Chinese people greet one another with lucky sayings and phrases to wish each other health, wealth, and good fortune when they meet during the Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) period.
Here are the most popular Chinese New Year greetings, wishes, messages, and quotes in Mandarin and Cantonese which will enable you to share joy and love during the festive period.
In Mandarin, the most common Chinese New Year greeting is Xīnnián hǎo (新年好), which directly translates as 'New Year Goodness'. A more formal greeting is Xīn nián kuài lè, literally meaning 'New Year happiness'.
In Cantonese, the most common greeting is Gong hei fat choy(恭喜发财), which means 'Best wishes, wishing you happiness and prosperity.'
1. 新年好 — Happy Chinese New Year (popular way)
"Xīnnián hǎo" is usually the first thing that's said when Chinese people greet one another during Chinese New Year. It replaces the normal greeting "nǐ hǎo".
2. 新年快乐 — Happy Chinese New Year (formal way)
"Xīnnián kuàilè" is a somewhat more formal way to greet people during Chinese New Year. It also can be used during the regular January 1st New Year.
3. 恭喜发财 — Happiness and prosperity
"Gong hay fat choy" is usually spoken in Hong Kong, Guangdong Province and the places nearby, and nowadays you can hear this phrase in many Chinatowns.
As 2024 will be a year of the Dragon, it will be popular to greet people with new year lucky phrases including Dragon (龙or lóng in Chinese). Here are the most popular greetings for the year of the Dragon.
1. 龙年快乐！ — Happy year of the Dragon!
2. 龙马精神，财运亨通。
May you be as vigorous as dragons and horses, and may you enjoy great fortune.
3. 愿龙年吉祥如意，福禄双全。
Wishing you success and good fortune this year of the Dragon.
4. 在新的一年里，祝你龙飞凤舞，事业有成。
In the new year, wishing you soaring success in your career as the dragon and phoenix dance in the sky.
5. 在龙年里，愿你昂首龙吟，一路平安。
In the Year of the Dragon, may you tread on the journey of life safely with the pride of a dragon.
5. 龙年来临，愿你展翅飞翔，鸿运当头。
As the Year of the Dragon arrives, may you spread your wings and soar high, with great fortune lying ahead.
1. 平平安安 — Peace and safety!
2. 幸福安康 — Peace and happiness!
3. 阖家欢乐 — Happiness for the whole family!
4. 吉祥如意 — Good luck and life according to your wishes!
5. 好运连连 — Good luck again and again!
1. 生意兴隆 — Prosperous business!
2. 恭喜发财 — Happiness and prosperity!
3. 财源广进 — Wealth's sources broadly entering in!
4. 蒸蒸日上 — May your business grow and expand with each day!
5. 大展宏图 — Realize one's ambition
1. 工作顺利 — May your work go smoothly!
2. 事业有成 — Success in your career!
3. 平步青云 — Have a meteoric rise (usually to wish for promotions)!
4. 马到成功 — Success immediately upon arrival!
5. 步步高升 — Promotions at every step!
6. 升官发财 — Win a promotion and get rich!
1. 学业有成 — Achieve academic success!
2. 学习进步 — Progress in studies!
3. 金榜题名 — Success in the examination!
It is usually used for those taking an important examination, including students — literally 'to sign one's name on the role of honor'.
During the period of Chinese New Year, you can use these very common Chinese New Year sayings to express your best wishes.
1. 大吉大利 — Lots of luck and profits!
In Cantonese, the pronunciation of gut (桔, 'mandarin oranges') is the same as gut (吉, 'auspiciousness'). That's why orange is one of the most popular Chinese New Year foods.
2. 心想事成 — May all your wishes come true!
People with a dream or wishes they want to come true would love to be greeted with this greeting.
3. 万事如意 — May all go well with you!
It directly translates as ' 10,000 things go according to your wishes.'
4. 身体健康 — Wishing you good health!
It can be said to all people, especially the elder people.
5. 年年有余 — Surplus year-after-year!
The pronunciation of 余 (yú, meaning 'abundance') is the same as the pronunciation of 鱼 (meaning 'fish'). Usually, people prepare two fish for Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, one for dinner and one for the next day (surplus for the new year!).
In a formal way, such as proposing a toast or writing a Chinese New Year card, you can add some beginning words before your Chinese New Year greetings, and combine one or two or more Chinese New Year wishes in a sentence.
Greeting an older (or respected) person is a little different in Chinese: nín for 'you', instead of the common nǐ. For example:
祝您……
Meaning: Wish you. (to an older/respected person) .
祝你……
Meaning: Wish you (to a younger person or informally) .
1. 祝您新年快乐，身体健康!
Meaning: Wishing you a happy Chinese New Year and good health!
2. 祝你新春快乐，阖家幸福!
Meaning: Wishing you a happy Chinese New Year, a happy family!
3. 祝你新年快乐，大吉大利，万事如意！
Meaning: Wishing you a happy new year, good luck, and all the best!
4. 祝你心想事成，财源广进，事业兴旺！
Meaning: May all your wishes come true, money and treasures flow in, and your career flourish!
5. 祝你新年快乐，身体健康，家庭幸福，工作顺利！
Meaning: Wishing you a happy new year, good health, a happy family, and smooth work!
1. 恭喜发财，红包拿来
Meaning: Wishing you happiness and prosperity; give me a red envelope.
Use this to greet someone if you're expecting lucky money. Only say this to close friends and relations. Don't say it to strangers or in a formal setting, to avoid looking presumptuous or ridiculous.
2. 一帆风顺、二龙腾飞、三羊开泰、四季平安、五福临门、六六大顺、七星高照、八方来财、九九同心、十全十美、百事亨通、千事吉祥、万事如意！
Meaning: I wish you all the best, all things prosperous, and all things auspicious!
Literally: 'Wishing you one smooth voyage, two dragons soaring, three goats bringing peace, four seasons of safety, five blessings at your door, six-six ('flowing') great favor, seven stars shining down from on high, eight directions yielding wealth, nine-nine ('long-lasting') harmony, ten (out of ten) for excellence, 100 (all) things to your liking, 1,000 (all) things lucky, 10,000 (all) things your way.'
In China, there are dozens of beautiful Chinese New Year quotes that people may use to send as cards or messages, or to say out during a toast in the Chinese New Year reunion dinner.
1. "Wish New Year happiness all year four seasons always there."
新年的快乐一年四季常在。.
Yuàn xīnnián de kuàilè yīniánsìjì cháng zài.
May the joy of New Year be with you throughout the year.
2. "Wish you all of New Year dreams all become real."
愿你所有的新年梦想都成真。
Yuàn nǐ suǒyǒu de xīnnián mèngxiǎng dōu chéngzhēn.
Hoping all your New Year dreams come true.
3. "Four seasons at peace pass prosperous year."
四季平安过旺年。
Sì jì píng'ān guò wàng nián.
Wishing you four seasons of peace and a flourishing year.
4. "Respectfully congratulate new joy, wish body fit, career thriving."
恭贺新禧，祝身体健康、事业发达。
Gōnghè xīnxǐ, zhù shēntǐ jiànkāng, shìyè fādá.
Happy New Year, wishing you good health and success.
5. "Five grains abundant harvest, big wealth big honor, luck as you wish, wind harmonious rain favorable."
五谷丰收， 大富大贵。 吉祥如意， 风调雨顺。
Wǔgǔ fēngshōu, dàfù dàguì, jíxiáng rúyì, fēnɡ diào yǔ shùn.
Successful harvest of the grain, with great prosperity and earnings. Good fortune as desired, with timely wind and rain. (*A common wish for farmers)