北京时间12月4日，我国申报的“春节——中国人庆祝传统新年的社会实践”在巴拉圭亚松森举行的联合国教科文组织保护非物质文化遗产政府间委员会第19届常会上通过评审，列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。

说起新年，关于中国春节的一些英文说法和相关词汇，如除夕、拜年、春联、春晚、庙会、压岁钱、中国结……这些你都会说吗？

春节           the Spring Festival

过春节        celebrate the Spring Festival

然而，光是这样说，对中国和中国文化不熟悉的外国人，可能还是会蒙圈。所以一般，我们要加上一句 —— the Chinese New Year ! 

或者你也可以说 —— the Chinese Lunar New Year

lunar  这是一个形容词，在这里表示限定范围，“月亮的”。那么根据月亮运行而来的， 就是我们中国人常说的 “ 阴历的，农历的 ” 。

所以，把这一堆意思整合起来说，就是 —— We will celebrate the Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year.

农历正月初一是春节，对中国人来说是新一年的开始。春节是中国最盛大的节日，也是家庭团聚的日子。在新旧交替的时刻陪伴在家人身边，是中国人至关重要的仪式感。身处异乡的人们在春节期间返乡，形成了人们所说的“世界上最大规模的年度人口迁徙”，也就是“春运”。

The first day of the first lunar month is Spring Festival, the beginning of a new year for China. Spring Festival is China’s biggest extravaganza and a day for family reunion. Being around family members at the turn of the year is a vital ritual for the Chinese people. Many of those leaving away from their hometowns returned home during Spring Festival, which gives rise to what’s called “the largest annual human migration in the world”, also known as the “Spring Festival travel rush”.

春节是一个持续的庆祝过程，从农历十二月二十三或二十四的小年起，就算是春节的开始了。人们会开始祭灶神、大扫除、买年货、贴春联等，一直忙碌到农历十二月三十的除夕。

The Spring Festival celebration is a continuous process, starting from the 23rd or 24th of the 12th lunar month. People often worship the Kitchen God, clean their houses, do their shopping, and put up Spring Festival couplets until New Year’s Eve on the lunar calendar.

这些习俗来源于中国神话传说。相传在远古时代，有一种怪兽叫“年”，每逢新旧岁之交，便出来危害人间。人们随后采取措施把怪兽赶走，比如贴红联，因为“年”讨厌红色，并在门口燃烟火，放鞭炮，以吓走“年”。

These customs can be traced back to a Chinese legend. It is said that in ancient times, there was a monster named Nian, who would come out and harm the world by the end of each lunar year. People then took measures to send the monster away, such as putting up red couplets as Nian detested the color red, and setting off fireworks and firecrackers at their doors to scare it away.

除守岁以外，吃年夜饭和看春晚也是中国人在春节的两项重要习俗。在中国的不同地区，年夜饭有不同讲究。南方的年夜饭必有一道鱼，因为“鱼”在汉语中的发音同“余”，寓意“年年有余”的富足生活。而北方则吃饺子，有“喜庆团圆”和“吉祥如意”的寓意。

(In) addition to staying up late on New Year’s Eve, having a New Year’s Eve dinner and watching the Spring Festival gala are two important customs of Spring Festival. New Year’s Eve dinner are manifested in different ways in different parts of China. Those in South China must have a dish of fish, because “fish” in Chinese sounds similar to the character for “prosperity”, symbolizing an abundant and comfortable life. Those in North China often eat dumplings, which symbolize “reunion” and “fortune”.

春节联欢晚会，是在每年除夕夜为庆祝农历新年举办的综艺性文艺晚会。春晚吸引了世界上最多的观众，节目时长超过4小时，是世界上最长的电视节目。它是中国人的文化年夜饭。

The Spring Festival Gala is a variety TV program broadcast annually to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The gala attracts the largest audience of any entertainment show in the world, and runs for more than four hours, making it the longest TV show in the world. It is often held as a cultural feast for Chinese people on New Year’s Eve.

