During the lunar new year, it’s common to put up decorations around the house and doorway to bring good luck and fortune. These decorations are known as chūnlián 春联 (春聯).
Watch the video below to learn all about it…
After watching the video, have a go for yourself, either by buying the specific red paper (Amazon link) and using ink, or just doing a digital drawing on your tablet on a red background. If you’re feeling really adventurous, have a go at making some mini ones and sticking them around your pet house and tagging us on Instagram: @SkritterChinese
If you want to learn some common lucky phrases you can say at Chinese New Year, watch this video first:
Top Chinese New Year Phrases to say
- 祝你 – zhù nǐ – wish you (good luck, etc.) (You can say this before any of the phrases below)
- 新年快乐 / 新年快樂 – xīnnián kuàilè – Happy New Year
- 年年有余 / 年年有餘 – niánnián yǒuyú – to have abundance year after year
- 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 – gōngxǐ fācái – wishing you happiness and prosperity
Get the rest here, and then study them on Skritter: Write Chinese (iOS / Google Play)
Examples of Spring Festival Couplets
上联：丹凤呈祥龙献瑞 [dān fèng chéng xiáng lóng xiàn ruì]
下联：红桃贺岁杏迎春 [hóng táo hè suì xìng yíng chūn]
横批：福满人间 [fú mǎn rén jiān]
Upper Scroll: Dragon and phoenix bring the prosperity
Lower Scroll: Peach and apricot blossoms welcome the spring
Horizontal Scroll: Blessing on the Land
上联：春雨丝丝润万物 [chūn yǔ sī sī rùn wàn wù]
下联：红梅点点绣千山 [hóng méi diǎn diǎn xiù qiān shān]
横批：春意盎然 [chūn yì àng rán]
Upper Scroll: Spring rain nourishes the plants
Lower Scroll: Red plum decorates the mountains
Horizontal Scroll: Spring in the Air
上联：事事如意大吉祥 [shì shì rú yì dà jí xiáng]
下联：家家顺心永安康 [jiā jiā shùn xīn yǒng ān kāng]
横批：四季兴隆 [sì jì xīng lóng]
Upper Scroll: May you have good luck in everything
Lower Scroll: May you feel content and your family healty
Horizontal Scroll: Flourishing in Four Seasons
上联：迎新春事事如意 [yíng xīn chūn shì shì rú yì]
下联：接鸿福步步高升 [jiē hóng fú bù bù gāo shēng]
横批：好事临门 [hǎo shì lín mén]
Upper Scroll: Everything goes well as you expect
Lower Scroll: Career rises steadily as you want
Horizontal Scroll: Luck Knocks on the Door
Things to write on the red squares
We hope you enjoyed these videos and found the blog helpful. Remember to have a go for yourself and tagging us on Instagram @SkritterChinese.
Happy New Year, 新年快乐 [新年快樂]