新年中的禁忌(TaboosofChineseNewYear)

1、新年中的禁忌（Taboos of Chinese New Year）1. The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve， all brooms，brushes，dusters，dustpans （簸箕） and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will b

2、e swept away.After New Year's Day ， the floors may be swept. At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon.In sweeping，there is a superstition（迷信） that if you sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the frontentrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family； it must a

3、lways be swept inwards and then carried out，then no harm will follow. All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door2. Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming inthe new. On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve， every

4、door in the house，and even windows， have to be open to allow the old year to go out.3. Nothing should be lent on New Year's Day，as anyone who does so will be lending all the year. All debts have to be paid by New Year's Eve.4. Everyone should refrain from using foul（污秽）language and bad or un

5、lucky words. Negative terms andthe word "four" ， or "si" in Chinese which sounds like the word for death，are not to be uttered. Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo.5. Hair must be cleaned and set prior（先前的）to theholiday，for to do so during the

6、New Year season would invite financial ruin. On New Year's Day， hair should not be washed because it would mean washing away good luck for the New Yea6. Care must be taken not to break any dishes or other things on the first day of the year.7. The use of knives and scissors（剪子） indeed any sharp

7、instrument is to be avoided，for these things could augur（算命） bad luck in the coming year.8. Wear brand new clothes preferably in red. Children should wear new clothes and new shoes. Red isconsidered a bright，happy color，sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearan

8、ce and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year.【基本词汇与短语】【Greeting Season】:春节 The Spring Festival 农历 lunar calendar 正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar除夕 New Years Eve; Eve of lunar New Year初一the beginning ofNew Year 元 宵节TheLantern Festival【Customs】：过年 Gu

9、o-nian; have the Spring Festival祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to oneancestors春联 Spring Festival couplets剪纸 paper-cuts买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; Do Spring Festival shopping年画 New Year paintings敬酒 propose a toast灯笼 lantern: a portable light烟花 fireworks爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil

10、 spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and goodharvests)戏曲 traditional opera杂耍 var

11、iety show; Vaudeville灯谜riddles written on lanterns 灯会exhibit oflanterns守岁 staying-up 禁忌 taboo 去晦气get rid of theill- fortune拜年 pay New Year s call; give New Years greetings;New Year s visit压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines

12、inpoetry【Culture Note】：In the old days, New Year s money was given in theform 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 give

13、n to represent luck and wealth 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning【 Food names】：年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 花生糖 peanut candy - sweet团圆饭 family reunion dinner年夜饭the dinner onNew Year s Eve饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli 八宝饭 eight treasures rice puddin

14、g汤圆 Tang-Yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings糖果盘 candy tray什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune蜜冬瓜candied winter melon - growth and goodhealth西瓜子 red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth andsincerity金桔 cumquat - prosperity红枣 red date

15、s - prosperity糖莲子candied lotus seed - many descendents tocome糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship【Blessing】:Treasures fill the home 财源广进Business flourishes 事业兴隆Peace all year round 岁岁平安Wishing you prosperity 恭喜发财Harmony brings wealth 家和万事兴May all your wishes come true 心想事成Everything

16、goes well 万事如意The country flourishes and people live in peace 国家富强、人民安康Money and treasures will be plentiful 财源茂盛Wishing you every success Promoting to a higherposition 事业有成、更上一层楼、蒸蒸日上Safe trip wherever you go 一帆风顺Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!祝你新的一年快乐幸福Wish you success in you

17、r career and happiness ofyour family! 事业成功，家庭美满（阖家欢乐）【中国新年禁忌】：Do's: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：“恭喜发财 ”，翻译成英文就是：“在新的一年里拥有幸福繁荣的生活 ”；Wear articles of red clothing be

18、cause red symbolizesluck. 穿红色布料做成的饰品，因为红色昭示着幸运；Eat vegetarian food because it's not good to see blood.吃素食，因为见血是不吉利的；Buy new trousers because the Chinese word fortrousers is "fu", (Chinese homonym for wealth) 买新裤子（衣服），因为汉语里裤子就是“服”，（在汉语里与财富的 “富”谐音）；Children should stay up as late as poss

19、ible 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；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 w

20、ill receive lai-seelucky 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“来喜 ”。）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 the next generation. Business owners also give lai

21、see to employees and associates给.每个孩子两份 “来喜 ”（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。Don'ts:Don't wear white or black clothing, since they are thetraditional colors 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；Don't buy new shoes for the first month of the New Year, becau

22、se the sound of shoe in Chinese is "hai". "Hai" is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe isnot 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“孩 ”（好像是四川地区的发音），它与叹息 ”唉“相近，中国人认为这不是新年伊始的好兆头。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 “头发 ”的“发”和“发财 ”的“发”同音