<p>【基本词汇与短语】：<br/> 【Greeting Season】:<br/> 春节 The Spring Festival 农历 lunar calendar<br/> 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar<br/> 除夕 New Year&lsquo;s Eve; eve of lunar New Year<br/> 初一 the beginning of New Year 元宵节 The Lantern Festival<br/> 【Customs】：<br/> 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival<br/> 对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry<br/> 春联 Spring Festival couplets 剪纸 paper-cuts<br/> 买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ;do Spring Festival shopping<br/> 年画 New Year paintings 敬酒 propose a toast<br/> 灯笼 lantern: a portable light 烟花 fireworks<br/> 爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)<br/> 红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)<br/> 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)<br/> 舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)<br/> 戏曲 traditional opera 杂耍 variety show; vaudeville<br/> 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 灯会 exhibit of lanterns<br/> 守岁 staying-up 禁忌 taboo<br/> 拜年 pay New Year&lsquo;s call; give New Year&lsquo;s greetings; New Year&lsquo;s visit<br/> 去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune<br/> 祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one&lsquo;s ancestors<br/> 压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift<br/> 【Culture Note】：In the old days, New Year&lsquo;s money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and wealth<br/> 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year<br/> 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning<br/> 【Food names】：<br/> 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake<br/> 团圆饭 family reunion dinner 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year&lsquo;s Eve<br/> 饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding<br/> 汤圆 Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings<br/> 糖果盘 candy tray: 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune<br/> 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health<br/> 西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity<br/> 金桔 cumquat - prosperity 红枣 red dates - prosperity<br/> 糖莲子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come<br/> 糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship<br/> 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet<br/> 【Blessing】:<br/> Treasures fill the home 财源广进<br/> Business flourishes 事业兴隆<br/> Peace all year round 岁岁平安<br/> Wishing you prosperity 恭喜发财<br/> Harmony brings wealth 家和万事兴<br/> May all your wishes come true 心想事成<br/> Everything goes well 万事如意<br/> The country flourishes and people live in peace 国家富强、人民安康<br/> Money and treasures will be plentiful 财源茂盛<br/> Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position 事业有成、更上一层楼、蒸蒸日上<br/> Safe trip wherever you go 一帆风顺<br/> Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! 祝你新的一年快乐幸福<br/> Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family! 事业成功，家庭美满（阖家欢乐）<br/> 【中国新年禁忌】：<br/> Dos and Donts of Chinese New Year<br/> Do"s:<br/> Wish everyone you meet a happy New Year by saying "gong xi fa cai", which translates to: "Have a happy and prosperous New Year!" 对每一个你遇到的人道一声：&ldquo;恭喜发财&rdquo;，翻译成英文就是：&ldquo;在新的一年里拥有幸福繁荣的生活&rdquo;；<br/> Wear articles of red clothing because red symbolizes luck. 穿红色布料做成的饰品，因为红色昭示着幸运；<br/> Eat vegetarian food because it"s not good to see blood. 吃素食，因为见血是不吉利的；<br/> Buy new trousers because the Chinese word for trousers is "fu", (Chinese homonym for wealth) 买新裤子（衣服），因为汉语里裤子就是&ldquo;服&rdquo;，（在汉语里与财富的&ldquo;富&rdquo;谐音）；<br/> Children should stay up as late as possible on New Year"s Eve for it is believed that the later they stay up, the longer their parents will live. 孩子应该在除夕之夜尽可能晚睡、熬夜因为据说他们睡的越晚，他们的父母越长寿；<br/> Visit family (especially those older than yourself) and friends to pass on your wishes on good fortune for the New Year. (plus kids and single people will receive lai-see lucky red packets full of money. 拜访亲戚朋友（尤其是比你年长的），传递你对他们来年幸福的美好祝愿（另外孩子和单身的人将会得到装满钱的幸运红包，称为&ldquo;来喜&rdquo;。）<br/> Give two lai see to each child. Because happiness comes in two"s, do not just give one. This is your way of passing good luck to<br/> the next generation. Business owners also give lai see to employees and associates. 给每个孩子两份&ldquo;来喜&rdquo;（我觉得应该指钱是偶数的），因为好事成双，不要只给一份。这是你把祝愿传递给下一代的方法。企业主（老板）也要给员工和同事红包。<br/> Don"ts:<br/> Don"t wear white or black clothing, since they are the traditional colours of mourning. 不要穿白色或黑色服装，因为这是传统意义上丧事的颜色；<br/> Don"t buy new shoes for the first month of the New Year, because the sound of shoe in Chinese is "hai". "Hai<br/> " is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe is not a good way to start the year. 不要在新年的第一个月买新鞋，因为在汉语里鞋的发音是&ldquo;孩&rdquo;（好像是四川地区的发音）， 它与叹息&rdquo;唉&ldquo;相近，中国人认为这不是新年伊始的好兆头。<br/> Don"t wash your hair for the first three days of the New Year, because the Chinese word for hair is a homonym for the Chinese word for wealth. Therefore, Chinese believe it isn"t a good thing to "wash away your wealth" right at the start of the New Year. 在新年的前三天里不要洗头，因为汉语里&ldquo;头发&rdquo;的&ldquo;发&rdquo;和&ldquo;发财&rdquo;的&ldquo;发&rdquo;同音。因此，中国认为在新年伊始把财富给冲走可不是好兆头。<br/> Floors may not be swept and garbage may not be disposed of on the first day of the New Year for fear of casting riches out the door. 在新年第一天，不拖地，不扔垃圾，因为怕把"财"给送走了；<br/> Don"t swear or quarrel. 不要诅咒发誓，也不愿吵架；<br/> Don"t break any dishes, otherwise you may incur more misfortune for the New Year. In the event of breaking a dish, quickly say "Peace for all time", and the bad luck will be warded away. 不要打破碗碟，否则在来年你可能会遭遇不幸。一旦打破了，要马上说&ldquo;岁岁平安&rdquo;，这样坏运气就会被赶走了；<br/> Don"t greet people who are in mourning. 不要向服丧期的人们问候（主要指不要说喜庆的话吧？）<br/> Don"t drop your chopsticks. 不要让筷子掉地上；<br/> Don"t say the number "four" (Chinese homonym for death) or mention death. 不要说数字&ldquo;四&rdquo;（汉语里和&ldquo;死&rdquo;谐音）或者提到死；<br/> Don"t borrow or lend money. 不要借钱也不要借给别人钱。</p>