Don’t fumble at the door! Impress your host with our favourite Chinese New Year greetings.
It’s that time of year again – Chinese New Year is right around the corner! And you know what that means? House visits galore with good food and the license to snack on treats like bak kwa and pineapple tarts. Whether this is your first CNY celebration or not, we think it’s always a good idea to brush up on your Chinese New Year greetings to impress the elders. Here’s a collection of favourites that we keep in our back pocket at all times.
Our favourite Chinese New Year greetings
1. Xin Nian Kuai Le (新年快乐)
Translation: Happy New Year
An easy one! You’ll typically say this as a greeting when you first arrive to someone’s home.
2. Wan Shi Ru Yi (万事如意)
Translation: May everything go well for you
An all-encompassing wish for smooth sailing and success in every endeavour.
3. Gong Xi Fa Cai (恭喜发财)
Translation: Wishing you prosperity and wealth
Arguably the most recognisable Chinese New Year greeting there is. Say this any time to anyone!
4. Da Ji Da Li (大吉大利)
Translation: Huge luck, huge profit
A good wish for anyone who wants to be more successful, financial wise.
5. Shen Ti Jian Kang (身体健康)
A wish for good health, an important one for this time of the year thanks to all the snacking.
6. Xin Nian Da Ji (新年大吉)
Translation: Good luck for the new year
A little upgrade from the usual xin nian kuai le greetings.
7. Nian Nian You Yu (年年有馀)
Translation: May you have abundance and prosperity
We love saying this one while we put the fish into our yusheng. (Yu also sounds like fish in Chinese, in case you didn’t know).
8. He Jia Xing Fu (阖家幸福)
Translation: Happiness for your whole family
One of the greetings that involves the whole fam rather than just the person.
9. Gong Zuo Shun Li (工作顺利)
Translation: Hope work goes smoothly
Especially helpful for anyone that’s been through the wringer at work last year. Hopefully this blessing works for them.
10. Ping Ping An An (平平安安)
Translation: Peace and safety
A very easy one to memorise and pronounce for anyone that has trouble with Chinese.
11. Sheng Yi Xing Long (生意兴隆)
Translation: May your business prosper
Anyone with an entrepreneurial relative should make use of this blessing, hopefully it comes to fruition!
12. Ping Bu Qing Yun (平步青云)
Translation: To have a meteoric rise
This is typically meant for someone’s career, and well wishes for their future promotions.
13. Ma Dao Cheng Gong (马到成功)
Translation: To wish for immediate success
This one originates from a Chinese idiom, based on a story of a man and his horse, and their hard work traversing the land to make it to the capital city.
14. Xue Xi Jin Bu (学习进步)
Translation: Improvement in your studies
Particularly relevant for anyone still studying. They need all the luck they can get!
15. Xin Xiang Shi Cheng (心想事成)
Translation: May your heart’s desires come true
An earnest wish for someone to achieve everything they dream of.
Have an extra auspicious time and bless your loved ones with these Chinese New Year greetings.
