春節，我們習慣性的表達為Spring Festival和New Year！一般情況下，華人在用外語表達中國的新年的時候喜歡用Spring Festival，華人採用農曆記日法，古人認為新年是指新的一年，一年之計在於春，所以他們認為是慶祝春天的到來，Spring 是春天的意思，festival節日的意思，它是指普天同慶，大範圍下的一個慶祝，這個時候我們不能用day來替換。New Year外華人比較喜歡用此來表達新年，陽曆的一月一日就是所說的這一天，如果特指中國的新年，他們往往都會是Chinese’s New Year.下圖是今年芝加哥老四川外華人慶祝中國新年的場景。很熱鬧！

隨著中國綜合國力的不斷上升，中國以及中國文化在國際影響力越來越高，中國新年越來越得到重視。外華人有的時候會湊湊熱鬧，下面這個影片就是中國城裡外華人湊熱鬧的證據哦。

既然說到了春節，其實還說一點題外話，外華人最重視的節日，當然了國外的春節他們並不是很重視，每一年的一月一日他們認為的新年。在這一天他們會說祝你...。用英語回答就是Wish you Happy New Year （祝你新年快樂）。我們國內的人一直以為是聖誕節是重要的，聖誕節是宗教節日，是基督徒的節日，所以並不是每一個外華人都重視。他們國外人最重視感恩節，那一天無論在哪裡，都要放下手頭的事情，回來過節。重視感恩節的程度和咱們中國很像！下圖是我在芝加哥唸書的時候去外教家過感恩節的場景。在吃飯的時候，你要說Thanks for....來表達你對感恩節的祝福。意思是我感謝....

最後給大家積累一些關於節日的表達！希望受用哦！

1.傳統中國節日：traditional Chinese festival

2.農曆：lunar calendar

3.臘八節：Laba Festival

4.小年：Little New Year

5.除夕：Lunar New Year"s Eve

6.春節：the Spring Festival

7.正月初一：Lunar New Year"s Day

8.元宵節：the Lantern Festival

9.正月：the first month of the lunar year

10.二月二：Dragon Heads-raising Day

傳 統 習 俗

11.喝臘八粥：eat Laba porridge

12.掃塵：sweep the dust

13.掃房：spring cleaning

14.祭灶：offer sacrifices to the God of Kitchen

15.守歲：stay up

16.拜年： pay a New Year"s call

17.祭祖：offer sacrifices to one"s ancestors

18.祭財神：worship the God of Wealth

19.春聯：Spring Festival couplets

20.貼倒福：paste the Chinese character "Fu" upside down

21.去晦氣：get rid of the ill-fortune

22.辭舊歲：bid farewell to the old year

23.兆頭：omen

24.禁忌：taboo

25.燒香：burn incense

26.吃團圓飯：have a family reunion dinner

27.年夜飯：New Year"s Eve dinner

28.全家團圓：family reunion

29.辦年貨：do Spring Festival shopping

30.敬酒：propose a toast

31.穿新衣：wear new clothes

32.紅包：red envelops

33.壓歲錢：gift money；money given to children as a Lunar New Year gift

首先得了解一下常用的詞彙

春節 the Spring Festival

元宵節 Yuanxiao Festival; the Lantern Festival

掃塵 sweeping the dust

貼春聯 pasting spring couplets

年畫 a New Year picture

年夜飯 New Year Feast

壓歲錢 Lucky Money；gift money

紅包 red bag/envelope/packet

守歲 Shousui ：to stay up late or all night on New Year"s Eve; to see the Old Year out and the New Year in

放爆竹 setting off firecrackers

踩高蹺 walking on stilts

猜燈謎 guess riddles on lanterns

拜年 New Year：to pay someone a courtesy call on New Year"s Day or shortly thereafter

這些都是和春節相關比較實用的詞彙，那麼怎樣用英語介紹春節的起源呢？

The lunar calendar new year origin, which has the basis, also is rich and owns the various fables possible to trace to several millenniums before; The most famous is "the year beast" fable. "The year beast" is a cruel terrible wild animal. In ancient times people believed on lunar New Year"s Eve night "the year beast" would come out to eat humans. According to the fable, "the year beast" extremely fears red, the flame and noises, so people pasted the red paper on the gate, and lit the torch all night, and set off the artillery candles to frighten "the year beast". To the early morning the following day, in the air filled the sound "congratulations" , the victory of defeating "the year beast" and the rebirth joy.（農曆新年的來源，有根據，且豐富而多采多姿的傳說可追溯到幾千年前；其中最有名的就是「年獸」的傳說。「年獸」是一個殘忍兇猛的野獸，古代人相信「年獸」在除夕夜時會出來吃人。傳說「年獸」極懼怕紅色、火光及吵雜的聲音，人們就在門上貼著紅紙條，並整夜點著火炬、燃放炮燭，來避開「年獸」。到了第二天一大早，「恭喜」之聲不絕於耳，空氣中瀰漫著打敗「年獸」勝利與重生的喜悅。）

這段可能有些難度，大家可以根據中文翻譯對照學習。關於春節的習俗，整理如下：

The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. People usually decorate the doors and windows with red paper-cuts because red means good luck. People usually clean houses too because they want to sweep away bad luck. Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.