春节还有收发红包的习俗。长辈把钱放进红色信封里，把它们送给孩子们，祝愿他们在新的一年里平安、好运。如今中国移动支付的普及使手机发红包成为潮流。便捷的网络能将人们的新年祝福第一时间传递给每一位亲友，即使他们远在千里之外。

There is also a custom of giving and receiving red envelopes, or hongbao. Traditionally, adults placed money into red envelopes and give them to the children to wish them peace and good luck in the coming year. Nowadays, with the popularization of mobile payment in China, it is a trend to send red envelopes digitally. The internet can deliver New Year’s wishes to each and every loved one, even if they are thousands of miles away.

跨年之后，新年的快乐气氛要一直持续到正月第一个月圆。到了元宵节，又将是一个热闹非凡的日子。

The joyous atmosphere of Chinese New Year will linger until the first full moon of the first lunar month. Then the Lantern Festival is celebrated, which is bound to be another busy day.

01. 红包

Red Envelope (with money inside)

"红包"翻译为red envelope较为恰当。如果怕老外不太明白，可以加上with money inside，翻译为red envelope with money inside就可以了。现在微信上流行抢红包，可以翻译为snatch red envelopes，其中snatch是"抢"，Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary对snatch的解释是to take hold of something suddenly and roughly，suddenly和roughly很能体现在微信群中抢红包的那种奋不顾身和喜悦。

【例】I got some red envelopes. I've been watching a Chinese New Year special (on a Chinese programme) and I'm having noodles for breakfast!

02. 春晚

Spring Festival Gala/New Year Gala

其中，gala是"综艺演出"的意思。把春晚说成是一个party是不准确的，gala是很好的翻译。和春节相关的东西，可以用Spring Festival作定语，也可以用New Year（大写）作定语，但有些外国人不知道什么是Spring Festival，这个要注意一下。

03. 年夜饭

New Year's Eve dinner

用dinner肯定没错，但也可用banquet和feast来替换dinner，它们都是"盛宴"的意思，更能体现年夜饭的高大上~。

04. 包饺子

make dumplings

顺便说一下，有些地区包饺子的时候还会放硬币，据说咬到的人就会交好运，这种饺子就可以说成dumplings with lucky coins inside，可以和上面的red envelope with money inside一起记。

【例】There's traditional food too - noodle soup is supposed to bring luck, and people make dumplings with lucky coins inside.

05. 敬酒

drink a toast to someone

要注意这个短语和to的搭配，如"我给岳父敬酒了。"就是：I drank a toast to my father-in-law.

【例】When you drink a toast to someone or something, you drink some wine or another alcoholic drink as a symbolic gesture, in order to show your appreciation of them or to wish them success.

06. 压岁钱

lucky money (given to children as a gift)

其中given to children as a gift是进一步的解释，为了让老外彻底明白。

07. 年货

New Year goods

大家年货都买了什么？*_*

08. 春联

Spring Festival couplet

其中couplet是"对句"的意思，通常指两行长度一样并且押韵的诗句。所以，a Spring Festival couplet是指"一副对联"，如果指多副，就要用复数couplets。

【例】a rhyming couplet（来源：Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary）

09. 团圆

reunion

reunion可以看作由re和union组成，这样可以方便记忆。以下例句提到了包饺子象征团圆，请注意，这个例句说的是in parts of China——中国一部分地区过年吃饺子，有些地区过年从来不吃饺子。

【例】Every year millions of people travel home to be with their families for the holiday. In parts of China, families make dumplings to symbolise luck and reunion.

10. 拜年

give one's New Year blessing to/pay a New Year visit to

“拜年”其实有两个意思，一个是把双手托在胸前说"给您拜年了！"，这句话可以说成：I would like to give my New Year blessing to you.或Please accept my New Year blessing.

以上的blessing通常用单数，Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary对blessing的解释是good wishes。

另一个"拜年"是过年期间去别人家送礼做客。如"我明天要去爷爷奶奶家拜年。"就可以翻译为：I'll be paying a New Year visit to my grandparents tomorrow.

