Happy Chinese (or Lunar) New Year!
This year, the first day of Chinese New Year was on Saturday, Jan. 25. The first day corresponds with the new moon using the lunisolar Chinese calendar. Based on the Chinese zodiac, it's now the Year of the Rat.
“Gong Xi Fa Cai” and “Gong Hey Fat Choy” do not translate to “Happy New Year” as some people may think. The loose translation in Mandarin is “wishing you prosperity in the coming year,” while the Cantonese translation is “wishing you happiness and prosperity.” Some people substitute prosperity for wealth, so it can mean “wishing you to make lots of money.” |