5. 年花 (New Year Flowers) Symbolism: New Year flowers such as 桃花 (peach blossoms), 富贵竹 (lucky bamboo), and 桔子树 (tangerine trees) represent growth, prosperity, and good luck. Each flower carries its own specific auspicious meaning. Application: These flowers are used to decorate homes and offices during Chinese New Year. For Chinese New Year symbols are imbued with profound meanings, derived from centuries-old traditions and cultural practices. The color red, predominant in decorations and attire, symbolizes joy, prosperity, and protection against evil spirits, invoking yang energy. 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. 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. The Significance of Colors in Chinese New Year Symbols. Colors play a crucial role in Chinese New Year symbolism, with each hue carrying its own meaning and significance. Red: The Color of Good Fortune. Red is the most prominent color during Chinese New Year celebrations. It symbolizes good luck, happiness, and prosperity. Fu Character. Perhaps the most common Chinese New Year symbol is the fu character. In the days of the Lunar New Year, the character that symbolizes happiness and blessing is placed outside of the front doors although sometimes it also appears as interior home decoration. Traditionally the sign would be written on a red diamond-shaped background New Year paintings will sometimes be of a child holding a large fish. Why? The word “yú” (鱼) has the same pronunciation as 余, which means “extra.” The common phrase is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒu yú), meaning to have “yú” every year. Here, the character for “extra” is interchangeable with “fish.” 8 Traditional Chinese New Year Symbols and Meanings. Chinese New Year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of the year according to the Chinese calendar. It is a time for family reunions, traditional customs, and celebrations. There are several symbols and traditions associated with the Chinese New Year that have special meanings and Here are the meanings behind the most common symbols and traditions of Chinese New Year. The Color Red, Red Lanterns and Red Envelopes. P.C.: yelp, Catherine N. During Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival), you will see the color red everywhere. It symbolizes good fortune and joy. 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! One of the most important Chinese New Year signs in many parts of Asia is the inclusion of Chinese zodiac animals. There are 12 Chinese New Year characters, and each year is associated with a 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 One of the most popular characters used in Chinese New Year, fu means blessing, good luck, and good fortune. The tradition of displaying the symbol on walls and doors originated from the customs of the Song dynasty, which stretched from 960 to 1127 CE. The Meaning of the Chinese New Year Red Envelopes. Chinese New Year red envelopes are a traditional gift for children or elderly people during Chinese New Year. In China, the red envelope (money) is called ya sui qian (压岁钱 /yaa sway chyen/), which means 'suppressing Sui [the demon]money'. 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). They believe doing this will bring good fortune. It is written on diagonal square red paper and the the character is usually pasted upside-down. This is Welcome the New Year in style by mastering 10 best Chinese idioms with dragon characters that convey “Happy New Year” wishes in a truly unique way. From “龙马精神” (lóng mǎ jīngshén) to “龙争虎斗” (lóng zhēng hǔ dòu), these idioms are not only rich in meaning but also reflect the cultural significance of dragons in 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. It means getting rid of the old year and welcoming a brand new year. If you want to learn more about Chinese, there is also a free Chinese New Year character copybook PDF for you to download and learn! Let’s explore the traditional customs and celebrations of the Chinese New Year 2025 together! When is Chinese New Year 2025? For Chinese New Year, use red envelopes featuring Chinese characters such as福 (fú, meaning 'good luck and blessings'), 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái, meaning 'happiness and prosperity'), and 新年快乐 (Xīn Nián kuàilè, meaning 'happy New Year'). Preparing for the Lunar New Year. The phrase Guo Nian, meaning “celebrating the new year” in Chinese, evokes warm feelings of family reunions. In China, the Lunar New Year is marked by Chun Yun, the world’s largest human migration, as millions travel to reunite with their families weeks in advance.
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