鼠年: Year of the Rat

牛年: Year of the Ox

虎年: Year of the Tiger

兔年: Year of the Rabbit

龙年: Year of the Dragon

蛇年: Year of the Snake

马年: Year of the Horse

羊年: Year of the Sheep

猴年: Year of the Monkey

鸡年: Year of the Rooster

狗年: Year of the Dog

猪年: Year of the Boar

一、春节词汇

1.传统中国节日：Traditional Chinese festival

2.农历：Lunar calendar

3.腊八节：Laba Festival

4.小年：Little New Year

5.除夕：Lunar New Year's Eve

6.春节：The Spring Festival

7.正月初一：Lunar New Year's Day

8.元宵节：The Lantern Festival

9.正月：The first month of the lunar year

10.二月二：Dragon Heads-raising Day

二、文化习俗

11.喝腊八粥：Eat Laba porridge

12.扫尘：Sweep the dust

13.扫房：Spring cleaning

14.祭灶：Offer sacrifices to the God of Kitchen

15.守岁：Stay up

16.拜年：Pay a New Year's call

17.祭祖：Offer sacrifices to one's ancestors

18.祭财神：Worship the God of Wealth

19.春联：Spring Festival couplets

20.贴倒福：Paste the Chinese character "Fu" upside down

21.去晦气：Get rid of the ill-fortune

22.辞旧岁：Bid farewell to the old year

23.兆头：Omen

24.禁忌：Taboo

25.烧香：Burn incense

三、阖家团圆

26.吃团圆饭：Have a family reunion dinner

27.年夜饭：New Year's Eve dinner

28.全家团圆：Family reunion

29.办年货：Do Spring Festival shopping

30.敬酒：Propose a toast

31.穿新衣：Wear new clothes

32.红包：Red envelops

33.压岁钱：Gift money；Money given to children as a Lunar New Year gift.

四、节日美食

34.年糕：Rice cake；New Year cake

35.饺子：Dumplings；Chinese meat ravioli

36.汤圆：Dumplings made of sweet rice

37.八宝饭：Eight-treasure rice pudding (steamed glutinous rice with bean paste, lotus seeds, preserved fruit, etc.)

38.什锦糖：Assorted candies

39.糖莲子：Candied lotus seed

40.花生糖：Peanut candy

41.蜜冬瓜：Candied winter melon

42.瓜子：Red melon seeds

43.金桔：Cumquat

44.红枣：Red dates

45.春卷：Spring roll

46.冰糖葫芦：Candied haws on a stick

47.驴肉火烧：Donkey burger

48.腊肠：Chinese sausage

49.米酒：Rice wine

50.腊肉：Preserved meat

51.糖板栗：Sugar chestnut

52.四喜丸子：Four-joy meatballs

五、节日活动

53.打麻将：Play mahjong

54.庙会：Temple fair

55.春节联欢晚会：Spring Festival gala

56.灯会：Exhibit of lanterns

57.送贺卡：Send New Year's greeting cards

58.理发：Have a haircut

59.放烟花：Set off fireworks

60.放鞭炮：Set off firecrackers

61.灯谜：Riddles written on lanterns

一、祝福词汇

财源广进

Treasures fill the home

事业兴隆

Business flourishes

岁岁平安

Peace all year round

家和万事兴
Harmony brings wealth

心想事成

May all your wishes come true

万事如意

Everything goes well

祝吉星高照

May you come into a good fortune.

恭喜发财

Wish you happiness and prosperity.

阖家幸福

Wishing you and your family happiness.

国家富强、人民安康

The country flourishes and people live in peace

财源茂盛

Money and treasures will be plentiful

事业有成、更上一层楼、蒸蒸日上

Wishing you every success Promoting to a higher position

一帆风顺

Safe trip wherever you go

金玉满堂 

Treasures fill the home

和气生财 

Harmony brings wealth
招财进宝 
Money and treasures will be plentiful

步步高升 
Promoting to a higher position

出入平安 

Safe trip wherever you go

二、新出祝福语

愿你拥有新年所有美好的祝福

Wishing you all the blessings of a beautiful New Year season

愿你所有的新年梦想都成真

Hope all your New Year dreams come true!

