正月十五元宵节，也被称为“上元节”。吃元宵，赏花灯，猜灯谜，这些都是正月十五不可或缺的传统习俗。
元宵节起源于汉代，那时人们把正月还叫“元月”，把夜晚叫“宵”，元宵节也因此得名。在这一天，无论是吃元宵还是汤圆，都有团圆美好之意。
而在古代，元宵节还是中国的“情人节”，诗词里的元宵节，充满了浪漫色彩。
那么“元宵节”用英语怎么说？
元宵节
Lantern Festival
Lantern 是"灯笼"的意思，元宵节有灯展，猜灯谜，老外根据这一特色，称元宵节为
“灯笼节”，Lantern Festival，
也可以说：Chinese Lantern Festival
TheLantern Festival is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth dayof the first month in the lunisolar year in the lunar calendar markingthe last day of the lunar New Year celebration.
元宵节是中国的传统节日。每年的阴历一月十五日是元宵节，阳历则在二月或三月，它也是阴历新年庆祝活动的最后一天。
lunar 美 ['lunɚ] 农历
lunisolar 美 [,lʊnɪ'solɚ] 日与月的；由于日月的引力的
calendar美 ['kæləndɚ] 日历
lunar calendar 阴历
元宵节又称上元节、小正月、元夕或灯节，是春节之后的第一个重要节日。这个节日的由来也是很有历史渊源呢。
相传汉文帝为庆祝周勃于正月十五勘平诸吕之乱，每逢此夜，必出宫游玩，与民同乐，在古代，夜同宵，正月又称元月，汉文帝就将正月十五定为元宵节。
元宵、汤圆
元宵、汤圆用英语怎么说？
咱们吃的“元宵”直接读作 Yuanxiao，而汤圆的英文就是 Tangyuan，可以说是非常简单直白了。
另外还有一种复杂一点的表达：
汤圆在英语里也用 dumplings 表示，饺子、包子，汤圆等外面有皮包着，里面有馅儿的中式点心都能统称 dumplings。
元宵/汤圆：
rice dumplings
rice balls
sweet dumplings
dumpling balls
Tangyuanis a Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a smallamount of water to form balls，which is filled with fillings. And thencooked and served in boiling water or sweet syrup.
汤圆是一种中国甜点，将糯米粉与少量水搓成球，放上馅儿然后在沸水或甜糖浆中煮食。
元宵节习俗
Eating Yuanxiao
吃元宵
Peoplewill eat yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, on the Lantern Festival, so it isaslo called the “Yuanxiao Festival”, Yuanxiao also has another name,tangyuan. It is small dumpling balls made of glutionous rice with rosepetals, sesame, bean paste, walnut meat, dried fruit, sugar and edibleoil as filling. Tangyuan can be boiled, fried or steamed. It tastessweet and has the meaning of reunion. So people eat them to denoteunion, harmony and happiness for the family.
民间过元宵节都会吃元宵。元宵由糯米制成，或实心，或带馅，馅有豆沙、白糖、山楂、各类果料等。食用时煮、炸、蒸皆可。起初，人们把这种食物叫作“浮圆子”，后来又叫汤团或汤圆，这些名称与“团圆”字音相近，取团圆之意，象征全家人团团圆圆和睦幸福。
Guessing lantern riddles
猜灯谜
"Guessinglantern riddles"is an essential part of the Festival. Lantern ownerswrite riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. Ifvisitors have solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out andgo to the lantern owners to check their answer. If they are right, theywill get a little gift. The activity emerged during people's enjoymentof lanterns in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
猜灯谜也是元宵节活动的一个基本组成部分。灯笼的所有者将谜语写在一张纸条上，然后将纸条展示在灯笼上。如果赏灯者猜出谜语，就将纸条取出，然后找灯笼所有者确认答案。答对的话，可以领取一份小礼品。这个活动起源于宋朝(960—1279)。
Watch fireworks 看烟火
a dragon lantern dance 耍龙灯
lion / dragon lantern dancing 舞龙/舞狮
land boat dancing 划旱船
yangko/yangge dance 扭秧歌
walking on stilts 踩高跷
exhibit of lanterns 灯会
play couplets game 对对联
生查子•元夕
Tune: "Mountain Hawthorn"
欧阳修
去年元夜时，花市灯如昼。
月上柳梢头，人约黄昏后。
今年元夜时，月与灯依旧。
不见去年人，泪湿春衫袖。
Last year on this moonlit spring night，
Lanterns in Flower Fair were bright.
The moon rose above the willow tree
At dusk he had a tryst with me.
This year on the same moonlit night,
The moon and lanterns are as bright.
Where is my beloved of last year?
My sleeves are wet with tear on tear.
青玉案•元夕
Tune: "Green Jade Cup"
Latern Festival
辛弃疾
东风夜放花千树，更吹落，星如雨。
宝马雕车香满路，凤萧声动，
玉壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。
蛾儿雪柳黄金缕，笑语盈盈暗香去。
众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首，
那人却在，灯火阑珊处。
One night's east wind adorns a thousand trees with flowers
And blows down stars in showers.
Fine steeds and carved cabs spread fragrance en route,
Music vibrates from the flute,
The moon sheds its full light
While fish and dragon lanterns dance all night.
In gold-thread dress, with moth or willow ornaments,
Giggling, they melt into the throng with trails of scents.
But in the crowd once and again
I look for her in vain.
When all at once I turn my head,
I find her there where lantern light is dimly shed.