In Chinese culture, it’s important to know that relationships are based on trust, honor and friendship, or 关系 (guān xì). As such, heartfelt interactions between people are essential, no matter what type of relationship you’re building. Knowing the proper expressions to say in each occasion, from greetings to blessings, is therefore the first step to fitting in in Chinese society.

#1 Chinese expressions to use when eating and drinking

Eating is an important topic for the Chinese and don’t we say a full stomach is the way to a man’s love “. As you may very well know, Chinese speakers often greet each other to the tunes of 你吃饭了没有？ Nǐ chīfànle méiyǒu? Have you eating yet? as no serious – or unserious – business can be carried out on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is quite natural that our first order of business is sentences to say before, during and after a meal.

How to say Enjoy your meal (bon appétit!) in Chinese

Picture yourself having a meal with Chinese-speaking friends or relatives, or friends’ relatives. In addition to minding your table manners as your parents taught you and as the Chinese expect you to, how do you wish your meal partakers a enjoyable meal? There are 3 ways to express “Enjoy your meal!” before you start eating

吃好喝好! Chī hǎo hē hǎo! Enjoy your meal! / (Bon appétit!)

Literally, this sentence means eat well and drink well.  No wonder then, that it is used to say “Bon appétit” in Chinese. Just keep in mind this is a quite casual sentence to be used in your daily life only.

For more formal events, this sentence is your best choice:

请慢用 Qǐng màn yòng Eat slowly

Eating slowly, or in general, acting slowly, is something you’ll often hear Chinese speakers recommend you to do.

Why do Chinese people like to say “eat slowly”? Maybe it’s because eating slowly is good for digestion? Or because scientists have shown that fast-eating increases obesity risks and makes food less tasty?  Chinese people used to say:

”The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor.”

And indeed when food was scarce, you had better savor every bite slowly because you knew you didn’t have enough to fill your stomach. In any case, 请慢用 is now used as a way to be nice, to encourage everyone to take their time in a fast-paced society where family meals shared together are becoming rarer and rarer.

You may notice here the use of 请 Qǐng, that indicates this phrase is somewhat formal and best used with the elders or people you don’t know well.

慢慢吃 Màn màn chī Take your time and enjoy your meal

This sentence also means “eat slowly” and is just the informal way of saying 请慢用 ~ No further explanation needed for this one. Use it when you want to tell the others to take their time and enjoy their meal!

What else do you need to know when eating? How to make and respond to a toast, of course! The Chinese are well known for their love of toast-making and drinking to the healths of others, both via group toasts and individual ones. Newlyweds, for instance, are expected to go clink glasses individually with every guest of honor at their wedding. This is no easy task as you’ll soon understand, by reading below.

How do you say Cheers in Chinese?

First, how to say Cheers in Chinese? It’s easy: 干杯 gānbēi!

干杯! Gānbēi! Cheers! / Bottoms-up!

Just make sure you accompany your words with action: 干杯 gānbēi literally means dry glass so you really are expected to drink the whole thing. The Chinese say 干杯 and really drink it up, no matter what their drink is, whether it’s a Coke or a strong alcohol, in order to show their passion. Ready to do the same?

One more thing to know: 干杯 has to be taken seriously!

In China, hierarchy matters. So, to show your respect to the one who wants to 干杯 with you, if they are older or higher-ranked than you, you must clink your glass lower than theirs; as this video shows:

China 3_Lower your glass as a sign of respect. from 43 Films on Vimeo.

Then you can drink. Of course, your glass must be empty when you set it back down on the table. Thankfully, glasses are usually small! Being a good drinker or having coping strategies still helps with proper toasting in China.

 #2 How to give your blessings and wish good wishes in Chinese

Once you’ve extended your in eating and when drinking, showing your good wishes for people and celebrating their happy life events is up.

How to congratulate someone in Chinese

恭喜发财 Gōngxǐfācái May you be prosperous!

This phrase is a very Chinese way to send someone your congratulations and well-wishing. You can say that to someone at the table after saying 干杯 or use it during the new year or in other situations where congratulating people is in order.

How to say “Bless you” in Chinese to wish happiness

祝福你 Zhùfúnǐ Bless you!

To bless someone, you can also say: 祝福你！Literally, this means “wish happiness onto you,” This one can be used for a number of occasions.

However, unlike in English speaking countries, this way of saying “Bless you”  祝福你！is not to be used when someone sneezes.

How to say “Bless you” in Chinese when someone sneezes

In China, here’s what you say when you want to bless someone who sneezes:

老天爷保佑你！ Lǎotiānyé bǎoyòu nǐ Bless you!

老天爷 means Heavens, and literally is the Venerable GrandPa from the Sky. In Chinese, 天, the sky, the heaven, is a key concept used a lot more than the name of God. However, you can also say 上帝 / 神 保佑 你！Shàng dì / shén bǎoyòu nǐ to say God bless You!

