One of the most well-known beliefs about Chinese New Year is that you should not wash your hair on the first day of the lunar year – in this case, on the 29th – as it could “wash away” the 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 Here are 8 things you should avoid during Chinese New Year: 1. Washing or cutting your hair. The third thing you should avoid during Chinese New Year is something Lin admitted her mom is very 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 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 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 SINGAPORE: As the Chinese New Year approached, an online user sparked a lively discussion in a forum on Friday (Jan 17) by asking Singaporeans about superstitions they still believe in during this Some people are so enthused they’ll even set them off during the day. 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 “On the first two days of the New Year, we do not wash our hair as it will wash away the good luck. In the first 15 days, we can wash our hair once with pomelo leaves, then washing hair becomes normal again. We just have to avoid days 1,2,7, and 15,” Debbie explains. “Lunar New Year celebrations last 15 days, and each day is special. KUALA LUMPUR: Many are familiar with the traditional taboos of Chinese New Year, such as not sweeping the house on the first day and not wearing black or white clothes during the celebration. 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 on Jan. 29, the festive season sets the stage for a 15-day celebration steeped in tradition across China and various Asian nations. 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. Don’t Wash Your Hair or Clothes on New Year’s Day. Washing is thought to wash away wealth and blessings. Postpone laundry and hair-washing until after the first day. By following these traditions and avoiding the taboos, you can usher in a year full of prosperity, happiness, and good luck. Wishing you a joyous and auspicious Chinese New Washing hair on the first day of the New Year is thought to wash away good luck. The Chinese word for hair (发) sounds similar to the word for prosperity (发财), so washing hair is seen as washing away wealth. Yes, that’s right, one does not simply wash their hair or take a shower on the day of Chinese New Year as cleaning yourself on the day is seen as washing away good fortune. Though a thorough scrub of the hair and body is highly encouraged prior in order to rinse off any bad luck. 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. 10. The “no cleaning” rule during CNY. In Chinese tradition, cleaning during the new year is believed to sweep away wealth and good fortune. Even taking out the garbage is seen as tossing out prosperity from the home. So, yes – this gives you the perfect excuse to put off housework until after 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. DON’T do laundry, wash or cut your hair on New Year’s Day (the day before is fine) but you don’t want to wash away your good luck! DON’T break any dishes or glasses!Jan 25, 2022 DON’T break any dishes or glasses!Jan 25, 2022 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.
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