春节快到了，该怎样向外国的朋友们介绍春节和春节习俗呢？今天就为大家整理了一些干货，见到外国朋友，就不怕没什么好说的啦~
英语·传统文化
春节是什么？
The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West.
The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.
Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. Most people will have a week off , thus, this time is known as golden week.
春季是每年农历正月初一，通常比公历新年要晚一个月。它起源于殷商时期年头岁尾的民间祭祖活动。
严格来讲，春节不只是一天的庆祝，而是从农历的12月底到新年的正月十五，不过最重要的几天当属除夕夜和新年头三天。春节是法定假日，大家一般都会放七天假，又叫做黄金周。
春联 Spring Festival couplets
剪纸 paper-cuts
灯笼 lantern: a portable light
烟花 fireworks
爆竹 firecrackers
红包 red packets
守岁 staying-up
禁忌 taboo
去晦气 get rid of the misfortune
辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year
祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestor
2、春节传说——The legend of "nian"
Today, lunar new year is filled with happiness.
今天，农历新年充满了幸福。
But according to Legend, it didn't start out that way.
但是，根据传说，一开始并不是这样的。
A long long time ago in China, there was a big, scary, nasty beast named "nian" whose name means year, he had razor sharp teeth, giant claws and a really mean growl.
很久以前，有一个巨大的，可怕的，肮脏的野兽叫“年”，他有锋利的剃刀般牙齿，巨大的爪子和可怕的咆哮声。
Most of the time he lived in the wilderness, but on the darkest night of the year, when the new moon was in the sky, he would sneak into the village and scary everyone in sight, even the animals.
People dreaded the new moon for many many years.
人们害怕新月有很多很多年了。
Until a wise man taught them, the three things "nian" was afraid of: loud noises, fire, and the color red.
直到有一天，一个智者教给人们，“年”害怕几种东西：巨大的噪音，火和红色。
The next time "nian" came, the villagers fought back, they hit their drums as loud as they could, let every firecracker they had and wore the color red from head to toe.
下一次“年”来的时候，村民们进行了反击，他们尽可能大声地击鼓，燃放所有的鞭炮，从头到脚都穿着红色的衣服。
"Nian" ran far away and never came back.
“年”跑得很远，再也没有回来。
After that, the people started celebrating the new moon instead of fearing it.
从那以后，人们开始庆祝新月，而不是只有恐惧。
That celebration became a 15-day festival of family food and good fortune called lunar new year.
庆祝节日变成了为期15天的家庭聚餐和好运的节日，也就是农历新年。
3、传统美食——Traditional food
Today, lunar new year brings families together all over the world. In fact, billions of people travel back to their homes and families in China to feast on a delicious reunion dinner with plates and plates of homemade food. Many of the foods like egg rolls, noodles and shrimp mean something special. Egg rolls symbolize well for the coming year because they look like bars of solid gold. Chao mian noodles shoudn't be cut because long noodles symbolize health for a long life. Shrimp symbolized happiness because the Mandarin words for "shrimp" and "smile" sound very similar.
现在春节让家人们团聚在一起，不管你在世界的哪个角落。很多人会回到中国的家里和家人一起吃一盘盘家常的团圆饭。许多食物都有特别的寓意，比如蛋卷，面条和虾。蛋卷象征着来年的财富，因为它们看起来像金条。长命面不能切断，因为长的面条寓意健康长寿。虾代表着快乐，因为普通话里的“虾”和“笑”听起来很像。
4、节日活动——Festival activities
As part of the festivities, lucky red envelopes called "hongbao" are passed out to children as well as unmarried adults. In Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes luck. In order to receive the red envelopes, well wishes are given to the elders. "Thank you grandpa!" Money is inside each envelope to bring prosperity and good fortune in the coming year. During all 15 days of lunar new year, it is a time to reflect on the passing year, and celebrate the future. Bright fireworks light up the sky, and huge parades line the streets until the final day of the new year's celebration--the Lantern Festival. When thousands of red lanterns glow in the night to bring good fortune to all.
作为节日的一部分，会有红包发给小孩以及未婚的成年人。在中国文化中，红色象征幸运，为了得到红包，小孩会给长者送上美好的祝福。红包里塞着钱，希望给来年带来繁荣和好运。春节的15天，是回顾去年以及庆祝未来的好时候。明亮的烟火点亮了天空，巨大的人群涌动在街头，直到庆典的最后一天。元宵节，千万盏灯笼照亮黑夜，为大家带来好运。
People make dumplings with lucky coins inside on New Year's Eve.
