A traditional gift during Chinese New Year is the exchanging of a pair of mandarin oranges and the giving of red packet containing an even amount of money. Unmarried adults and children receive these red packets from married family members and friends in exchange of wishing them good health and fortune . Give a Gift; Shop the TIME Store from a truck in a flower farm for Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, Jan. 22, 2003. demand-driven price hikes during Lunar New Year, when the fruit becomes Originating from Southern China, the tradition of giving mandarin oranges is known as “song gam” in Cantonese. Coincidentally, it also means “giving gold”, which the luck-obsessed Chinese have used as a symbol of conferring prosperity and well wishes to the recipient. Why do we eat mandarin oranges during Chinese New Year? Oranges and Other Citrus [] The Chinese love citrus fruits as much as they love word play, puns and especially homonyms—words that sound like other words. Because the Chinese word for tangerine sounds like "luck" and the word for orange sounds like "wealth," the fruits are prized both for table display and gift giving during Chinese New Year. The tradition of giving and displaying oranges during Chinese New Year has deep cultural significance. In Mandarin, the word for orange (chéng, 橙) sounds like chénggōng (成功), meaning success. In Cantonese, oranges are called kam (柑), which resembles the pronunciation of gold (jīn, 金). This phonetic connection makes oranges a Six oranges: Giving six oranges during the new year symbolizes success and good fortune, as the number six is considered auspicious in traditional Chinese culture, representing smoothness and prosperity. On the sixth day of the lunar new year, it is customary to perform the “send poverty away” ritual. Alternatively, the translation of the word in the Mandarin dialect also relates to oranges being particularly prosperous for Chinese New Year Wittingly intertwining words once again, the term typically used for mandarin orange, júzi (橘子), bears a striking resemblance to the same word for gold , jīnzi ((金子). Originating from Southern China, the traditional act of giving someone mandarin oranges during Chinese New Year symbolises well-wishes and blessing one with prosperity. The descriptive phrase for this action in Cantonese also sounds like ‘giving gold’ (hin gam). Hence, to exchange mandarin oranges with family and loved ones signifies a form That's why giving the fruit during the Lunar New Year can also mean wishing the recipients prosperity and wealth. When it comes to giving mandarin oranges at Chinese New Year gatherings, it's not recommended to give the fruit in odd numbers. This is because a famous Mandarin proverb says "hao shi cheng shuang" or "good things come in pairs". SINGAPORE - A hallmark of Chinese New Year, the sight of mandarin oranges each year signals that the festive season has officially begun. In Cantonese, to gift mandarin oranges is to “song gam Oranges and Other Citrus Oranges, kumquats, tangerines and pomelos are common Chinese New Year gifts because they’re believed to bring good luck and happiness. The Chinese words for “orange” and “tangerine” closely resemble the words for “luck” and “wealth.” The gold color of these fruits also symbolizes prosperity. Why do we give oranges on Chinese Read More »Do You Give Cherries represent success (© Peppersmint via Canva) In preparation for the Lunar New Year celebrations, remember to pick up a batch of cherries to top off your holiday.. Similar to pomelos, cherries ripen just in time for Chinese New Year and have become an in-demand fruit during this particular time when large shipments are imported from countries, like Chile and Austra Gift Giving Etiquette – Rules for Giving Chinese New Year Gift To avoid the embarrassment caused by cultural difference, one need to know the basic Chinese New Year gift giving etiquette, which is of great help in selecting proper gifts for your Chinese friends or inviters, enhancing the feeling of the receivers, and improving the relationship. What should you avoid doing on Chinese New Year? Chinese New Year Taboos and Superstitions: 18 Things You Should Not Do. Avoid taking medicine. Don’t sweep or take out garbage. No unlucky words. Don’t eat porridge and meat for breakfast. Avoid washing hair and getting a haircut. Don’t wash clothes. Needlework should not be done. Apart from lucky dishes, fruits and flowers are important parts of the Chinese New Year. Flowers and fruits hold special significance during Chinese New Year. Here we've rounded up the top lucky flowers and fruits that are most often gifted and used as decorations at Chinese New Year. 1. Tangerine or Kumquat Tree — Wealth and Good Luck When it comes to popular Chinese New Year sayings such as gat 1 coeng 4 jyu 4 ji 3 (吉祥如意, “auspicious and everything acts according to one’s will”), daai 6 gat 1 daai 6 lei 6 (大吉大利, “very auspicious and smooth”), or gat 1 sing 1 gou 1 ziu 3 (吉星高照, “the auspicious star shining high above”), people will The ancient Chinese associated the colour with harvests, happiness, wealth, and celebrations. No wonder that tangerines and oranges are the primary food symbols of the Chinese New Year! What is a typical gift for Chinese New Year? Money: the most prosperous gift of all The “lucky red packet” is probably the most famous symbol of Lunar New The Chinese word for orange (jú) sounds similar to the word for luck (jí), making it a popular fruit for gift-giving during the New Year. The round shape of an orange represents fullness and completeness, symbolizing a bountiful harvest and good fortune for the upcoming year. In China, Minneola tangerines are thought to symbolize luck during the Lunar New Year. Plus, their vibrant orange peels are associated with happiness and good fortune. They’re often placed around the home, as well as given as gifts in decorative bags. Oranges . Oranges with their bright gold color symbolize happiness and wealth in the New Year. what does orange mean in chinese new year chinese new year meaning of red. The Chinese are known for a good amount of “luck talk”—the practice of attributing superstition to certain words and phrases—during Lunar New Year, a tradition believed may herald good The Symbolism of Mandarin Orange in Chinese New Year .
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