Learn all the Chinese New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join ChineseClass101 for a special Chinese New Year celebration!
Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.
So, how do you say Happy New Year in Chinese? Let a native teach you! At ChineseClass101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Chinese New Year wishes!
Table of Contents
- How to Celebrate New Year in China
- Must-Know Chinese Words & Phrases for the New Year!
- Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Chinese
- Inspirational New Year Quotes
- Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
- How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
- How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Learn Chinese
But let’s start with some vocabulary for Chinese New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.
1. How to Celebrate New Year in China
To most Chinese people, you truly begin a brand new year only when you experience a traditional Spring Festival celebration. So even though there is a one-day public holiday for New Year’s day in January, it doesn’t really have a New Year’s celebratory atmosphere. However, in recent years, various kinds of countdown activities have become very popular among young people, and the day has become a kind of romantic holiday.
Now before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question?
What are the lyrics to the Chinese version of the song “Happy New Year,” or Xin Nian Hao, 新年好 (xīnniánhǎo)?
If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading.
Just as in many countries in the West, the most important activity when celebrating the coming new year in China is, of course, a countdown or 倒数计时 (dàoshǔ jìshí). In the bustling city areas, you will see many kinds of celebratory events. The big screens in financial districts will display the numbers as they count down, and when they hit zero, fireworks or 烟花 (yānhuā) are set off in many places to celebrate. Young people go to bars, themed restaurants hold gatherings, and people drink and dance.
In recent years, the end of the year has become the time when people go shopping because this is the day that malls offer big discounts known as Chinese Black Friday or 黑色星期五 (hēisè Xīngqīwǔ). Malls will usually extend their shopping hours and sales shifts until late at night, and their product racks will look as though a robbery has taken place overnight because they’ll be almost empty!
New Year’s Day is, of course, a good opportunity to connect with family and friends who you haven’t seen for a long time. Some years ago, it was popular to exchange New Year’s cards, called 贺年卡 (hèniánkǎ). In recent years, more and more people have been conveying their wishes and greetings via email or text message due to a desire to save trees and avoid sending physical cards.
Now it’s time to answer our quiz question!
Do you know the lyrics to the Chinese version of the song “Happy New Year,” or 新年好, (Xīn Nián Hǎo)?
The song says 新年好呀，新年好呀，祝福 大家新年好；我们唱歌，我们跳舞，祝福大家新年好
(xīnniánhǎo yā , xīnniánhǎo yā , zhùfú dàjiā xīnniánhǎo ；wǒmen chànggē, wǒmen tiàowǔ, zhùfú dàjiā xīnniánhǎo)
Meaning “Happy new year, happy new year, wishing everyone a happy new year; we sing, we dance, wishing everyone a happy new year!” Almost everyone in China can sing it!
Happy New Year!
新年快樂！
新年快乐！
Xīnnián kuàilè !
2. Must-Know Chinese Words & Phrases for the New Year!
1- Year
年
nián
This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in China could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?
2- Midnight
午夜
wǔyè
The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!
3- New Year’s Day
元旦
Yuándàn
In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.
4- Party
派对
pàiduì
A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.
5- Dancing
舞蹈
wǔdǎo
Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.
6- Champagne
香槟
xiāngbīn
Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.
7- Fireworks
烟花
yānhuā
These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.
8- Countdown
倒计时
dào jìshí
This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!
9- New Year’s Holiday
新年假期
Xīnnián jiàqī
In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.
10-Confetti
五彩纸屑
wǔcǎi zhǐxiè
In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.
11- New Year’s Eve
跨年夜
kuà nián yè
This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?
12- Toast
干杯
gānbēi
A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!
13- Resolution
决心
juéxīn
Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!
14- Parade
游行
yóuxíng
New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At ChineseClass101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Chinese New Year celebrations are like!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions
So, you learned the Chinese word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at ChineseClass101 – what are yours?
Learn these phrases and impress your Chinese friends with your vocabulary.
1- Read more
多阅读。
Duō yuèdú.
Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Chinese in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Chinese language skills!
2- Spend more time with family
花更多时间陪伴家人。
Huā gèngduō shíjiān péibàn jiārén.
Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.
3- Lose weight
减肥。
Jiǎnféi.
Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!
4- Save money
存钱。
cúnqián.
Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to ChineseClass101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!
5- Quit smoking
戒烟。
Jièyān.
This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.
