The legend of Nian
年的传说
12 Zodiac animals
十二生肖
Traditions and activities
风俗传统
Blessing Message
新年祝福语
Festival Symbols
节日象征
100

年是什么?

nián shì shén me

What is Nian?

年是住在海里的怪物。

nián shì zhù zài hǎi lǐ de guài wù.

Nian is a monster who lived in the sea.

100

十二生肖的第一个动物是什么?

shí èr sheng xiào de dì yī gè dòng wù shì shén me

What is the first animal of the Chinese zodiac?

鼠 

shǔ

The Rat

100

中国新年除夕主要年夜饭是什么?

zhōng guó xīn nián chú xì zhǔ yào nián yè fàn shì shén me

What is the main dish on the Chinese New Year’s Eve?

饺子

jiǎo zi

jiao zi or dumplings

100

“Happy New Year” 中文怎么说?

“Happy New Year” zhōng wén zěn me shuō

How do you say “Happy New Year”  in Chinese (Mandarin) ?

“新年好”, “新年快乐”

xīn nián hǎo or xīn nián kuài lè 

Happy New Year!

100

舞狮需要多少人?

wǔ shī xū yào duō shǎo rén?

How many people are needed for a lion dance?

两个人

Liǎng gè rén

Two persons


200

年在除夕干什么?

nián zài chú xì gàn shén me

What did Nian do on New Year’s Eve?

年在除夕出来吃村民

nián zài chú xì chū lái chī cūn mín

Nian came out to eat the villagers on New Year’s Eve

200

2025年是什么生肖年?

2025 nián shì shén me sheng xiào nián

What zodiac animal year is 2025?



蛇年

shé nián

Snake

200

中国新年最常见的活动是什么?

zhōng guó xīn nián zuì cháng jiàn de huó dòng shì shén me

What are the most common activities during Chinese New Year?

舞龙,舞狮,猜灯谜,放鞭炮

wǔ lóng  wǔ shī, cāi dēng mí,  fàng biān pào

Dragon dance, Lion dance, lantern riddle, firework



200

新年贴在家里和商店的、写在菱形红纸上的吉利字是什么?

xīn nián tiē zài jiā lǐ hé shāng diàn de, xiě zài líng xíng hóng zhǐ shàng de jí lì zì shì shén me?

What is one of the Lucky Characters that is usually written by brush on a diamond-shaped piece of red paper and displayed in many homes and stores?



fú 

Good fortune

200

舞龙需要多少人?

Wǔ lóng xūyào duōshǎo rén

How many people do you need for a dragon dance?

十个人

shí gè rén

Ten people.

300

有一年除夕发生了什么?

Yǒu yī nián chú xì fā sheng le shén me

What happened one year on New Year’s Eve in the story of Nian?

一个老人来到村里把年赶走了。

yī gè lǎo rén lái dào cūn lǐ bǎ nián gǎn zǒu le

An old man came to the village to drive Nian away.

300

为什么老鼠是十二生肖的第一个?

wèi shén me lǎo shǔ shì shí èr sheng xiào de dì yī gè

Why was the rat chosen to be the first one among the 12 animals?

因为老鼠赢了比赛。

yīn wèi lǎo shǔ yíng le bǐ sài.

Because the rat won the race.

300

庆祝中国新年要持续多长时间?

qìng zhù zhōng guó xīn nián yào chí xù duō cháng shí jiān

How long does the celebration of Chinese New Year last? 

十五天

shí wǔ tiān

15 days

300

人们过年时在窗户上贴什么?

rén men guò nián shí zài chuāng hù shàng tiē shén me

What do people decorate their windows with for Chinese New Year?



剪纸

jiǎn zhǐ

Paper cutting

300

用墨水写在红纸上,在新年贴在门上的叫什么?

yòng mò shuǐ xiě zài hóng zhǐ shàng, zài xīn nián tiē zài mén shàng de jiào shén me?

What is it called when ink is used to write on red paper and pasted on the door during the New Year? ?

春联

chūn lián

Spring couplets

400

年怕什么?

nián pà shén me

What was Nian afraid of?

年怕红色、光和响声。

nián pà hóng sè, guāng hé xiǎng sheng

Nian was afraid of red, light and thunder.

400

为什么天帝決定举办这个动物大比赛?

wèi shén me tiān dì jué dìng jǔbàn zhè ge dòng wù dà bǐsài

Why did the Heavenly Emperor decide to hold this animal race ?

他想找出十二个动物来计算时间。

tā xiǎng zhǎo chū shí èr gè dòng wù lái jì suàn shí jiān.

He wanted to find out the 12 winners to track the time.

400

孩子在中国新年会得到什么礼物?

hái zi zài zhōng guó xīn nián huì dé dào shén me lǐ wù?

What do the Children get on the Chinese New Year’s Day as a present?

里面有钱的红包

lǐ miàn yǒu qián de hóng bāo

Red Envelope with money in.

400

为什么中国新年的年夜饭必须有鱼?

wèi shén me zhōng guó xīn nián de nián yè fàn bì xū yǒu yú

Why must the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner have fish?  

因为”鱼”的发音同”余”, 意思是富余。

yīn wèi” yú” de fǎ yīn tóng” yú”, yì si shì fù yú.

Because Fish 'yu‘ sounds similar to the words for riches/ abundance

400

中国新年结束的标志是什么?

zhōng guó xīn nián jié shù de biāo zhì shì shén me

What is the symbol marking the end of Chinese New Year?   



元宵节

yuán xiāo jié

The Lantern Festival

 

500

老人怎么赶走了年?

lǎo rén zěn me gǎn zǒu le nián

How did the old man drive Nian away?

他在门上贴了红春联,点了灯,放了鞭炮。

tā zài mén shàng tiē le hóng chūn lián, diǎn le dēng, fàng le biān pào.

He posted red couplets on the door, lit the lamp, and set off firecrackers.

500

为什么十二生肖里面没有猫?

wèi shén me shí èr sheng xiào lǐ miàn méi yǒu māo

Why there is not Cat among the 12 animals

因为老鼠把猫推进水里了。

yīn wèi lǎo shǔ bǎ māo tuī jìn shuǐ lǐ le

Because the rat pushed him into the river.



500

为什么人们在中国新年要放鞭炮?

wèi shén me rén men zài zhōng guó xīn nián yào fàng biān pào

Why will people set off firecrackers during Chinese New Year ?

驱走年,唤醒龙下雨,有好的收获。

qū zǒu nián, huàn xǐng lóng xià yǔ, yǒu hǎo de shōu huò.

To drive away the Nian, to wake up the dragon to rain so that we have a good harvest.

500

人们为什么要把福字倒贴在门上?

rén men wèi shén me yào bǎ fú zì dào tiē zài mén shàng

Why do people paste the character '福' (fortune) upside down on the door?

“倒VS到”,中文的读音是一样的.

dào VS dào”, zhōng wén de dú yīn shì yī yàng de

Both “倒”(upside down, a verb) and “到” (arrive, a verb) have same Chinese pronunciation. It means Fortune is coming.

500

为什么庆祝新年对亚洲人很重要?

wèi shé me qìng zhù xīn nián duì yà zhōu rén hěn zhòng yào

Why is celebrating the New Year important to Asians? 

家人团聚,庆祝收获,期待新年更好!

jiā rén tuán jù, qìng zhù shōu huò, qí dài xīn nián gèng hǎo

Family reunion, celebrating the harvest, and looking forward to a better year.