除夕夜，人们在包饺子的时候会放硬币。
5、春晚各类节目的英文说法
小品 comedy sketch
相声 cross talk、stand-up comedy、comic dialogue
双簧 Comedy Duo，two-man comic show
杂技 acrobatics
魔术 magic show
独唱 solo
合唱 chorus
戏曲 Chinese opera
京剧 Peking Opera
昆曲 Kunqu Opera
越剧 Yue Opera
黄梅戏 Huangmei Opera
歌舞song and dance
压轴戏grand finale
6、十二生肖——Chinese zodiac
Every lunar new year is always represented by one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac chosen by the jade emperor of China centuries and centureis ago. According to legend, a long time ago in China, the jade emperor held a great race. The 1st 12 animals to reach his palace would be the winners. And they would each get a year named after them in their honor. During the race, the ox was winning until he had to cross a rushing river. The rat was right behind him, and couldn't swim very well. So the kind ox let the rat ride on his back. As soon as they got to the other side, the rat jumped off and scurried to the finish line to win the race 1st! That's why the first year in the Chinese zodiac calendar is the year of the rat. 11 other animals reach the palace to create the 12 year cycle of the Chiense zodiac.
每个春节都由很久以前玉皇大帝选出来的12个动物之一和生肖来代表。据传说，很久以前在中国，玉皇大帝举行了一次盛大的赛跑，首先到达天宫的12个动物则为胜者。会有一年以它们命名。赛跑中，牛就要赢了，直到要过一条湍急的河，在它后面的老鼠不太会游泳，好心的牛就让老鼠骑在它的背上。它们一到达河的另一边，老鼠就跳起来冲向了终点赢得赛跑，所以中国黄道日历里的第一年是鼠年。另外11个动物到达天宫，形成了12年一循环的生肖。
It's said that the animal your birth year is named after can shape your perosnality and destiny. You might be honest like a dragon, or smart like a monkey! When your animal takes its turn in the zodiac cycle, legend has it that your year will be full of surprises! But no matter which animal you are, everyone is excited to honor these ancient traditions, even in modern new year's celebrations.
据说你的生肖能决定你的个性和命运。你可能会像龙一样正直，或者像猴子一样聪明。当你的本命年来临时，据说那一年会充满惊喜。但不管你属什么，每个人都爱遵守这些古老的传统，在现代的春节庆典中依然如此。
7、春节诗词——Poem of the Festival
New Year's Day《元日》
Wang Anshi 王安石
Amid the boom of firecrackers a year has come to an end,
爆竹声中一岁除，
And the spring wind has wafted warm breath to the wine.
春风送暖入屠苏。
While the rising sun shines over each and every household,
千门万户曈曈日，
People would put up new peachwood charm for the old.
总把新桃换旧符。
8、新年祝愿——New Year wishes
岁岁平安 Everlasting peace year after year
恭喜发财 Wishing you prosperity
吉祥如意 Everything goes well
一帆风顺 Wishing you every success
步步高升 Promoting to a higher position
和气生财 Harmony brings wealth
心想事成 May all your wishes come true
财源广进 Treasures fill the home
吉星高照 Good luck in the year ahead.
家和万事兴 Harmony brings wealth
国家富强、人民安康
The country flourishes and people live in peace
New Years Eve is coming. Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions?
新年就要到了，你许下新年愿望了吗？
My top New Year’s resolution is making progress in language study.
我的头号新年愿望是在语言学习上有进步。
May all your New Year’s resolutions/ wishes come true.
祝愿你新的一年心想事成！
Let’s make several resolutions for the coming year.
让我们许下新年愿望吧！
春节传统风俗
1、Spring Cleaning
大扫除
“Dust”（尘）is homophonic with “chen”（陈）in Chinese, which means old and past. In this way, “sweeping the dust” before the Spring Festival means a thorough cleaning of houses to sweep away bad luck in the past year. Chinese People believe that in order to receive the new luck, you have to swipe the bad luck. All the cleaning has to be done before the end of New Year’s Eve, that’s what Chinese people always called “Ci Jiu Ying Xin”: saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new.