愿你度过最美好的新年

May you have the best New Year ever.

谨祝新年快乐幸福，大吉大利

Wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

为新的一年献上无尽的爱与祝福

Endless love and blessings for this new year!

给你特别的祝福，愿新年带给你无边的幸福、如意。

Cheery New Year hold lots of happiness for you!

让温馨的祝愿、幸福的思念和友好的祝福，在新年来到你身边，伴你左右。

Much joy to you in the up coming year. May the warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at New Year and stay with you all the year through.

新年的祝福，平日的希冀，愿你心境祥和、充满爱意，愿你的世界全是美满，愿你一切称心如意，快乐无比。

At New Year and always, may peace and love fill your heart, beauty fill your world, and contentment and joy fill your days.

愿新年的快乐一年四季常在。

May the joy of New Year be with you throughout the year.

在这欢乐的时节给你我最真的祝福和亲切的思念，愿你今年的新年比往年更璀璨。

In the season of joy I present my sincere wishes and kind thoughts. May the kind of New Year outshine all the rest.

愿新年不仅是你欢笑的时刻，更是你欣喜的日子。祝福你。

May the New Year be a time of laughter and real enjoyment for you. Best wishes.

愿新年的烛光带给你祥和与喜悦，祝你新年充满爱。

May the glow of New Year candle fill your heart with peace and pleasure and make your New Year bright. Have a love filled New Year!

愿明亮喜庆的新年烛光温暖一年中的每个日日夜夜，祝你欢欢喜喜度新年。

May the bright and festive glow of New Year candle warm the days all the year through. Hoping you will have a wonderful time enjoying New Year that is happy in every way.

愿你的新年充满温馨，祥和，与亲人团聚的快乐，祝乐陶陶，新年乐无限。

May your New Year be filled with special moment, warmth, peace and happiness, the joy of covered ones near, and wishing you all the joys of Christmas and a year of happiness.

衷心祝福来年快乐、幸运!

Warm greetings and best wishes for happiness and good luck in the coming year.

新年是这样美好的时光：炉火熊熊，花儿芬芳，醇酒飘香，殷殷祝福，美好回忆，恩爱日新。即便没有一切，只要有爱便足矣。

New Year should be a time of banked-up fines, the scent of flowers and wine, good talk, good memories and loyalties renewed. But if all else is lacking - love will do.

愿新春美景与欢乐常伴随你!

May the beauty and joy of New Year remain with you throughout the new year!

致新年贺忱与最美好的祝福！

New Year’s greetings and best wishes!

让温馨的祝愿、幸福的思念和友好的祝福，在新年来到你身边，伴你左右。

Much joy to you in the up coming year. May the warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at New Year and stay with you all the year through.

给你我无尽的新的祝福，让它们成为我们永恒友谊的新的纪念。

I give you endless brand-new good wishes. Please accept them as a new remembrance of our lasting friendship.

在这欢乐的时节给你我最真的祝福和亲切的思念，愿你今年的新年比往年更璀璨。

In the season of joy I present my sincere wishes and kind thoughts. May the kind of New Year outshine all the rest.

愿新年不仅是你欢笑的时刻，更是你欣喜的日子。祝福你。

May the New Year be a time of laughter and real enjoyment for you. Best wishes.

愿明亮喜庆的新年烛光温暖一年中的每个日日夜夜，祝你欢欢喜喜度新年!

May the bright and festive glow of New Year candle warm the days all the year through. Hoping you will have a wonderful time enjoying New Year that is happy in every way.

新年的祝福，平日的希冀，愿你心境祥和、充满爱意，愿你的世界全是美满，愿你一切称心如意，快乐无比。

At New Year and always, may peace and love fill your heart, beauty fill your world, and contentment and joy fill your days.

本篇分享《中国新年：全球最大庆典》(Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth )系列，共三集。

01 迁徙（Migration）

02 团圆（Reunion）

03 庆典（Celebration）