春節對於中國來說尤為重要。人們用紅色剪紙裝飾門窗，希望在新年能有好的運氣。通常人們會打掃房間，因為他們想掃除黴運。孩子們可以從父母和爺爺奶奶那裡得到新衣服或禮物。

Waiting for the First Bell Ringing of Chinese New Year 等待春節的第一聲鐘鳴

The first bell ringing is the symbol of Chinese New Year. Chinese people like to go to a large square where huge bells are set up on New Year’s Eve. As the New Year approaches they count down and celebrate it together. People believe that the ringing of the huge bell can drive away all the bad lucks and bring fortune to them.

第一次鐘聲是春節的象徵。華人喜歡來到一個為除夕設定了大鐘的大廣場。隨著春節的臨近，他們開始倒計數並一起慶祝。人們相信, 大鐘的撞響可以驅除所有的黴運，並能帶來好運。

當然學習需要靠大家日常的積累和不斷地學習，不經一番徹骨寒，怎得梅花撲鼻香。

1. 春節的簡介春節：the Spring Festival陰曆月：lunar month返鄉的人：home returnee

The Spring Festival, falling on the first day of the first lunar month, is the most important festival for the Chinese people. It"s the time when all family members get together to celebrate it. People who live away from home will go back, making it the busiest time of the year for transportation systems. We call it "chunyun", which means "the transportation during the Spring Festival"，and it can last for about a month. Railway stations, long-distance bus stations, and airports are crowded with home returnees.

春節指的是陰曆年的一月一日，這對華人來說是最重要的節日，家人們歡聚一堂，慶祝佳節。離家在外的人們會在此時回家過節，這也是一年中交通最繁忙的時候，我們稱之為“春運”，通常會持續一個月左右。火車站、長途汽車站、機場，到處都擠滿了回家的旅客。

① 臘八

粥：porridge

On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge, a delicious kind of porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job"s tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans and longan.

陰曆十二月初八，很多家庭會做”臘八粥“，很美味，由糯米、小米、薏米、紅棗、蓮子、豆類以及龍眼等食材組成。

② 小年

小年：Preliminary Eve

The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. On this day, people used to offer sacrifice to the kitchen god. Now however, most families make delicious food to celebrate it.

陰曆十二月二十三是“小年”，以前在這一天，人們會祭祀灶神，但是現在，通常做頓美食來慶祝。

除夕：Spring Festival Eve

春晚：the Spring Festival gala

The last day of the 12th lunar month is the Spring Festival Eve. Chinese people attach great significance to it. On this day, family members will eat together, having a much more luxurious meal than usual, expecting a happy ending and a good start of a new year. For dinner, dumplings are the essential part.

陰曆的最後一天是“除夕”，華人非常重視這一天。一家人會一起吃飯，菜餚比平時豐盛很多，寓意為過去的一年畫上句號，期待美好的一年即將開始。對晚餐來說，餃子是必不可少的。

After the dinner, the whole family will sit together, eating snacks, chatting and watching TV. For most Chinese families at home and abroad, one of the essential part is to watch the Spring Festival gala broadcast on China Central Television Station (CCTV). Some family will stay up to see the New Year in.

晚飯過後，一家人坐在一起，吃零食、聊天、看電視。對海內外的大多數華人來說，不可或缺的一個環節就是看中央電視臺的春晚。有些家庭會熬夜凌晨，迎接新的一年。

習俗：custom

Many customs accompany the Spring Festival. 春節有很多習俗。

①：放煙花

煙花：fireworks

Burning fireworks used to be the most typical custom on the Spring Festival. However, in recent years, taking security, noise and pollutions factors into account, such an activity was completely or partially forbidden by the government in cities.

放煙花曾經是春節最典型的習俗。然而，近年來，考慮到安全、噪音以及汙染等因素，政府已經禁止或部分禁止在城市放煙花了。

② 穿新衣、收紅包

壓歲錢：lucky money

紅包：red envelope

On the morning of the Spring Festival, children will dress up in their new clothes. After extending greetings to their parents, each child will get lucky money as a New Year gift, wrapped up in red envelop.

春節的一早醒來，孩子們會穿上新衣服。在給父母拜年後，每個人都會得到紅包，包著壓歲錢。

此外，還有一些跟春節有關的詞彙：

① 舞獅：lion dancing

② 舞龍：dragon dancing

④ 廟會：temple fair