Dos and Donts of Chinese New Year
中國新年禁忌
Do's:
需要做的事:
Wish everyone you meet a happy New Year by saying"gong xi fa cai", which translates to: "Have a happy and prosperous New Year!"
Wear articles of red clothing because red symbolizes luck.
Eat vegetarian food because it's not good to see blood.
Buy new trousers because the Chinese word for trousers is "fu", (Chinese homonym for wealth)
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.
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.
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 see to employees and associates.
通過說恭喜發(fā)財(cái)祝福每一個(gè)你遇到的人新年快樂;
穿紅色的衣服因?yàn)榧t色代表著好運(yùn);
吃素食因?yàn)榭匆娧瞬缓茫?/p>
買新褲子因?yàn)檠澴釉跐h語中的發(fā)音是福;孩子應(yīng)該在除夕夜盡可能地熬夜,據(jù)說他們睡得越晚,他們的父母越長壽;
拜訪比你年齡大的家庭和朋友把新年好運(yùn)美好的祝福傳遞給他們,(孩子和單身者將會(huì)收到來囍幸運(yùn)的裝滿錢的紅包);給每個(gè)孩子兩個(gè)來囍紅包,因?yàn)樾腋J浅呻p成對(duì)的,不要只給一個(gè)。這是你對(duì)下一代傳遞好運(yùn)的方式,商人也會(huì)給員工和合作伙伴發(fā)紅包。
Don'ts:
禁止做的事情:
Don't wear white or black clothing, since they are the traditional colours of mourning.
Don't buy new shoes for the first months of the New Year, because the sound of shoe in Chinese is "hai". "Hai" is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe is not a good way to start the year.
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.
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.
Don't swear or quarrel.
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.
Don't greet people who are in mourning.
Don't drop your chopsticks.
Don't say the number 'four' (Chinese homonym for death) or mention death.
Don't borrow or lend money.
不要穿白色或黑色的衣服,因?yàn)楹诎资菃史膫鹘y(tǒng)顏色。
不要在新年的第一個(gè)月穿新鞋,因?yàn)樵跐h語中鞋的聲音是‘害’; "Hai"和嘆氣的聲音類似,中國人認(rèn)為買新鞋不是開始新年的好方式。在春節(jié)前三天不要洗頭,因?yàn)闈h語中頭發(fā)是財(cái)富的同音異義詞,因此中國人認(rèn)為在新年的開始時(shí)洗頭不好,會(huì)沖走財(cái)富的。不要罵人和吵架;不要打破任何的碟子,否則你可能會(huì)給新年帶來更多的壞運(yùn),萬一發(fā)生盤子打破事件,馬上說‘歲歲平安’,壞運(yùn)就會(huì)被趕走了。不要問候正在戴孝的人。不要掉筷子;不要說數(shù)字‘4’(漢語死亡的諧音)或者提及死亡。
(聽力課堂網(wǎng)Vicky翻譯)