01. New Year in Chinese

Let's begin by looking at the name of the New Year itself:

元旦
Yuán dàn
New Year's Day
(lit. "first-daybreak")

For New Year you can say "新年" (xīn nián) as well, but be aware that this term is also commonly used for the Spring Festival. To avoid the ambiguation, use "元旦" (Yuán dàn) which is a bit more specific.

元旦前夜
Yuán dàn qián yè
New Year's Eve
(lit. "first-daybreak-before-night")

元旦 (Yuán dàn) is observed with various celebrations, gatherings, and cultural festivities, symbolizing new beginnings, hope, and opportunities for the year ahead.

02. New Year's Vocabulary

As we step into the New Year, what better way to celebrate than by exploring some essential Chinese words and phrases associated with this joyous occasion?

As the clock ticks closer to midnight, engage in the 新年倒計(jì)時(shí) (xīn nián dào jì shí) activity, counting down to the stroke of midnight:

新年倒計(jì)時(shí)
xīn nián dào jì shí
New Year's countdown

Gather your friends and loved ones for a joyful '聚會(huì)' (jù huì) — party.

聚會(huì)
jù huì
gathering; party

Known as '香檳酒' in Mandarin, champagne is a bubbly favorite for New Year's Eve toasts, making the celebration more sparkling.

香檳酒
xiāng bīn jiǔ
champagne

起泡酒
qǐ pào jiǔ
champagne

The sky illluminated with dazzling 煙花 (yān huā) — displays, adding brilliance to the New Year's Eve festivities.

煙花
yān huā
fireworks

03. New Year's Recap & Resolutions

Before stepping into the new year, it's good to reflect on the past year's experiences, learn from them, and set goals for the upcoming year:

年末回顧
nián mò huí gù
year-end review; recap

The New Year is a time for a fresh beginning when people worldwide make new plans and set goals, known as New Year's resolutions.

小目標(biāo)
xiǎo mù biāo
resolution
(lit. "small-goal")

定小目標(biāo)
dìng xiǎo mù biāo
to set New Year's resolutions

What are your resolutions for 2024?

2024年，我要___________________。
2024 nián, wǒ yào…
In 2024, I will…

Source: That's Mandarin
Editor: wanwan