Chinese New Year Greetings - Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Chinese New Year Greetings Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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What are some common Chinese New Year Greetings? How do you wish someone a Happy New Year in Chinese? Here are some of the most common phrases and sayings during this most important of holidays.

The most common way to wish someone a Happy New Year is by saying

Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái in Mandarin

or

Gong Hey Fat Choy in Cantonese

The written characters are the same for all dialects:

Gōng

Xǐ

Fā

Cái

Gōng Xǐ - are good wishes or congratulations

Fā Cái - to become rich, acquire wealth

So together it means "best and prosperous wishes" for the coming year.

The more literal way of wishing someone a Happy New Year is

Xīn

Nián

Kuài

Lè

Xīn- is New

Nián - means Year

Kuài Lè - means Happy, Joyful

So Xīn Nián Kuài Lè translates literally into "Happy New Year"

Now, children, pay attention, when someone says Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái to you, you answer:

Hóng

Bāo

Ná

Lái

Hóng- is Red

Bāo - means packet or envelope

Ná Lái - means to take on

So can you guess what you just asked for? Hóng Bāo Ná Lái means something like "May I have my Red Envelope please?", so it's quite common for children to greet their uncles and aunties when they arrive with:

Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái, Hóng Bāo Ná Lái!!!

Chinese New Year Greetings for Banners, Cards and Scrolls

We also see Chinese New Year Greetings in the banners and scrolls that hang from just about everywhere, mostly on the side of entrances which offer a warm welcome to the guests and visitors as well as wishes of good fortune.

The most popular and prominent symbol you will see come Chinese New Year time is "FU", pictured here, which means Prosperity and Wealth.

Here are some of the most popular greetings and quotes you often see printed, you can use them to make your own banners to decorate your house, greeting cards to send to friends and loved ones, red envelopes, etc.

Follow the links to learn how to write the characters stroke by stroke.

Fú Prosperity	Chūn Spring
Dà JíGood Fortune
Chū Rù Píng ĀnPeace and Safety Wherever You Go
Xīn Nián Kuài LèHappy New Year!
Gōng Xǐ Fā CáiGreetings! May Wealth Come Your Way! (The most common Greeting to wish someone a Happy New Year)
Jí Xiáng Rú YìGood Luck! Hope Everything Goes Well!

Remember the phrases made up of two or more characters can also be written vertically from top to bottom, specially when placing them alongside doors:

Chinese New Year Greeting Cards

Try making your own with some of the above Good Luck messages and greetings. Or choose from this year's selection of Spring Festival greeting cards at Amazon:

More Chinese New Year Traditions and Celebrations

Chinese New Year

Traditions and Preparations

Decorations and their Meanings

CNY Banquet and Lucky Foods

Greetings

Firecrackers

Chinese Dragon Dance

Lucky Red Envelopes

Lion Dances

Chinese New Year Banners

Chinese New Year Lanterns

Chinese New Year Crafts

The Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

2023 Year of the Rabbit

May the New Year turn out to be a very special one for you and your family... filling each day with peak of health... abundance of happiness... bountiful prosperity... and Zen like serenity... Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái!

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