春節 The Spring Festival

農歷 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

元宵節 The Lantern Festival

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

煙花 fireworks

爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)

紅包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year)

舞獅 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)

舞龍 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)

戲曲 traditional opera

雜耍 variety show; vaudeville

燈謎 riddles written on lanterns

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 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

年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake

團圓飯 family reunion dinner

年夜飯 the dinner on New Year‘s Eve

餃子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli

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

八寶飯 eight treasures rice pudding

糖果盤 candy tray:

什錦糖 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

糖蓮子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come

糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship

紅棗 red dates - prosperity