文：Denise Peng
華人最重要的紅包何用節日便是新年，不過如果要跟老外介紹我們的鞭炮農曆新年，你會說嗎？
比如吃團圓飯、團圓打麻將的飯打英文怎麼講？春聯、紅包、麻將鞭炮又怎麼說？年獸的⋯⋯故事更是值得跟外國朋友們分享一番，今天就一次學起來吧！英文
先來看看這部影片怎麼用聖誕歌曲唱出我們的介紹新年：
新年相關單字
- Chinese New Year’s Eve 除夕夜
- red envelopes/ red packets 紅包
- reunion dinner 團圓飯
- firecrackers 鞭炮
- dragon dance 舞龍舞獅
- lantern 燈籠
- ask the gods for a prophecy 求神問卜
- spring rolls 春捲
- steamed fish 蒸魚
- incense 香
- play mahjong 打麻將
- worship ancestors 祭祖
- spring couplet couplet 春聯
What’s Chinese New Year?（中國新年是什麼？）
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is an important traditional Chinese holiday.
中國新年，也就是農曆春節，是新年很重要的中國節日。
Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year’s Eve,紅包何用 the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar.
傳統上，中國新年慶祝活動從除夕開始到元宵節結束，鞭炮也就是團圓農曆十二月最後一天到新年的一月十五號，所以中國新年是飯打農曆當中最長的節日。
The麻將 origin of Chinese New Year and Mythology.（中國新年的起源與傳說）
According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with a mythical beast called Nian. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people.
上古傳說，中國新年起源於一種叫「年」的野獸，年獸總是在新年第一天出沒，年獸十分兇殘會吃掉牲畜、作物，甚至是村民還有小孩子，為了躲避年，村民新年會在門前放食物，因為傳說年會吃掉他們準備的食物，就不會攻擊人們了。
One day a villager decided to take action. A god visited him and told him to put red paper on his house and to place firecrackers in front. The villagers then understood that Nian was afraid of the color red. When the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to scare Nian away. From then on, Nian never came to the village again. Nian was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk and became his mount.
有一天，有人打算報復年獸，神明便拜訪這位村民，並叫他準備紅紙還有鞭炮。村民們便了解年獸雖猛，但懼怕紅色、火光和巨響。年獸要來的時候，家家戶戶掛起紅燈籠，在門口和窗上貼紅春聯，放炮竹以嚇走年獸，從此之後，年獸就不趕再靠近，年獸最後還是被道士洪鈞老祖抓起來，並成為洪鈞老祖的坐騎。
What We Do on Chinese New Year. （新年要幹嘛？）
The evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.
新年的前一天，家人團聚一起吃一年一度的團圓飯。
It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly clean the house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune and to make way for incoming good luck.
另一項傳統則是大掃除，徹底打掃家裡，掃去惡運，迎接好運。
Windows and doors will be decorated with red paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “good fortune”, “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity.”
窗上和門上則會貼上紅紙，還有對句，上面寫著常見的好運、快樂、財富、長壽等吉祥話。
Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.
其他活動包括放鞭炮，還有發紅包。
延伸閱讀
- 年終職場英文大彙整：尾牙、年假、年終獎金怎麼說？
- 恭喜發財，紅包拿來！十句讓你紅包拿不完的英文吉祥話
本文經VoiceTube看影片學英語授權刊登，原文發表於此
責任編輯：游家權
核稿編輯：翁世航