6- Learn something new
学习新东西。
Xuéxí xīn dōngxi.
Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!
7- Drink less
少喝酒。
Shǎo hējiǔ.
This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!
8- Exercise regularly
多运动。
Duō yùndòng.
This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.
9- Eat healthy
饮食健康。
Yǐnshí jiànkāng.
If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!
10- Study Chinese with ChineseClass101
跟ChineseClass101.com一起学习中文。
Gēn ChineseClass yī líng yī diǎn com yīqǐ xuéxí Zhōngwén.
Of course! You can only benefit from learning Chinese, especially with us! Learning how to speak Chinese can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. ChineseClass101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.
Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Chinese new year greeting!
Make decorative notes of these in Chinese, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Chinese incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
Still undecided whether you should enroll with ChineseClass101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.
Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!
As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Chinese could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Chinese – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Chinese – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.
7. Why Enrolling with ChineseClass101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!
If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Chinese! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that ChineseClass101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!
- Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Chinese at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
- Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Chinese that makes sense!
- Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
- Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
- Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!
There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Chinese with ChineseClass101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!
Happy New Year in Chinese 🎉 14 Excellent Ways To Wish It
How do say Happy New Year in Chinese? Well, every other blog will teach you the generic 新年快乐, but as always we want to go one step further and teach you what the natives say!
That time of the Lunar Year has rolled around again.
You will wear red underwear, you will noisily pop champagne corks and, as tradition requires, exchange greetings for the New Year.
First of all it should be clarified that in China there are two different “New Years” celebrations: the first is the so-called “Spring Festival” 春节 (chūnjié), which usually falls between the last two weeks of January and the first two of February.
The second New Year is the one celebrated worldwide that is on January 1st, which in Chinese is called 元旦 (yuán dàn).
There is, however, an interchangeable and usable term for both events: 新年 (xīn nián) literally “New Year”.
To best prepare yourself, you need to learn how to wish your friends a Happy Chinese New Year in Chinese! And be warned, there are many many ways to do this.
However, it’s a great way to pick up some new Chinese vocab.
So let’s start at the very beginning…
Happy New Year in Chinese | The Generic One
Happy New Year in Chinese | Happy Spring Festival
Happy New Year in Chinese | Kung Hei Fat Choi
Happy New Year in Chinese | More Elaborate Ways
Happy New Year in Chinese | FAQs
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Happy New Year In Chinese – The Generic One
This is probably the easiest and most literal way of wishing your friends a Happy New Year:
Chinese Characters: 新年快乐
Pinyin Pronunciation: xīnnián kuàilè
Meaning: 新年 literally means ‘New Year’ and 快乐 means ‘Happy’.
This phrase is used interchangeably both at Chinese New Year and on the 1st of January at the start of the solar New Year.
But if we only learnt how to say this version of Happy New Year in Chinese, we’d have barely hit the tip of the iceberg…
Read on for more New Year Greetings and Wishes…
Chinese New Year 🦁 The Complete Guide To China’s Biggest and Most Important Holiday
Chinese New Year Guide | Traditions, Superstitions, Vocab and Experiences. A complete guide to Chinese New Year from different perspectives.
Happy Spring Festival in Chinese
This is also a very literal way of wishing your friends a Happy Spring Festival.
Chinese Characters: 春节快乐
Pinyin Pronunciation: chūnjié kuàilè
Meaning: 春节 literally means ‘Spring Festival’ and 快乐 means ‘Happy’. So Happy Spring Festival!
Unlike xīnnián kuàilè, the phrase chūnjié kuàilè would only be used for Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, rather than during Western New Year.
Though in English translations this phrase will often just been translated to ‘Happy Chinese New Year’, seeing as we don’t refer to it as Spring Festival as often.
Happiness and Prosperity in the New Year
Chinese Characters: 恭喜发财
Pinyin Pronunciation: gōngxǐ fācái
Meaning: ‘Happiness and Prosperity in the New Year’.
These New Year wishes are a little difficult to translate concisely into English.
恭喜 literally means respectful congratulations, and 发财 means to get rich or to prosper.
The phrase is a blessing for prosperity and wealth in the coming year and is used all over China. But in the South of China, Cantonese-speaking regions in particular, it is used as a general greeting for Chinese New Year.
This is why in English letters the phrase is often written as ‘Kung Hei Fat Choi’, following the Cantonese pronunciation.
