Lesson 12. Chinese New Year

农历

nónglì

lunar calendar

节日

jiérì

holiday; festival

新年

xīnnián

the New Year

前后

qiánhòu

front and back; around (a certain time)

因此

yīncǐ

therefore

春节

chūnjié

the Spring Festival

据说

jùshuō

it is said that...

过年

guònián

to observe the New Year

正好

zhènghǎo

just

末

mò

end

初

chū

beginning

热闹

rè nao

(atmosphere, place) busy; festive

活动

huódòng

activity; to exercise

保留

bǎoliú

to keep; to maintain

挂

guà

to hang up

剪

jiǎn

to cut (with scissors)

贴

tiē

to paste; to stick

到处

dàochù

everywhere

十分

shífēn

very

商店

shāngdiàn

shop; store

车

chē

vehicle

船

chuán

boat; ship

飞机

fēijī

airplane

挤

jǐ

to squeeze; crowded

满

mǎn

full

赶

gǎn

to rush for; to hurry

全

quán

whole; complete

团聚

tuánjù

to hold a reunion; to get together

家家户户

Jiājiāhùhù

every family

笑

xiào

to laugh; to smile

钟

zhōng

bell; clock

声

shēng

sound

鬼

guǐ

ghost

期间

qījiān

period

拜年

bàinián

to pay New Year's tribute

长辈

zhǎngbèi

elders

亲戚

qīnqi

relatives

长

zhǎng

to grow

嘴

zuǐ

mouth

只好

zhǐhǎo

have to; be forced to

然后

ránhòu

afterward

关上

guānshàng

to close (door); to turn off (a light, etc)

打开

dǎkāi

open (door, book, etc)

祝贺

zhùhè

to congratulate

吃掉

chīdiào

to eat up

大街

dàjiē

street

庆祝

qìngzhù

to celebrate

吓跑

xiàpǎo

to scare away

姥姥

lǎolao

maternal grandmother

正月初一

zhēngyuè​ chū​yī​

first day of the first month in a lunar calendar

立春

lìchūn

the first day of Spring in a lunar calendar

祭

jì

to worship (with sacrifices)

祖先

zǔxiān

ancestors

年画

niánhuà

traditional New Year celebration paintings

窗花

chuānghuā

paper cutouts for window decoration

办年货

bàn niánhuò

to do New Year's shopping

春联

chūnlián

parallel structured verses for New Year celebrations

大年三十

dànián sānshí

last day of a year in a lunar calendar

守岁

shǒusuì

to stay up late on New Year's Eve

团圆饭

tuányuánfàn

family reunion dinner

包饺子

bāo jiǎozi

to make dumplings

汤圆

tāngyuán

rice flour balls

放鞭炮

fàng biānpào

to light firecrackers

红包

hóngbāo

red envelope

舞狮子

wǔ shīzi

to do a lion dance

耍龙灯

shuǎ lóngdēng

to do a dragon light dance

恭喜发财

gōngxǐfācái

congratulations; may you prosper in the New Year