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

　　Food names:

　　年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake

　　团圆饭 family reunion dinner

　　年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve

　　饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli

　　汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or

　　spicy¹ fillings

　　八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding

　　糖果盘 candy tray

　　什锦糖 assorted² candies - sweet and fortune

　　蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health

　　西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity³

　　金桔 cumquat - prosperity

　　糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come

　　糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship

　　红枣 red dates - prosperity

　　花生糖 peanut candy - sweet

　　祝你新的一年快乐幸福 Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!

        Customs:

　　过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival

　　对联 poetic⁴ 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, symbolize⁵ fortune and wealth in the coming year.)

　　舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel⁶ 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

　　辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

　　扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

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