?

那人們在新年都干啥呢？

Eat, eat again, and then eat some more!As the old Chinese saying goes: food is everything.吃、接著吃、再吃更多東西！就跟一句中國古話說的那樣：食物即一切。（滬江小編：這算是哪門子“中國古話”！？）

The tradition is to have different main courses everyday from the 1st day of the New Year to the 15th day of the New Year, from Jiao Zi(dumplings), noodles, spring rolls, sticky rice cakes, and Tang Yuan(stuffed rice balls).Besides culinary satisfaction, each food has a meaning as well: for instance, Jiao Zi looks like gold, implying a wealthy year ahead.傳統就是，從新年第一天開始直到正月十五，每天都要吃不同的主菜。從餃子、面條、春卷、年糕到湯圓。除了祭好五臟廟以外，每一種食物也有含義：比如餃子看起來就像金元寶，這意味來年的豐衣足食。

Besides eating, young people visit older family members and kids are blessed with a red pack of “lucky” money.And then, people gather and eat again(!), leading to a lot of advertisements about fitness right after the Chinese New Year holiday.除了吃以外，年輕人要去拜會家里的老人家，而小盆友們就有大把壓歲錢拿。跟著，人們又聚在一起吃，所以節后中國就會出現很多減肥廣告……（滬江小編：寫這東西的老外看就知道被騙了。這是哪家的規矩……不過沒事，大家隨機應變、等見了老外把真正的中國習俗告訴他們吧。）

Happy Chinese New year！!