Chinese New Year begins on Saturday January 28th, and Chinese families will be getting together to celebrate. The New Year celebrations are also called Spring Festival, and last for 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival.
Each new Chinese year is named after an animal in the Chinese Zodiac – we will be entering The Year of the Rooster, which will last until February 15th 2018. People born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be honest, energetic, intelligent, flexible and confident. The general image of people in this zodiac sign is of always being hardworking, resourceful, confident and talented. In addition, their active, talkative and engaging ways make them popular with people. They are happiest when they are in company, enjoying the spotlight. Although they were born with enviable skills, they still have several shortcomings, such as being seen as vain and arrogant and a tendency to brag about their achievements.
If you are a confident and talented Rooster, you may like to try our Chinese New Year Greetings :
1. 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo) ‘New Year goodness!’
Say it in Cantonese: “sen-nin haow”
Say it in Mandarin: “sshin-nyen haoww”
2. 恭喜發財/ 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái) ‘Happiness and prosperity!’
Say it in Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy “gong-hey faa-chwhy”
Say it in Mandarin: “gong-sshee faa-tseye”
3. 步步高陞/ 步步高升 (Bùbù gāoshēng) A steady rise to high places! — “on the up and up”
Say it in Cantonese: “boh-boh goh-sshin “
Say it in Mandarin: “boo-boo gaoww-shnng “
Try these out on your friends! If you enjoy it and you’d like to know more, why not contact us and try a 6-week starter course in Chinese!