Dos and Donts of Chinese New Year  

中国新年禁忌

 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.

通过说恭喜发财祝福每一个你遇到的人新年快乐；

穿红色的衣服因为红色代表着好运；

吃素食因为看见血了不好；

买新裤子因为裤子在汉语中的发音是福；孩子应该在除夕夜尽可能地熬夜，据说他们睡得越晚，他们的父母越长寿；

 拜访比你年龄大的家庭和朋友把新年好运美好的祝福传递给他们，（孩子和单身者将会收到来囍幸运的装满钱的红包）；给每个孩子两个来囍红包，因为幸福是成双成对的，不要只给一个。这是你对下一代传递好运的方式，商人也会给员工和合作伙伴发红包。

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，因为黑白是丧服的传统颜色。

不要在新年的第一个月穿新鞋，因为在汉语中鞋的声音是‘害’； "Hai"和叹气的声音类似，中国人认为买新鞋不是开始新年的好方式。在春节前三天不要洗头，因为汉语中头发是财富的同音异义词，因此中国人认为在新年的开始时洗头不好，会冲走财富的。不要骂人和吵架；不要打破任何的碟子，否则你可能会给新年带来更多的坏运，万一发生盘子打破事件，马上说‘岁岁平安’，坏运就会被赶走了。不要问候正在戴孝的人。不要掉筷子；不要说数字‘4’（汉语死亡的谐音）或者提及死亡。

（听力课堂网Vicky翻译）

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