“Dust” 与“尘”是谐音（尘在汉语中的意思是旧的和过去的）。这样，“在春节前扫尘”是指彻底清洁房屋扫除过去闰年的厄运。勤劳勇敢的中国人民相信，只有把旧的坏运气赶走了，才能迎接美好新生活。所有的大扫除必须要在除夕夜之前完成，干干净净整整齐齐迎接新年，就是我们常说的辞旧迎新。
2、Paper Cut
贴窗花
After the thoroughly clean up, people will paste paper-cut decorations on the windows and doors. Paper-cuts, usually with auspicious patterns, give a happy and prosperous atmosphere of the Festival and express the good wishes of Chinese people looking forward to a good life. It is common for Chinese to paste the character “fu（福）”, big and small, on walls, doors and doorposts around the houses. “Fu（福）” shows people’s yearning toward a good life. Some people’s yearning toward a good life. Some people even invert the character “Fu（福）” to signify that blessing has arrived because “inverted” is a homonym for “arrive” in Chinese.
在大扫除之后，大家会在家中门窗上贴上窗花。通常带有吉祥图案的窗花，传递节日喜庆和执闹的气氛和表达中国人期待幸福生活的美好愿望。除了贴窗花，在墙上，门上和房子周围的门框上巾大小福字是中国人表达对美好生活渴望的普遍习俗。一些人甚至倒贴福字来表示福到了，因为在汉语中“倒”是“到”的谐音。
3、Spring Couplet
贴春联
“The Spring Couplet”, also called “couplet” and “a pair of antithetical phrases”, is a special form of literature in China. The Spring Couplet is composed of two antithetical sentences on both sides of the door and a horizontal scroll bearing an inion, usually an auspicious phrase, above the gate. Whether the family is rich or poor, educated or ignorant, everyone must put on the Spring Couplet to symbolize the hopes for the coming new year.
“春联”或“对联”对立在中国是一种特殊的文学形式。春联是由贴在门口两侧两组对仗的句子组成，在门上面的横批通常是一个吉祥的短语。不论是大富大贵还是贫困潦倒，学富五车还是乡野村夫，每家每户都要在新年时门前贴春联，以寄托对新年的美好祝愿。
4、Family Reunion Dinner
年夜团圆饭
The Spring Festival is a time for the Chinese to have family reunion, on Chinese New Year’s Eve (Chu Xi), the whole family must sit at the table to eat the New Year’s Supper together. This meal is usually made from scratch with the entire family working together, and this meal is usually the most sumptuous meal of the year. In the New Year’s Supper, it is essential that some dishes contain the family wishes for the New Year.
春节是一个合家团圆的日子，在除夕夜，全家都合家团圆一起共享除夕大餐。这顿饭通常是全家总动员，每个人都要参与，也通常是一年之中最丰盛美味的一餐。在年夜饭中，有一些美好象征意义的美食是必备的
年糕，or the New Year’s Cake, is very common in Southern China, it Is made of sticky rice. In Chinese, niangao sounds like “getting higher year by year”. In Chinese people’s mind, the higher you are, the more prosperous your business is.
年糕在中文的发音里意味着年年高升。因此中国人总认为，如果一个人地位较高，其财富就越多。
饺子，or the stuffed Dumpling, is a very common Northern Chinese Dish, Chinese dumplings look like silver ingots. Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during New Year celebration, the more money you can make in the New Year. Ehen making these dumplings, coins and pennies are usually put into selected few, those lucky family members that happen to eat those special dumplings are believed to have special good fortune in the upcoming year.
饺子的开关酷似一个元宝，并且在传统观念里认为饺子吃得越多，那么来年钱就挣得越多。在做饺子的时候，人们喜欢在一些饺子里放上硬币，吃到硬币的幸运儿就意味着来年会有特殊的好运。
5、Firecrackers
放鞭炮
Lighting Firecrackers used to be one of the most important customs in the Spring Festival celebration. However, concerning the danger and the negative noises that lighting firecrackers may bring, the government has banned this practice in many major cities. But people in small towns and rural areas still hold to this traditional celebration. Right as the clock strike 12 o’ clock midnight of New Year’s Eve, cities and towns are lit up with the glitter from fireworks, and the sound can be deafening.
放鞭炮曾是春节庆祝活动中最重要的习俗之一。然而，担心燃放鞭炮可能会带来危险和烦人的噪音，政府已在许多大城市下令禁止燃放鞭炮。但在小城镇和地区的人们仍然坚持这种传统的庆祝活动。除夕夜一旦撞响午夜12点钟，城市和乡镇都被烟花的闪闪光芒映亮，鞭炮声震耳欲聋。
6、Red Packet/ Lucky Money
红包/压岁钱
Children love Spring Festival because they can receive red packet! A red packet is simply a red envelope with lucky money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. In traditional Chinese cultural, red is considered a lucky color, red packet is believed to ward off evial spirits and to bring good fortune to the receiver. Traditionally, older generations give the red packet to the younger generation. Nowadays, this practice extends to close friends, neighbors, and even some companies give away year