numbers + games
六 liu
6 six
bunny/rabbit
兔子 tu zi
猪 zhu
pig (our mascot!)
two-stringed fiddle
二胡 er hu
福 fu
good fortune
2 two
二 er
月亮 yue liang
moon
boss/business owner
老板 lao ban
魔法 mo fa
magic
red packet
红包 hong bao
Wednesday
星期三 xing qi san
mooncake
月饼 yue bing
dragon
龙 long
story
故事 gu shi
wish a happy new year
拜年 bai nian
hula hoop
呼啦圈 hu la quan
Mid Autumn Festival
中秋节 zhong qiu jie
What is a culturally unique Chinese career we talked about in class?
- 书法老师 (Calligraphy teacher)
- 京剧演员 (Chinese opera performer)
- 剪纸艺术家 (Papercutting artist)
change face mask (verb)
变脸 bian lian
Chinese New Year
春节 chun jie
What is a number that's commonly considered unlucky in Chinese culture?
“四” (four) is considered unlucky as it sounds like “死” (death).
What are some of the most popular mooncake fillings?
Lotus seed, red bean, or mixed nut with salted egg yolk filling.
Why isn't the cat a part of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?
According to popular legend, the cat's absence is explained through a story where the rat tricks the cat into missing a race held by the Jade Emperor to determine the zodiac animals.
Some versions saying the rat pushed the cat off an ox's back to win.
Name a popular Chinese folklore discussed in class.
- 孙悟空 (The Monkey King)
- 白蛇传 (The Legend of the White Snake)
- 花木兰 (Mulan)
What is the story behind the Monster of Nian (年兽)?
Long ago, a fierce monster called 年 (Nian) would emerge every New Year’s Eve to terrorize villages—destroying homes, eating livestock, and frightening people. To survive, villagers hid in the mountains. One year, a mysterious old man revealed that 年 feared loud noises, bright lights, and the color red. Villagers hung red decorations, burned bamboo (early firecrackers), and lit lanterns. When 年 arrived, the explosions and red colors scared it away for good.
This victory became the basis for many Lunar New Year traditions, like pasting red couplets on doors as well as lighting lanterns and firecrackers. These are all meant to keep bad spirits (年) away and welcome a fresh start.