Remember not to cut your hair after Chinese New Year, as the word for hair in Chinese uses the same character as 发 in 发财 (to prosper).
The belief is that by cutting or washing your hair in the new year, you might be washing away some of the prosperity.
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LEVEL UP – Alternative Ways to Wish Happy New Year in Chinese
Why not opt for something more elaborate and personalized with some of these alternate ways of wishing in the new year!
Here is a list of 10 ways to wish happy New Year in Chinese:
1. Best Wishes
Chinese Characters: 祝新年快乐，并致以良好的祝福。
Pinyin Pronunciation: zhù xīnnián kuàilè, bìng zhì yǐ liánghǎo de zhùfú.
Meaning: Best wishes for a happy New Year!
2. Good Health and Good Luck
Chinese Characters: 祝你在新的一年里身体健康，多福多寿。
Pinyin Pronunciation: zhù nǐ zài xīn de yī nián lǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng, duō fú duō shòu
Meaning: I wish you good health and good luck in the New Year!
3. Luck, Happiness and Joy
Chinese Characters: 恭祝新年吉祥，幸福和欢乐与你同在。
Pinyin Pronunciation: gōng zhù xīnnián jíxiáng, xìngfú hé huānlè yǔ nǐ tóng zài.
Meaning: I wish that luck, happiness and joy accompany you throughout the New Year!
4. Good Health and A Successful Career
Chinese Characters: 恭贺新禧，祝身体健康、事业发达。
Pinyin Pronunciation: gōnghè xīnxǐ, zhù shēntǐ jiànkāng, shìyè fādá
Meaning: Happy New Year with wishes of good health and a successful career
5. Best Wishes to Your Family
Chinese Characters: 请接受我对你及你全家的美好祝福，祝你们新年快乐。
Pinyin Pronunciation: qǐng jiēshòu wǒmen duì nǐ jí nǐ quánjiā dì měihǎo zhùfú, zhù nǐmen xīnnián kuàilè.
Meaning: Please accept my best wishes for a happy New Year to you and your family!
6. Joy and Happiness
Chinese Characters: 愿快乐幸福永伴你左右。
Pinyin Pronunciation: yuàn kuàilè xìngfú yǒng bàn nǐ zuǒyòu.
Meaning: May joy and happiness always stay with you.
7. Hope to be Together Soon
Chinese Characters: 在这特殊的日子，向你致以新年的祝福，希望不久我们能相聚在一起。
Pinyin Pronunciation: zài zhè tèshū de rìzi, xiàng nǐ zhì yǐ xīnnián de zhùfú, xīwàng bùjiǔ wǒmen néng xiāngjù zài yīqǐ.
Meaning: On this special day, I want to wish you a Happy New Year with the hope that we will soon be together.
8. All Your Wishes Come True
Chinese Characters: 愿你所有的新年想都成真!
Pinyin Pronunciation: yuàn nǐ suǒyǒu de xīnnián xiǎng dōu chéng zhēn!
Meaning: I wish that all that you want for this New Year comes true!
9. Great New Year
Chinese Characters: 愿你度过最美好的新年!
Pinyin Pronunciation: yuàn nǐ dùguò zuì měihǎo de xīnnián!
Meaning: May you have a great New Year!
10. Bright and Splendid!
Chinese Characters: 愿你的新年光彩夺目，愿你的新年灿烂辉煌！佳节快乐！
Pinyin Pronunciation: yuàn nǐ de xīnnián guāngcǎi duómù, yuàn nǐ de xīnnián cànlàn huīhuáng! Jiājié kuàilè!
Meaning: May this New Year be bright and splendid! Happy Holidays!
As we have seen, the happy new year wishes in Chinese are closely linked to the concepts of luck, health, longevity and success.
So what are you waiting for?!
Level up and don’t just go with the generic 新年快乐！
Know anymore ways to wish a Happy New Year in Mandarin?
Comment below with your favourites!
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BONUS || Love learning how to send your greetings and wishes in other languages? Why not learn how to say happy new year in Russian whilst you’re at it!
Happy New Year || FAQs
When is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year falls in February typically although it can also fall in late January and early March on some rare occasions.
In terms of the dates, the next few years are these:
2023 – Sunday Jan 22nd – Wednesday Jan 25th
2024 – Saturday Feb 10th – Tuesday Feb 13th
2025 – Wednesday Jan 29th – Tuesday Feb 4th
2026 – Tuesday Feb 17th – Monday Feb 23rd
What is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is the celebration of the start of the new Lunar Calendar year.