A powerful way to say “good wishes” to someone in Mandarin

If the blessings and good wishes you’ve learned so far here don’t seem powerful enough, try this one! 心想事成！May all your wishes come true! Whether it is during a family reunion, a meal with your friends or during all kinds of festivals, saying this phrase works well at all times!

Great, you now know basic ways to extend to all your good wishes. The sentences coming up next are simple, everyday greetings and blessings you’d be sorry not to know and will help you fit right in China.

#3 Everyday life Chinese expressions and blessings

How to say good luck in Chinese

祝你好运 Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn Good luck!

How do you wish someone good luck in Chinese? Simple. To say good luck in Chinese, say: 祝你好运！It’s easy, take the 祝 zhù wish we saw before, add who you’re wishing good luck to and complete your sentence with 好运 hǎoyùn good luck. If someone is going to attend an exam, you can say add a 加油 jiāyóu fighting for extra good measure.

How to say happy birthday in Chinese

生日快乐! Shēng rì kuài lè Happy birthday!

A classic in every language, knowing how to wish your friends a happy birthday in Chinese is a must.
It’s simple enough, as long as you keep in mind the Chinese say “birthday happy” – 生日快乐 shēng rì kuài lè！Happy birthday! If you are going to a birthday party with your Chinese friends, you’ll be glad to know how to wish the birthday girl or boy a happy birthday. If you’re feeling brave, you can even sing along with them the happy birthday song! You’ll see: it’s the same birthday tune you know; and the lyrics are also the same, just in Chinese. Easy peasy.

The post Useful and Essential Chinese Expressions That Will Help You Fit in in China appeared first on Ninchanese.

Celebrating the new year in China has a lot to do with scaring away the evil spirits, bringing yourself and your family good luck prosperity, and making sure the new year is off to a good beginning. And partying for 15 straight days, until 元宵 (yuánxiāo), the Lantern Festival, puts an end to the festivities. So, ready to learn how to celebrate?

Eat dumplings and fish with your family

Celebrate with your family

春节 is mainly a family event, where everyone gathers together to drink, eat, talk and have fun. The Chinese New Year is of particular significance for people working hundreds or thousands of miles away from home because they can return to their families for a reunion. This period is known as the world’s largest annual migration (read: The Chinese New year is NOT the time you want to be planning on taking the train, a bus, or a plane in China.)

过 : guò = celebrate

过春节 : guò chūnjié = celebrate the New Year.

回父母家: huí fùmǔ jiā = to go home to your parents.

和家人一起吃饺子和鱼: hé jiārén yīqǐ chī jiǎozi hé yú = eat fish and dumplings with your family

和家人一起过春节: hé jiārén yīqǐ guò chūnjié = celebrate Chūnjié with your family

Make dumplings

The making of 饺子, “Jiǎozis,” or dumplings, is a traditional family event on the day before the Chinese New Year (that would be the 9th of February 2013 this year), especially in the Northern part of China. The whole family gathers to make (or wrap – 包: bāo) dumplings and then eat them. It sounds like fun! Some believe they are packing in luck for the coming year by making dumplings. Ancient Chinese coins used to be hidden in the dumplings, also for prosperity. We’ll soon be sharing our own dumpling wrapping secrets and recipes :).

Prepare for some serious dumpling-making sessions! credit: kattebelletje via photopin

除夕: chúxī = New year’s eve

春节的前一天 = Chūnjié de qián yītiān = New year’s eve

饺子: jiǎozi = dumplings

包饺子: bāo jiǎozi = to make dumplings

吃饺子: chī jiǎozi = to eat dumplings

For example: 春节的前一天，我们会包饺子.

Chūnjié de qián yītiān, wǒmen huì bāo jiǎozi.

On New Year’s Eve, we make dumplings.

Eat fish

Fish is another essential dish for 春节, again for purely symbolic reasons. In Chinese, fish (鱼) is pronounced yú, which sounds like this character: 余, (also pronounced yú). 余 means “remains,” surplus or abundance.” So by eating fish (and some say, leaving a few leftovers), you are hoping for a prosperous year! The tradition is to eat a salad, called 捞鱼生 (lāoyúshēng), composed of raw fish and crunchy vegetables. You toss this salad to symbolize luck and prosperity, so the higher you toss the salad and the louder you shout out the name of the salad, the more chance you’ll get in the coming year.

鱼: yú = fish

余: yú = remain; surplus

年年有余 : nián nián yǒu yú = May there be abundance year after year!

Watch ’em toss that salad!

Wish good tidings

Here are a few key phrases to wish a happy new year to your family, friends, and acquaintances once midnight strikes!

过年吉祥话: guò nián jí xiáng huà = New Year wishes

拜年: bàinián = pay a New Year’s call

初一: chūyī = 新年的第一天 = New year’s day

To wish someone something in Chinese, start by saying : 祝你 : zhù nǐ = I wish you or 祝大家:  zhù dàjiā = I wish you all.

