春节

• Pinyin: chūn jié
• Hanzi breakdown: 春 = sun bringing warmth after winter — spring; 节 = simplified from 節, a bamboo joint, extended to mean a time marker or festival

Meaning

Spring Festival; Chinese New Year. The most important traditional Chinese holiday.

The biggest annual celebration in Chinese culture, based on the lunar calendar (usually late January or February). Families reunite, exchange red envelopes, set off fireworks, and eat special foods. The holiday period typically lasts about two weeks.

Examples

1. 春节是中国最重要的节日。 Spring Festival is the most important holiday in China.
2. 春节的时候，我们全家人一起吃年夜饭。 During Spring Festival, our whole family eats New Year's Eve dinner together.
3. 今年春节你打算怎么过？ How do you plan to spend Spring Festival this year?

Usage Guide

Context: holidays, culture, family

Tone: festive

Do Say

• 春节快乐！(Happy Spring Festival!)
• 你们春节放几天假？(How many days off do you get for Spring Festival?)

Don't Say

• 在中国，不要只说中国新年 — Chinese people typically say 春节 or 过年, not 中国新年. The term 中国新年 is mainly used by non-Chinese speakers.

Origin & History

Compound of 春 (spring) and 节 (festival, holiday). Named because it falls at the start of spring on the traditional Chinese calendar.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal