Among these customs are unique practices related to hair washing, which hold special significance during this auspicious time. Let’s delve into the intriguing world of Hair Washing Superstitions and explore what to avoid during Chinese New Year to ensure a prosperous start to the lunar new year. As the dawn of Lunar New Year 2025 approaches Avoid taking medicine on the first day of the Lunar New Year. According to folklore and tradition, it is believed that washing your hair on New Year's Eve may wash away good luck and fortune, leaving you vulnerable to misfortune and bad luck in the coming year. On the first day of Chinese New Year, you must not wash or cut your hair. Chinese New Year is just around the corner. To ensure that you start your new year on the right foot, here is a list of things that you should and should not do on Chinese New Year. 1. Washing and cutting hair 4. Washing or Cutting Hair. Chinese people are prohibited from washing their hair on the first day of the Chinese New Year. This is because the pronunciation and character of the word "hair" in Chinese are similar to "fa" in "facai", which means to become wealthy. In other words, washing hair is seen as washing away wealth. Click to see What to Eat at Chinese New Year to Bring Good Luck? 5. Avoid washing hair and getting a haircut. Hair must not be washed on Chinese New Year's Day. In Mandarin, hair (发, fa) has the same pronunciation (and indeed is the same character) as fa in facai (发财), which means 'to become wealthy'. Therefore, it is seen as not a good Karen Yee of San Francisco, says she doesn't cut or wash her hair on New Year's Day. "Hair and luck in Chinese are homonyms," she said. "So if you cut or wash your hair on the day of the Lunar New In Chinese New Year, people around the world engage in various customs and traditions to ring in the new year with prosperity and good fortune. However, among the many superstitions surrounding New Year's Eve, one question that often arises is whether it is bad luck to wash your hair on this auspicious night. People avoid washing their hair on Lunar New Year because it’s believed to wash away good fortune. This belief stems from a linguistic similarity in Mandarin, with the word for hair (fa, 发) sharing both the same pronunciation and first character of the word for fortune (facai, 发财). That has evolved over the years into the superstition Chinese New Year in 2025 falls on Jan 29 (Wednesday). As Singaporeans gear up for the celebrations, these age-old superstitions remind us of the cultural richness and traditions that define the 6. DON’T wash or cut your hair Don’t wash or cut your hair on the first day of Chinese New Year (Photography: Element5 Digital via Pexels) On the first day of Chinese New Year, you must not wash or cut your hair. In Cantonese, hair is pronounced as faat (髮), which is the same as the word for “getting rich” (發). If you wash your hair Don’t wash your hair on New Year’s Day—you might wash away good luck! Sweeping the floor on the first day is considered bad luck because you could sweep away your fortune. The Lantern Festival: A Dazzling Conclusion. The grand finale of the Chinese New Year celebration is the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar year. This day is This year, Chinese New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29. Those who celebrate will be entering the year of the snake. Just like with any holiday, traditions abound for Chinese New Year. Avoid cutting/washing hair. Mandy C. also shared that one shouldn’t wash their hair on the first day of the Lunar New Year, as it is seen as a negative thing to “wash one’s fortune away” at the beginning of the year. In addition, some avoid cutting hair on this day as well. Washing your hair on the first and second day of the new year is believed to be bad luck – it symbolises washing away your fortune. Not a very auspicious start to 2024! The same goes for cutting your hair. Wash or cut your hair Leave your hair as it is on the first day of the New Year. The Chinese character for hair is the same first character in the word for prosper. Some of those Chinese New Year taboos will only sustain for first few days of the festival, while others may be kept till the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, or even for a whole month. Hereunder are 16 things you should never do during the Chinese New Year. This year, Chinese New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29. Those who celebrate will be entering the year of the snake. Just like with any holiday, traditions abound for Chinese New Year. Some of Don’t Wash Your Hair or Clothes on New Year’s Day. Washing is thought to wash away wealth and blessings. Chinese people take Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year) as the foretaste of the whole year's fortune. For the sake of a safe and smooth year, people practice many New Year customs and taboos in folk China. For example, washing hair, putting on ragged clothes, and turning pockets inside out. But how many know of other taboos, such as prohibitions on washing your hair or eating porridge on the first day of the Lunar New Year? In Chinese culture, these taboos are observed to avert misfortune and bad luck in the new year. For example, sweeping the house on the first three days is seen as "sweeping out" good luck. DON’T do laundry You shouldn’t wash your hair on New Year’s Day as it is akin to washing one’s fortune away. Hair in Mandarin is pronounced as fa, which has the same character and sound as facai which means ‘to become wealthy’. 4. No Sweeping On New Year’s Day. Ft. Pristine Broom & Dustpan Set. Before the new year, many Chinese households typically
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