HSK Level 1

新年

xīn nián

new year

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Example Sentences

新年快乐!

Xīn nián kuài lè!

Happy New Year!

新年好!

Xīn nián hǎo!

Happy New Year!

春节快乐!

Chūn jié kuài lè!

Happy Spring Festival!

Synonyms

元旦 (yuándàn)

New Year's Day

春节 (chūnjié)

Spring Festival

农历新年 (nónglì xīnnián)

Lunar New Year

Antonyms

旧年 (jiùnián)

old year

去年 (qùnián)

last year

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 新年 (xīnnián) is composed of two characters: 新 (xīn), meaning "new," and 年 (nián), meaning "year." The word 新年 is therefore literally translated as "new year."The character 新 (xīn) is composed of two parts: 日 (rì), meaning "sun," and 生 (shēng), meaning "to be born." The character 新 therefore literally means "a new day," and figuratively means "new."The character 年 (nián) is composed of two parts: 禾 (hé), meaning "rice," and 稔 (rěn), meaning "ripe." The character 年 therefore literally means "a year of ripe rice," and figuratively means "year."The word 新年 (xīnnián) is therefore a compound word that literally means "a new year of ripe rice," and figuratively means "new year."