元旦

• Pinyin: yuán dàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 元 = first, beginning, origin; 旦 = pictograph of sun rising above horizon, meaning dawn/day

Meaning

New Year's Day. January 1st on the Gregorian calendar.

The official public holiday marking the start of the new year on the Western calendar. Distinguished from 春节 (Chinese New Year/Spring Festival), which is the traditional lunar new year. 元旦 is a one-day holiday, while 春节 is a week-long celebration.

Examples

1. 元旦是每年的第一天，全国放假一天。 New Year's Day is the first day of every year, with a national holiday.
2. 很多商场在元旦期间举行打折活动。 Many shopping malls hold discount events during the New Year's Day period.
3. 我们打算元旦去北京旅游。 We plan to travel to Beijing for New Year's Day.

Usage Guide

Context: holidays, calendar, celebrations

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 元旦快乐！(Happy New Year's Day!)
• 元旦放几天假？(How many days off for New Year's Day?)

Don't Say

• 过元旦 when you mean 过年 (元旦 is Jan 1; 过年 typically refers to Chinese New Year)

Origin & History

元 means 'beginning' or 'first', and 旦 means 'dawn' or 'day'. Together: the first day of the year.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal