The two-week Chinese New Year celebrations get underway today, February 1.
Around one sixth of the world’s population observe the festival – that’s more than one billion people.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the start of a new lunar year, which in 2022 falls on February 1.
The date changes every year as it depends on the date the new moon appears between January 21 and February 20.
Each year is represented by an animal in the Chinese zodiac.
There are 12 animals in total which take it in turns to appear, and 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger.
How to wish someone Happy New Year in Chinese
There are multiple ways to wish someone a Happy New Year in Cantonese or Mandarin.
For instance, “happy New Year” is 新年快樂 (san1 nin4 faai3 lok6) in Cantonese, or 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) in Mandarin.
As this year is the Year of Tiger, you can say "wishing you the fullness of the vigor and vitality of the tiger" it would be fu2-fu2-saang1-wai1 in Cantonese or 虎虎生威 (hǔ hǔ shēng wēi) in Mandarin. Or you can play the pun Happy Niu Year!
There is also 恭喜發財(Gong Hei Fat Choi) in Cantonese, or 恭喜發财 (gōng xǐ fā cái) in Mandarin, which means "wishing you great prosperity". Traditionally, this is used when senior family members give their relatives red packets.
Mandarin is the most common dialect in China, and people often use the phrase “Happy Spring Festival” at this time of year.
In Mandarin that would be 春节快乐, pronounced “chūn jiē kuài lè”.
You can also say "wishing you good health", which is 身體健康 (san1 tai2 gin6 hong1) in Cantonese or 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng) in Mandarin.
To wish someone a prosperous business, you would say 生意興隆 (saang1 ji3 hing1 lung4) in Cantonese or 生意兴隆 (shēng yì xīng lóng) in Mandarin.
Year of the Tiger
This year will be the Year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese Zodiac. There are 12 Chinese Zodiac symbols, which are all linked to different personality characteristics. They rotate each year.
The Tiger is known to be the king of all beasts in China.
People who are born during the Year of the Tiger are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, confident and have lots of willpower.
Their negative attributes can include being aggressive, short-tempered and anxious.