This festival is commonly referred to as Spring Festival in China.
Is Chinese New Year the biggest holiday in China?
Yes.
China does not celebrate Christmas and National Week (October 1st-7th), although big, is more widely celebrate by travelling.
Chinese New Year is commonly the time families get to spend together more than any time in the year especially if they live
What does 恭喜发财 mean?
“Happiness and prosperity in the New Year.”
How do you say New Year in Chinese?
新年 (xīn nián) is new year in Chinese.
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[…] occur as numerous countless individuals make their means to celebrate with family in China. Prev how to wish someone happy chinese new year in cantonese here. Things will most certainly look different this year, because of the ongoing […]
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Updated on February 09, 2020
Chinese New Year, perhaps the most widely celebrated holiday in the world, typically takes place in January or February, after the Gregorian New Year on January 1. Whether you’ll be spending it in China or in a Chinatown in your own city, knowing how to wish people a happy new year in the local tongue is a nice touch.
Come January 25, 2020, families and friends will be feasting, partaking in centuries-old superstitions, and spending time together to celebrate Chinese New Year. With vibrant celebrations taking place from Sydney to San Francisco, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pay your respects and well wishes to the Chinese, especially if you know the customary greetings.
About Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a massive, international celebration. With people scattered around the globe observing the Lunar New Year, you’re sure to find fireworks, parades, and street fairs in nearly every major city.
Although the first few days are the most observed, Chinese New Year actually runs for 15 consecutive days and ends with the Lantern Festival. Preparations take place for weeks in advance to ensure that this period is filled with luck and prosperity (two things the Chinese value immensely).
This is a time for family and lots of food. Firecrackers are thrown in abundance to frighten away unlucky spirits, and red is worn, even red underwear, because of its symbolic meaning. Children receive small gifts and money in red envelopes called lai see and various figures from history are honored.
«Happy New Year» in Mandarin
Unlike Western New Year’s Eve celebrations, which tend to be about short-lived resolutions to improve ourselves, the primary goal of Chinese New Year traditions is to usher in good luck and prosperity in the new year.
With such vast variations in Chinese culture and ethnic groups around the world, there are many ways to say «happy new year» in Chinese. Most of them are rooted in luck and financial success.
- Gong Xi Fa Cai: Pronounced «gong zee fah tsai,» gong xi means «congratulations» and is also a way to wish one joy. Fa cai is to become rich or make money. In essence, you are wishing one joy and prosperity in the new year. Business owners and workmates use gong xi fa cai as the usual way to say «happy new year» in Chinese.
- Xin Nian Kuai Le: Pronounced «sheen neean kwai luh,» kuai le means «happy» or «joyous,» and xin nian means «new year.» Xin nian kuai le is a great way to say happy new year in Chinese to friends without referencing money.
«Happy New Year» in Cantonese
Cantonese is the language primarily spoken by the people of Hong Kong. The Cantonese «happy new year» greeting differs slightly from the Mandarin version, even though both are actually written the same way.
- Gong Hey Fat Choy: In Cantonese, gong hey fat choy is the equivalent of gong xi fa cai in Mandarin, simply meaning «congratulations and prosperity.»
By Sujanti Djuanda – Chinese teacher at Lingolearn.com
Chinese is a fascinating exotic language and is spoken by approximately fifth of the world’s population. It is considered to be one of the most complex languages not to mention it has also many dialects. The most common spoken dialect is Mandarin. The Chinese characters that compose the Chinese language are considered to be amoungst oldest writing system in existance today.
In spite of its complexity, many people consider Chinese to be interesting and worth learning. Because of its complexity many people who visit or have communication with Chinese people prefer to learn phrases and sentences that are topic related to ease their process of introducing themselves to the language.
One of the common topics to many new beginners is the happy new year in Chinese. There are many words and phrases connected with the happy new year in Chinese that can be learnt, especially since it is possible to say Happy new year in Chinese in more than one way.
The common phrase of Happy New Year in Chinese is written:
Happy New Year!· = [xīnnián=New Year]· [kuàilè=happy] = 新年快乐
It is also possible to say happy new year in chinese with the phrase:
Good New Year! = [xīnnián=New Year] [hǎo=good] = 新年好
Or simply saying:
Wishing you a Happy New Year. = [zhù=wish] [nǐ=you] [xīnnián=new year] [kuàilè=happy] =祝你新年快乐.
