Chinese festivals: greetings and words 节日
The main Chinese festivals, when they fall, what people say and the words you will hear, with graded readings and videos where we have them. Most traditional festivals follow the lunar calendar, so their Western dates move from year to year.
春节 Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) Chūnjié
When: 1st day of the 1st lunar month; falls between 21 January and 20 February
The biggest holiday of the year. Families travel home for the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, children get red envelopes, doors get red couplets, and the celebrations run for about two weeks, up to the Lantern Festival.
What to say
| 新年快乐 | xīnnián kuàilè | Happy New Year |
|---|---|---|
| 春节快乐 | Chūnjié kuàilè | Happy Spring Festival |
| 过年好 | guònián hǎo | Happy New Year (casual, northern) |
| 恭喜发财 | gōngxǐ fācái | Wishing you prosperity |
Words
| 年夜饭 | niányèfàn | New Year's Eve reunion dinner |
|---|---|---|
| 红包 | hóngbāo | red envelope with money |
| 饺子 | jiǎozi | dumplings |
| 春联 | chūnlián | red couplets on the door |
| 春运 | chūnyùn | the Spring Festival travel rush |
Read about it: 新年快乐 Happy New Year in Chinese (HSK 2) · 春节回家 Going Home for Spring Festival (HSK 3) · 春运 The Spring Festival Travel Rush (HSK 5)
元宵节 Lantern Festival Yuánxiāojié
When: 15th day of the 1st lunar month; the first full moon of the year, usually in February
The last day of the New Year celebrations. People eat sweet rice balls, hang and look at lanterns, and guess the riddles written on them.
What to say
| 元宵节快乐 | Yuánxiāojié kuàilè | Happy Lantern Festival |
|---|
Words
| 汤圆 | tāngyuán | sweet glutinous rice balls |
|---|---|---|
| 元宵 | yuánxiāo | rice balls (northern name) |
| 灯笼 | dēnglong | lantern |
| 猜灯谜 | cāi dēngmí | to guess lantern riddles |
清明节 Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) Qīngmíngjié
When: one of the 24 solar terms, around 4 or 5 April
A day to remember ancestors: families visit and tidy graves and offer flowers. It is also a spring outing day. Because it is a day of remembrance, people do not wish each other a happy Qingming.
Words
| 扫墓 | sǎomù | to sweep and tend graves |
|---|---|---|
| 祖先 | zǔxiān | ancestors |
| 踏青 | tàqīng | a spring outing |
| 节气 | jiéqi | solar term |
Read about it: 二十四节气 The Twenty-Four Solar Terms (HSK 5)
端午节 Dragon Boat Festival Duānwǔjié
When: 5th day of the 5th lunar month; late May to late June
Remembered through the story of the poet Qu Yuan. People race dragon boats and eat zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in leaves. The usual greeting wishes health rather than happiness.
What to say
| 端午节安康 | Duānwǔjié ānkāng | Wishing you good health this Dragon Boat Festival |
|---|
Words
| 粽子 | zòngzi | sticky rice dumplings wrapped in leaves |
|---|---|---|
| 龙舟 | lóngzhōu | dragon boat |
| 赛龙舟 | sài lóngzhōu | dragon boat racing |
| 屈原 | Qū Yuán | Qu Yuan, the poet the festival remembers |
七夕 Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) Qīxī
When: 7th day of the 7th lunar month; usually in August
Based on the legend of the cowherd and the weaver girl, two lovers who can meet only once a year on a bridge of magpies. Today it is a day for couples.
What to say
| 七夕快乐 | Qīxī kuàilè | Happy Qixi |
|---|
Words
| 牛郎 | Niúláng | the cowherd |
|---|---|---|
| 织女 | Zhīnǚ | the weaver girl |
| 情人节 | qíngrénjié | Valentine's Day |
中秋节 Mid-Autumn Festival Zhōngqiūjié
When: 15th day of the 8th lunar month; mid-September to early October
The night of the fullest moon of the year and a festival of family reunion. People look at the moon, eat and give mooncakes, and tell the story of Chang'e, who lives on the moon.
What to say
| 中秋节快乐 | Zhōngqiūjié kuàilè | Happy Mid-Autumn Festival |
|---|---|---|
| 中秋快乐 | Zhōngqiū kuàilè | Happy Mid-Autumn (shorter) |
Words
| 月饼 | yuèbing | mooncake |
|---|---|---|
| 团圆 | tuányuán | family reunion |
| 赏月 | shǎngyuè | to admire the moon |
| 嫦娥 | Cháng'é | Chang'e, the goddess of the moon |
Read about it: 送月饼 Giving Mooncakes (HSK 3) · 中秋节的月亮 The Mid-Autumn Moon (HSK 3)
国庆节 National Day Guóqìngjié
When: 1 October, followed by a week-long holiday
Marks the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The holiday week, the Golden Week, is one of the busiest travel times of the year.
What to say
| 国庆节快乐 | Guóqìngjié kuàilè | Happy National Day |
|---|
Words
| 黄金周 | huángjīnzhōu | Golden Week |
|---|---|---|
| 放假 | fàngjià | to have a holiday |
| 旅游 | lǚyóu | to travel |
重阳节 Double Ninth Festival Chóngyángjié
When: 9th day of the 9th lunar month; usually in October
Traditionally a day to climb to a high place and look at chrysanthemums; today it is also a day to show respect and care for older people.
What to say
| 重阳节快乐 | Chóngyángjié kuàilè | Happy Double Ninth Festival |
|---|
Words
| 登高 | dēnggāo | to climb to a height |
|---|---|---|
| 菊花 | júhuā | chrysanthemum |
| 敬老 | jìnglǎo | to respect the elderly |
生日和婚礼 Birthdays and weddings shēngrì hé hūnlǐ
When: any day of the year
Not festivals, but the celebrations learners are most often invited to. Noodles for a long life on a birthday, red envelopes and a lot of toasting at a wedding.
What to say
| 生日快乐 | shēngrì kuàilè | Happy birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 新婚快乐 | xīnhūn kuàilè | Congratulations on your wedding |
| 恭喜恭喜 | gōngxǐ gōngxǐ | Congratulations |
| 干杯 | gānbēi | Cheers |
Words
| 长寿面 | chángshòumiàn | longevity noodles |
|---|---|---|
| 礼物 | lǐwù | gift |
| 婚礼 | hūnlǐ | wedding |
| 红包 | hóngbāo | red envelope with money |
Read about it: 妈妈的生日 Mom's Birthday (HSK 1) · 过生日 Celebrating a Birthday in Chinese (HSK 2) · 送礼物 Giving a Gift in Chinese (HSK 2) · 生日快乐 Happy Birthday in Chinese (HSK 3) · 难忘的生日 An Unforgettable Birthday (HSK 3) · 参加婚礼 Attending a Wedding in Chinese (HSK 3)