1、Vocabulary relating to Festivals Greeting Season:春节 The Spring Festival农历 lunar calendar 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar 除夕 New Years 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: t
2、wo 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
3、 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 ri
4、ddles written on lanterns 灯会 exhibit of lanterns守岁 staying-up拜年 pay New Years call; give New Years greetings; New Years visit禁忌 taboo去晦气 get rid of the ill-fortune祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to ones ancestors 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift (Culture Note: In the old days, N
5、ew Years 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 fa
6、rewell to the old year扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning Food names: 年糕 Nian-gao; rice cake; New Year cake团圆饭 family reunion dinner 年夜饭 the dinner on New Years 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 s
7、picy fillings八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding糖果盘 candy tray 什锦糖 assorted candies-sweet and fortune 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth 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 come 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship红枣 red dates - prosperity花生糖 peanut candy - sweet 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