However when addressing someone respectfully there is another form of the word nǐ=you, which is nǐn=you: In that case the sentence would look like that:
Wishing you a Happy New Year. = [zhù=wish] [nǐn=you] [xīnnián=new year] [kuàilè=happy] =祝您新年快乐.
It is also common to wish prosperity for the coming year and in that case you can say:
May you prosperous in the New Year! =· [gōngxǐfācái= wishing you prosperity in the New Year]！恭喜发财
Or say:
Wishing you a Happy New Year, have a healthy body, successful job and all the best for you. [zhù=wish] [nǐ=you] [xīnnián=new year] [kuàilè=happy], [shēntǐ=body] [jiànkāng=health], [gōngzuò=job] [shùnlì=smooth, successful], [wànshìrúyì= all the best (for wishing someone well)] = 祝你新年快乐，身体健康工作顺利，万事如意。
There are also many relating words on Chinese that are useful to know:
[chúxī= New Year’s Eve] = 除夕
[niányèfàn= a reunion dinner of a whole family on Chinese New Year’s Eve] = 年夜饭
[niánchūyī=the first day of New Year] = 年初一
[bàinián= pay a New Year call] = 拜年
[guònián=to celebrate a new year, to spend Chinese New Year with family]·= 过年
[hóngbāo= red paper envelope containing money as a gift] = 红包
It is not, however, enough to know some words, it is also important to know how and when to use them. Here are some examples that can help understanding of when and how to use those words.
Example 1:
The entire family has a reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve. =·[chúxī= New Year’s Eve] [quánjiā=entire family] [tuányuán= reunion] [chī=eat] [niányèfàn= a reunion dinner of a whole family on New Year’s Eve] = 除夕全家团圆吃年夜饭。
Example 2:
Everyone goes to pay a New Year call on the first day of Chinese New Year. =·[niánchūyī=the first day of the new year] [dàjiā=everyone] [qù=go] [bàinián= pay a New Year call]= 年初一大家去拜年。
Example 3:
When celebrating the Chinese New Year, he joked, “May you prosperous in the New Year! Please give me a red envelope! = [guònián= to celebrate the new year] [de] [shíhòu=time, moment] [tā=he] [kāiwánxiào=joke] [shuō=say], [gōngxǐfācái= wishing you prosperity in the New Year] [hóngbāo= red paper envelope containing money as a gift] [nálái=bring it here] = 过年的时候，他开玩笑说，“恭喜发财，红包拿来。
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Chinese New Year, different from the Western observance on January first, is an important festival based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Because it follows the phases of the moon, the holiday falls on different dates each year.
Also known as Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name, the celebration traditionally runs from Chinese New Year’s Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month. This makes the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar.
Traditionally, the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for families to gather for an annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly clean the house in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for incoming good luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red papercut-outs and poetic couplets with popular themes of «good fortune» or «happiness,» «wealth,» and «longevity.» Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red envelopes to family members and close friends.
Here are some words and phrases about Chinese New Year：
xīn nián
新年 new year
chūn jié
春节 spring festival
ɡuònián
过年 celebrate the spring festival
bàinián
拜年 pay a New Year call, wish someone a Happy New Year
xīn nián kuài lè
新年快乐 happy new year
Chūn Jiē Kuài Lè
春节快乐 happy new year
ɡōnɡ hè xīn xǐ
恭贺新禧 happy new year
jí xiánɡ rú yì
吉祥如意 good luck and happiness to you
hónɡ bāo
红包 red paper containing money as a gift
chūn lián
春联 spring festival scrolls, New Year scrolls
tiēchūn lián
贴春联 Pasting spring couplets and pictures
nián huà
年画 new year pictures
tuán yuán
团圆 family reunion
fú lùshòu
福禄寿 Happiness, prosperity, longevity
ɡōnɡ xǐ fā cái
恭喜发财 May you be happy and prosperous
wàn shì rú yì
万事如意 all the best
dà jí dà lì
大吉大利 I wish you good fortune and every success
To have a happy new year in China, you should also want to know:
- Taboos During Chinese New Year
- Chinese New Year Food
- Chinese’s New Year Gift-Giving Guide