The Chinese staff at the UN had reportedly suggested using "Lunar New Year" as a way to include Asian cultures outside of China in their celebrations. It's hard to conclude that UNESCO's inclusion of the Spring Festival in its intangible cultural heritage list means that Lunar New Year should be avoided. Quite the opposite. So, Should We Call It "Chinese New Year" or "Lunar New Year"? In a casual conversation, there is no problem using the two terms interchangeably. Either way, whether you refer to it as the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, as long as no intentional offense is meant, it is safe to say that almost everyone will just be happy to share and Chinese bubble tea brand popular both in and outside China, found itself in hot water when it used the term “Lunar New Year”. ST PHOTO: YEW LUN TIAN UPDATED Jan 28, 2025, 03:49 PM Every year, the Lunar New Year marks the transition from one animal to another. The Year of the Dragon, which began on Feb. 10, 2024, ended Tuesday to begin the Year of the Snake. “We can see that the ‘Lunar New Year,’ led by Koreans, is an ideological attack on Chinese culture by Western countries,” read one popular post on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. In fact, back in 2023, New York State made Lunar New Year an official public school holiday. You don’t even need to travel far to experience the magic. Ever wondered about the difference between the New Year we celebrate in the West and the Lunar New Year? Here’s your crash course. The Gregorian calendar, the sun, & the moon A lunar cycle Chinese New Year is actually only one festival under the umbrella term of Lunar New Year, which is a festival that occurs on the first day of a new year in the lunisolar calendar, a calendar that The Differences between Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year 1. “Chinese New Year” is specific while “Lunar New Year” is more general. The term “Chinese New Year” specifically refers to the new year celebrations in China. It is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, history, and traditions, dating back thousands of years. Some people argue that we should call the festival Lunar New Year rather than the Chinese New Year as it is more global and less culturally specific. Mine is a different discussion. As the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, approaches, with the Year of the Snake from January 29 to February 12, 2025, it’s not uncommon for people to mix up Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between them. If you look up the Wikipedia page for Lunar New Year and compare it to the page for Chinese New Year, the page for Chinese New Year is at least five times longer, despite being the less general event. But generalizing Lunar New Year as Chinese New Year is more than just saying the wrong word and using the wrong name. Ever wondered if we should be using the term ‘Chinese New Year’ or ‘Lunar New Year’? Well, a Xiaohongshu user has entered the discussion in hopes of answering that question once and for all. In their post “Chinese New Year, not Lunar New Year”, they wrote: “I encourage everyone to not replace the name CNY with ‘Lunar New Year’.” What Are the Key Differences Between Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year? Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences. Chinese New Year specifically refers to the celebration in China and among Chinese communities worldwide, while Lunar New Year is a broader term that includes various To say Happy Chinese New Year in Chinese, Qin Xie also explained: ‘Chinese New Year is also known as chun jie, or spring festival, so you can also wish your friends a happy new year that way. The Chinese zodiac’s traditions and customs resonate through our actions even in contemporary settings. As the Year of the Snake approaches, we should not underestimate the influence of some of the common folklore beliefs. My personal view is that you can say Chinese New Year to the other person as long as they are Chinese. Or you are a Chinese you want to wish western people a happy Chinese new year. Otherwise, just say lunar new year that will be ok with everybody except the CCP pinkers As many are busy ordering dim sums to go or making that big family dinner reservation to celebrate the Tiger’s arrival, the translation community again finds itself in the debate of a familiar question: should we use Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year? And are there even any differences between the two? Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year, also referred to as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is here.The date of this annual event shifts with the lunar calendar, and this year, the Year of the Wood Snake, the 正因为如此,我在谷歌上搜“Chinese New Year CNN”,发现 CNN 网站上所有相关文章,都使用了 Lunar New Year,而不是 Chinese New Year: 不过,BBC 倒没那么讲究,还是用了 Chinese New Year: 我还查到维基百科、大英百科上也都有“Chinese New Year”的词条: 维基百科. 大英百科
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