Newbie

新年好!: xīnnián hǎo!

新年快乐!: xīnnián kuàilè!

Both mean Happy New Year!

Level up!

Good Health

身体健康! : shēntǐ jiànkāng  = May you be healthy!

Good fortune

万事如意 : wànshì rúyì

Character breakdown

万: wàn = 10 000. It has also come to mean “everything”,+ 事:shì = thing + 如:rú = if  + 意: yì = wish == all the best!

For example 祝你在新的一年里万事如意

Zhù nǐ zàixīn de yìnián lǐ wànshì rúyì!

I wish you all the best for this new year!

Prosperity

财源广进 : cáiyuán guǎngjìn = We wish you abundant wealth.

This sentence is similar to 年年有余.

Do

Wear new clothes

In China, you buy and wear new clothes for the New Year. More generally, the idea is to make sure everything is ready to usher in the new year: houses are cleaned, hair is cut, debts repaid, new clothes acquired… so you can start the new year with a clean slate. Regarding the dresses, red-colored ones are favored. That’s because, in ancient times, the Chinese believed that red could scare away evil spirits and bad fortunes. Also, red symbolizes good luck and sounds like success.

Any excuse to buy new clothes is a good one. I like this tradition!

Decorate doors and windows

Doors are decorated with vertical scrolls of characters on red paper. Each household will write Chinese characters seeking good luck and praising nature. This practice stems from old traditions to keep away ghosts and evil spirits. 春联 (chūnlián) is the Chinese name for these vertical scrolls, also called couplets.

The tradition is to frame the door with these scrolls and stick a big “福” (fú = good fortune) sign in the middle. photo credit: kuber

Delicate and intricate red paper cutouts are also stuck on windows. These paper cutouts are called 窗花 (chuāng huā).

A New Year family activity is also making paper cutouts by hand. Kudos to them if they can make ones that look as good as these!  credit: West Zest

贴: tiē = to stick

贴春联: tiē chūnlián = to stick vertical scrolls

贴窗花: tiē chuāng huā = to stick paper cutouts

Make some noise!

Firecrackers are a big celebratory thing in China, used for weddings, festivities, and of course, the Chinese New Year. Firecrackers (called 鞭炮 – biānpào – in Chinese) are usually strung together to make more noise, as the noise was thought to scare away evil spirits. The first time I heard firecrackers in China, I honestly felt a riot was happening outside. Silly me. On New Year’s eve, everybody goes out to lit firecrackers and celebrate the beginning of the new year. So get ready to hear severe firecracker blasts once midnight strikes!

放鞭炮: fàng biānpào = to light firecrackers

Newcomers to China can easily mistake these firecrackers for something else because of the level of noise they create! photo credit: amythyst_lake

Give New Year gifts

红包, hóngbāo, or red envelopes, which contain money, are traditionally given during the Chinese New Year. They mean lucky money. It is customary for married couples and older folks to give these envelopes to the young ones, ranging from children… to unmarried people. Bosses also sometimes give those to their employees. Small gifts (food and such) are also exchanged between friends or neighbors. Oranges and citrus fruit are trendy gifts.

Watch the New Year TV Gala

In China, everybody gathers to watch the annual Chinese New year TV Gala during the evening. The show is called 春节晚会 (chūnjié wǎnhuì) and is meant to showcase traditional customs. It’s a family program, so expect a bit of everything: music, acrobatics, acts… Although, I’ve heard it’s becoming increasingly cheesy. Guess that’s a trend in television everywhere…

You can check out former shows on your favorite video player, listen to a compilation of the songs played on the show here, and see this year’s lineup here. (In China, it shows on CCTV-1)

Sing the New Year Song

There’s a popular children’s song you can sing for the New Year holiday, called 新年好呀 (Xīn Nián Hǎo Ya!), which you now know means Happy New Year (literally “New Year’s Good, Ya!”). As you’ll hear in the video, the melody is similar to the song “Oh My Darling, Clementine.”

Chorus:

新年好呀！ 新年好呀! Xīnnián hǎo ya! x2 Happy New Year!x2
祝贺大家新年好! Zhùhè dàjiā xīnnián hǎo! Happy New Year to you all!
我们唱歌，我们跳舞 Wǒmen chànggē, wǒmen tiàowǔ. We are singing; we are dancing.
祝贺大家新年好! Zhùhè dàjiā xīnnián hǎo! Happy New Year to you all!

So, how are you planning to celebrate the Chinese New Year?

We’ll be making our own 饺子 of course, and we’ll going to our local Chinese restaurant to enjoy a ten course Chinese New Year Feast Yum!

Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐!

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet, or, for Chinese learning in your pocket and on the go, download the Ninchanese app from the Google Play Store.

The Nincha Team

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Credit for title picture: Gw.Wang

The post Chinese New Year: How to Celebrate? appeared first on Ninchanese.