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01. New Year in Chinese

Let's begin by looking at the name of the holiday itself:

元旦

Yuán dàn

New Year's Day

(literal translation - "first-daybreak")

For New Year you can say "新年" (xīn nián) as well, but be aware that this term is also commonly used for the Spring Festival. To avoid ambiguity, use "元旦" (yuán dàn) which is a bit more specific.

元旦前夜

Yuán dàn qián yè

New Year's Eve

(literal translation - "first daybreak before night")

元旦 (Yuán dàn) is observed with various celebrations, gatherings, and cultural festivities, symbolizing new beginnings, hope, and opportunities for the year ahead.

02. New Year Vocabulary

As we step into the New Year, what better way to celebrate than by exploring some essential Chinese words and phrases associated with this joyous occasion?

As the clock ticks closer to midnight, engage in the 新年倒计时 (xīn nián dào jì shí) activity, counting down to the stroke of midnight:

新年倒计时

xīn nián dào jì shí

New Year's countdown

Gather your friends and loved ones for a joyful '聚会' (jù huì) — party.

聚会

jù huì

gathering; party

Known as '香槟酒' in Mandarin, champagne is a bubbly favorite for New Year's Eve toasts, making the celebration more sparkling.

香槟酒

xiāng bīn jiǔ

champagne

起泡酒

qǐ pào jiǔ

champagne

The sky illuminates with dazzling 烟花 (yān huā) — displays, adding brilliance to New Year's Eve.

烟花

yān huā

fireworks

03. New Year's Recap & Resolutions

Before stepping into the New Year, it's good to reflect on the past year's experiences, learn from them, and set goals for the upcoming year:

年末回顾

nián mò huí gù

year-end review; recap

The New Year is a time for a fresh beginning when people worldwide make new plans and set goals, known as New Year's resolutions.

小目标

xiǎo mù biāo

resolution

(literal translation – "small-goal")

定小目标

dìng xiǎo mù biāo

to set New Year resolutions

What are your resolutions for 2024?

2024年，我要___________________。

2024 nián, wǒ yào…