The Chinese zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, features 12 animal signs in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. 2025 is the Year of the Snake according to Chinese zodiac, starting from the 2025 Chinese New Year on Jan. 29th and lasting to 2026 Lunar New Year's Eve on Feb. 16. 2026 is the Year of the Horse. Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the transition from one animal to the next—2024 is the year of the Dragon, which began on February 10th, 2024, and ends on February 24th, 2024. January 29th, 2025 (Chinese New Year) will signal the start of the year of the Snake. The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) usually falls during 21 January and February 20, if your birthday is during this period in Gregorian date, you may belong to the zodiac sign of the last year. In the following table, the years’ starting and ending dates are clearly shown which help you determine your animal sign correctly. There are 12 Chinese New Year characters, and each year is associated with a different animal on a 12-year cycle. For instance, a year might be the year of the Rooster or the year of the Dragon. During Chinese New Year, various charms and decorations are used to attract good fortune. These range from paper cutouts to couplets and paintings, all featuring wealth, happiness, and longevity themes. Paper cutouts: Artistry and auspiciousness. Chinese New Year paper cutouts. Paper cutouts, usually in red, are a popular form of decoration. 4. 福字帖 (Fu Character Art) Symbolism: The character “福” (fu) means “fortune” or “happiness.” It symbolizes blessings and good luck for the household and is a central motif in Chinese New Year decorations. To learn more about the Chinese Characters and language, check out this guide. The Chinese Zodiac Story. The Chinese zodiac story is famous throughout China, taught in schools from a young age. The story begins with the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven, deciding to select twelve animals to represent the years in the Chinese lunar calendar. Chinese zodiac years begin/end at Chinese New Year (in January/February). Each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years is represented by a zodiac animal, each with its own reputed attributes. 2025 is the year of the Snake, starting from January 29th, 2025 and ends on February 16th, 2025. So make sure to create your paper cuttings before the Chinese New Year. Fu character. The Chinese fu character, meaning good fortune and blessings, is one of the most commonly found Chinese New Year symbols. It is written on a red, diamond shaped piece of paper, which is often hung upside down on the outside of the front door. As Chinese New Year slithers closer, it’s time to embrace the year of the Snake—a year of transformation, wisdom, and, of course, luck! Chinese New Year is a season of good food, great company and even greater vibes. On this page, we've got the top ways to say "Happy Chinese New Year" in Chinese and Cantonese which you will use during the Chinese New Year period, which is from Chinese New Year's day (Jan. 29, 2025) up to the 15th day of the Chinese New Year (Feb 12, 2025). Pasting the character upside-down on a door or doorpost thus translates into a wish for prosperity to descend upon a dwelling. Another story states that posting the character upside-down originates with the family of a 19th-century prince of the Qing dynasty. [citation needed] The story states that on one Chinese New Year's Eve, or 除夕 Common Chinese greetings on Lunar New Year couplets . Here are popular Chinese New Year greetings included in our festive printables. Vertical couplets. 大吉大利 (Dàjí dàlì / Happy and prosperous) – Also part of the saying 大吉大利晚上吃鸡 (Dà jí dà lì wǎn shàng chī jī / Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!) While you are studying how to greet everyone in Chinese for the Lunar New Year, remember to check out our Dos and Don’ts in our Chinese New Year Traditions post to properly prepare yourselves to ring in the new year! 23 Common Chinese New Year Greetings 1. 新年快乐 – Happy Chinese New Year. The most common greeting used during the What does Fu character in Chinese mean? The Chinese character Fu (福) means happiness, blessing, and good fortune. People across China have the tradition to paste this character on their doors or windows during the Spring Festival to greet the Chinese Lunar New Year (which falls on February 5 this year). 48 Pcs Chinese New Year Decorations 2025, Spring Festival Chinese Lunar Year Decoration 2025, Includes Fu Character Window Stickers Red Envelopes Couplets, 2025 Snake Chinese New Year Couplet Set. 8 Things You Might Not Know About Chinese New Year; All about Chinese New Year: taboos, wishes and magic words; Useful Phrases for Spring Festival Celebrations; Bring Yourself Good Luck on本命年 (Běnmìngnián) 8 Common Homophonic Puns in Chinese New Year Festival ; Phrases. 1. 恭贺新年。 Gōnghè xīnnián. A Happy New Year to you. 2 Red Envelopes (红包, hóng bāo): Elders give these to younger family members as a blessing for the new year. Don’t forget to say 新年快乐! (xīn nián kuài lè , Happy New Year!). For more customs during Chinese New Year (春节, chūn jié), we strongly recommend you check the video we shared on YouTube. I'm sure you'll learn a lot Start the following lesson on the most popular sayings for Chinese New Year, with written Chinese characters, sound marks in pinyin, human voice pronunciation, and their lucky meanings. Say loudly in Chinese to express your joy and love to your family and friends!
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