Chinese New Year Greetings

During the festival period, people will greet each other as part of the celebration. The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but permeates to major streets and small lanes. A series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days.

On the first day of Chinese Spring Festival, people will dressed in their new clothes that mean a new start for them, they hope everything goes smoothly in the New Year. People will wish each other good luck and happiness during the New Year. Normally, the younger generations need to visit the elders, wishing them healthy and longevity.

The second day of the Chinese New Year is for married daughters to visit their birth parents.

From the third day to Thirteenth day, people will visit their relatives and friends.

The fifteenth Day of the New Year is the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the Spring Festival celebrations.

"Lucky money" is the money given to kids from their parents, grandparents and bosses to their employees as a New Year gift. The money is believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, hence the name "lucky money". Parents and grandparents first put the money in small, especially made red envelopes and give the red envelopes to their kids in the first day of the New Year. They choose to put the money in red envelopes because Chinese people think red is a lucky color. They wish the lucky color will bring their children good luck in the coming year. This activity is often the kids' favorite.

Common Greeting Sayings in Chinese New Year

新年快乐(xīn niān kuài lè) Happy New Year

过年好 (guò nián hǎo) Happy New Year!

新年进步 (xīn nián jìn bù) New Year’s progress (This is appropriate to greet any person, no matter elder, young or of any relationship.)

恭喜發財 (gōng xǐ fā cái) happy and prosperous (It is always used as the phrase when one receiving gifts or luck money during Chinese New Year.)

财源广进 (cái yuán guǎng jìn) wealth pores in from all directions

年年有余 (Niánnián yǒuyú) always get more than you wish for (a wish for surpluses and bountiful harvests every year)

吉星高照 (jí xīng gāo zhào) smiles of fortune

吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) good fortunes as you wishes