节日

• Pinyin: jié rì
• Hanzi breakdown: 节 (jié) — festival; 日 (rì) — day, sun

Meaning

Holiday; festival. A day or period of celebration, either traditional or official.

Refers to any special day of celebration including traditional festivals (春节, 中秋节), national holidays (国庆节), and international observances (儿童节). More formal than just 节 alone when discussing holidays.

Examples

1. 春节是中国最重要的节日。 Spring Festival is China's most important holiday.
2. 节日快乐！ Happy holidays!
3. 每个国家都有自己的节日。 Every country has its own holidays.

Usage Guide

Context: holidays, culture, greetings

Tone: festive

Do Say

• 祝你节日快乐！(Wishing you a happy holiday!)
• 这个节日你打算怎么过？(How do you plan to spend this holiday?)

Don't Say

• 不要把周末叫节日 (Don't call a regular weekend a 节日 — 节日 is for special celebrations and designated holidays)

Origin & History

Compound of 节 (festival, season) and 日 (day). Together they specify a particular day designated for celebration.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal