10 Happy Chinese New Year Greetings You Can Surprise Your Flatmates With
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Chinese New Year is coming up on the 12th of February, and this year is going to be The Year of The Ox!
Although we may not be able to celebrate Chinese New Year 2021 like usual due to the current lockdown restrictions, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festivities with your flatmates.
It’s customary for people to greet each other with new year well wishes in order to bring good fortune for the coming year.
Which is why we’ve come up with 10 Happy Chinese New Year greetings you can surprise your flatmates with!
These greetings are bound to put a smile on their face, and you can teach them too! So, without further ado, let’s get started.
When Is Chinese New Year Celebrated?
This year, Chinese New Year is being celebrated on the 12th of February, it’s celebrated for sixteen days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the
The preparations usually start seven days before Chinese New Year’s Eve, with activities such as house-cleaning, New Year shopping, and putting up decorations!
It usually falls on different dates each year, but Chinese New Year is always between January 21st and February 21st.
What Countries Celebrate Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is a public holiday in China which lasts for a few days, it’s also a public holiday in countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.
It’s actually not a public holiday in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or the United States.
But, some businesses will close early, and some streets might be closed due to parades and celebrations for Chinese New Year!
Let’s take a look at some fabulous Happy Chinese New Year greetings to surprise your flatmates with and wish them well for the new year:
1. 祝您 – Wish You
This is basically a more formal way to address people when you say their name, by simply adding a “wish you” in front of their name.
For example: “Sarah, wish you a happy new year!” – like so. In Mandarin the phrase is pronounced “zhù nín” and in Cantonese, it’s pronounced “zuk nei”.
“Wish you” is generally a super nice and polite Chinese New Year greeting to say to your flatmate to wish them well for the Lunar New Year.
2. 身体健康 – Good Health
Of course, good health is vital in everyone’s lives, especially during these current uncertain times.
Which is why this “good health” Chinese New Year greeting is perfect to say to your flatmates!
Pronunciation in Mandarin is “shēn tǐ jiàn kāng” and Cantonese is “sun tai gin hong” (with a hard g, not a j.)
3. 新年快乐, 阖家幸福 – Happy New Year & Happy Family
This is another really pleasant Chinese New Year greeting, great for your mates that are particularly family orientated.
This greeting sends them well wishes and a happy family life and can also be used on a family member too!
For mandarin pronunciation it’s “xīn nián kuài lè, hé jiā xìng fú”, and Cantonese is “sun nin fai lok hop gah heung fook.”
4. 新年快乐，万事如意 – Happy New Year & May You Get Everything You Wish For
This ones pretty sweet! A great Chinese New Year greeting to say to a close friend who you hope to get everything they wish for 😊
Whether your flatmate has some big aspirations, or you just want to be generally nice, this will certainly be a lovely surprise.
If you want to pronounce this in Mandarin it’s “xīn nián kuài lè, wàn shì rú yì” and for Cantonese expression it’s “sun nin fai lok, maan si yu yi.”
5. 新年快乐, 大吉大利 – Happy New Year, Good Luck & Big Profits
This particular greeting is growing quite popular and is a great one for your flatmates who are very money focused!
Business-focused individuals especially like this Chinese New Year greeting, because what’s better than good luck and money, right?
The Mandarin pronunciation is: “xīn nián kuài lè, dà jí dà lì”, and if you want to say it in Cantonese it’s “sun nin fai lok, dai gut dai lei!”
6. 学业有成 – Academic Success Or Academic Progress
Have you ever seen a more perfect Chinese New Year greeting for a university student? After all, everybody wants academic success and progress!
The best thing you can surprise your flatmate with this lovely greeting to give them plenty of motivation for the Year of the Ox.
In Mandarin it’s pronounced “xuéyè yǒuchéng” and Cantonese is “hok yip yau sing.”
7. 财源滚滚 – May Wealth Roll In
Another awesome greeting that’s perfect for your flatmates is “may the wealth roll in” because everybody loves money, right?
It’s a kind and thoughtful gesture and is also nice to say to your work colleagues if you have any.
Surprise your flatmates with this one and you’re bound to get a smile – whatever their aspirations and future plans!
For expression in Mandarin, say: “cáiyuán gǔn gǔn” and for Cantonese, it’s “tsoy yun gwan gwan.”
8. 新春快乐 – Happy New Spring
This particular Chinese New Year greeting is a little more standard, but still a kind and friendly gesture nonetheless!
After all, Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival, so this greeting is widely used amongst pretty much everyone.
9. 心想事成 – May All Your Wishes Come True
Aw, how nice is this expression? A great one to say to your close flatmates to wish them a lucky and successful new year.
Pronounced in Mandarin as “xīn xiǎng shì chéng” and in Cantonese as “sum sheung si sing”, this one is bound to put a big grin on your friends face 😊
10. 事业有成 – Success In Your Career
You’re all at university for a reason, which is why this Chinese New Year greeting is perfect to surprise your flatmates with.
Whether your friend wants to be a teacher or a psychologist, you can’t go wrong with an expression like this to spread some new year cheer!
Mandarin pronunciation is “ shìyè yǒuchéng” and Cantonese is “shi yip yau sing”.
We hope you found these 10 Happy Chinese New Year greetings useful, because there’s nothing better than spreading some kindness and wishing your flatmates a happy new year! If you’re a student studying in Birmingham, and not sure how to celebrate Chinese New Year this year, check out our latest blog here!
