◎春节 The Spring Festival

◎农历 lunar calendar

◎正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar

◎除夕 New Year’s Eve; eve of lunar New Year

◎初一 the beginning of New Year

◎元宵节 The Lantern Festival

◎过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival

◎对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

◎春联 Spring Festival couplets

◎剪纸 paper-cuts

◎年画 New Year paintings

◎买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping

◎敬酒 propose a toast

◎灯笼 lantern: a portable light

◎烟花 fireworks

◎爆竹 firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)

◎红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year)

◎舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)

◎舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)

◎戏曲 traditional opera

◎杂耍 variety show; vaudeville

◎灯谜 riddles written on lanterns

◎灯会 exhibit of lanterns

◎守岁 staying-up

◎拜年 pay New Year’s call; give New Year‘s greetings; New Year‘s visit

◎禁忌 taboo

◎去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune

◎祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one‘s ancestors

◎压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift

◎辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

◎扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning