Chinese New Year Mandarin Greetings: Year of the Snake

The Year of the Snake

In the Chinese culture, Chinese New Year is the most important festival. Traditionally it is celebrated on the new moon of the first month according to the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. The Chinese year 4711 begins on Feb. 10, 2013.

It usually lasts from the first day to the 15th day of the New Year (which is Lantern Festival) and the longest holiday in China. Chinese New Year is a major highlight in Singapore's calendar of events. The first five days of the New Year are an official holiday in Taiwan, while workers in Mainland China and Singapore get at least 2 or 3 days off to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

Here is a list of Mandarin greetings and phrases for Chinese New Year.

Audio files are marked with ►

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!! 

GONG XI FA CAI! =)

Pinyin	Meaning	Traditional Characters	Simplified Characters
►gōng xǐ fā cái	Congratulations and Prosperity	恭喜發財	恭喜发财
►xīn nián kuài lè	Happy New Year	新年快樂	新年快乐
►guò nián	Chinese New Year	過年	过年
►suì suì ping ān	(Said if something breaks during New Year to ward off bad luck.)	歲歲平安	岁岁平安
►nián nián yǒu yú	Wishing you prosperity every year.	年年有餘	年年有馀
►fàng biān pào	Set off firecrackers	放鞭炮	放鞭炮
►nián yè fàn	New Year’s eve family dinner	年夜飯	年夜饭
►chú jiù bù xīn	Relace the old with the new (proverb)	除舊佈新	除旧布新
►bài nián	Pay a New Year’s visit	拜年	拜年
►hóng bāo	Red Envelope	紅包	红包
►yā suì qián	Money in the red envelope	壓歲錢	压岁钱
►gōng hè xīn xǐ	Happy New Year	恭賀新禧	恭贺新禧
►nián xíng dà yùn	Good luck for the year of the ____.	___年行大運	___年行大运
►tiē chūn lián	Red banners	貼春聯	贴春联
►bàn nián huò	New Year shopping

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