Happy Chinese New Year 2021 | Welcome the Year of the Ox!

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses the celebration of the Chinese New Year, specifically welcoming the Year of the Ox. Participants share their experiences, cultural insights, and greetings associated with the holiday, as well as their interest in Chinese culture and language.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express their excitement about the Chinese New Year and share greetings such as "Gong hei fat choy" and "恭喜发财".
  • One participant mentions their plans to watch the ball drop in Times Square, linking it to New Year celebrations.
  • There are discussions about the difficulty of learning Chinese and the richness of Chinese culture.
  • A participant questions the meaning of the phrase "Gong hei fat choy," suggesting it implies a request for a red envelope, which leads to further discussion about its cultural significance.
  • Another participant shares a personal anecdote about needing to use different phrases to receive red envelopes from family members during New Year celebrations.
  • Some participants reflect on the broader significance of Lunar New Year celebrations and express a sense of community and shared joy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion contains multiple viewpoints regarding the meanings and traditions associated with the Chinese New Year, particularly around the phrase "Gong hei fat choy." There is no clear consensus on the interpretations or cultural practices discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various cultural practices and personal experiences, but there are no settled definitions or universally accepted interpretations of the phrases and traditions mentioned.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in cultural celebrations, language learning, or those seeking to understand more about Chinese traditions and the significance of the Lunar New Year.

liumylife
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Do you guys know that today(2/10) is the first day in Chinese calendar? so happy new year guys. By the way, is there any Chinese here?
 
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My wife and I are planning to go to Times Square tonight and watch the ball come down.
 
我不是中国人,可是说或中文。 我的中文不好。

I wish I could visit China for the celebration. That would be a neat experience. I've always loved Chinese culture.
 
Oh, where I am it is Chinese New Year's Eve. 恭喜发财!
 
Happy new year to you. :)
 
Gong hei fat choy :smile:
 
Cool, I heard the ball-dropping is an very old tradition for NY people.
 
Wow, you can really make others see Chinese here, how nice. Chinese is somehow difficult for first-timer to learn and speak, as my USA friend told me, and I think Chinese culture is really broad and deep, so worth understanding.
 
Jow said:
Oh, where I am it is Chinese New Year's Eve. 恭喜发财!

Gad said:
Happy new year to you. :)

rootX said:
Gong hei fat choy :smile:

Thank you all for your wishes~
 
  • #10
恭喜发财

http://openspacesfengshui.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2013-year-of-the-snake-250x236.jpg
 
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  • #11
kung hei fat choi!
 
  • #12
rootX said:
Gong hei fat choy :smile:

fuzzyfelt said:
kung hei fat choi!

Years ago someone told me this phrase actually means, "Happy New Year, now give me the red envelope!" (Traditionally children are given money at New Year's in a red envelope.)

Any truth to that?
 
  • #13
lisab said:
Years ago someone told me this phrase actually means, "Happy New Year, now give me the red envelope!" (Traditionally children are given money at New Year's in a red envelope.)

Any truth to that?

RootX and fuzzyfelt must've prepared for this.. I mean there are a whole lot of Chinese kids out there. :biggrin:
 
  • #15
  • #16
Gad said:
RootX and fuzzyfelt must've prepared for this.. I mean there are a whole lot of Chinese kids out there. :biggrin:
hehe :smile:

lisab said:
Years ago someone told me this phrase actually means, "Happy New Year, now give me the red envelope!" (Traditionally children are given money at New Year's in a red envelope.)

Any truth to that?
I know this is Cantonese way of saying Happy New Year. A Mandarin restaurant ad on our local radio used to "Gong hei fat choy " this all around the year!
 
  • #17
lisab said:
Years ago someone told me this phrase actually means, "Happy New Year, now give me the red envelope!" (Traditionally children are given money at New Year's in a red envelope.)

Any truth to that?

Absolutely. It doesn't only apply to the new year though. They are called hong2bao1 (红包), literally "red envelope". Something interesting to note is that the money inside, should always end in an even number, you know, because odd numbers are bad luck.
 
  • #18
Welcome to the New Year you sexy, slimy reptiles!
raptor%20jesus%201600x1000%20wallpaper_www.knowledgehi.com_51.jpg
 
  • #19
Merry Christmas ... or the same thing to a different culture.

Pick you celebration ... and have fun with it. Lunar New Year is as good as any. Party on dudes!
 
  • #20
lisab said:
Years ago someone told me this phrase actually means, "Happy New Year, now give me the red envelope!" (Traditionally children are given money at New Year's in a red envelope.)

Any truth to that?

HaHa, that's right. No one actually say it but kids, I can remember I used to say it when I was a kid, before or after I got the red envelope, both ways are ok since people who give kids envelopes must be family members. Funny thing to say is I had to prepare many different words other than “gong xi fa cai" to say to different members otherwise, say, grandfather or some wouldn't give me the envelope till I speak another new word.
 
  • #21
QuarkCharmer said:
恭喜发财

http://openspacesfengshui.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2013-year-of-the-snake-250x236.jpg

Wow, that's cool, you know this year is a "snake year" in Chinese tradition.
I'd known someone from UCB who come to China to seek opportunity to start his own business, and I found him really understand many things about Chinese and our life, like TV shows, Chinese-made movies, pop songs...
 
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