What Is the Lunar New Year?
什么是农历新年？
On February 10, Asian American communities around the world will ring in the Year of the Dragon. Some Lunar New Year celebrations will be public, like parades and fireworks. But, families will also gather for private parties.
2月10日，全球的亚裔美国社区将迎来龙年春节。一些农历新年庆祝活动将公开举行，如游行和烟花表演。但家庭成员也将聚集一堂，共度私人聚会。
What is the Lunar New Year?
什么是农历新年？
The Lunar New Year is a major holiday in several Asian countries. And people celebrate over several days or even weeks.
农历新年是多个亚洲国家的重要节日，人们会庆祝数天甚至数周之久。
It is called the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea.
在中国，它被称为春节，在越南称为Tết，而在韩国则称为Seollal。
The holiday begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. Because the holiday is based on the moon, it falls somewhere between the end of January and the end of February.
假期从农历的第一个新月开始，结束于15天后的第一个满月。由于这个节日是根据月亮的变化设置的，因此它通常落在一月底到二月底之间的某一时段。
The lunar calendar is based on 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In the Vietnamese zodiac, the cat replaces the rabbit and the buffalo is in place of the ox. For 2024, it is the year of the dragon for both.
农历基于中国十二生肖的十二种动物：鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗和猪。在越南生肖中，猫取代了兔子的位置，而水牛则替代了牛的位置。到了2024年，对于两者来说都是龙年。
What are some traditions around the Lunar New Year?
农历新年周围有哪些传统习俗？
One well-known ancient story speaks of Nian, a terrible monster that eats human flesh on New Year’s Day. But Nian has some fears that weaken him. He fears the color red, loud noises and fire. So, Lunar New Year activities include putting up red paper dragons on the doors of homes. People also burn red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to chase away the monster.
一则广为人知的古代传说讲述了一个名叫年的恐怖怪兽，它在新年第一天会吃人的肉。但年有一些令它畏惧的事物使它力量削弱：它害怕红色、巨大的声响以及火焰。因此，在农历新年的活动中，人们会在家门上挂起红色的纸龙。整夜，人们还会燃烧红灯笼，并放鞭炮以驱赶这个怪物。
To this day, the Lunar New Year celebration is centered on removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and successful. Red is considered a lucky color to ring in a new year. In many Asian cultures, the color symbolizes a good future and joy. People wear red clothing, decorate their homes with red paper lanterns and use red envelopes to present loved ones with gifts of money. Gambling and playing traditional games are common during Lunar New Year among celebrants around the world.
直到今天，农历新年庆祝活动的核心仍在于驱除霉运、迎接所有美好与成功的象征。红色被认为是新年的吉祥颜色。在许多亚洲文化中，这种颜色象征着美好的未来和欢乐。人们身着红色服装，在家中装饰以红纸灯笼，并使用红包向亲朋赠送金钱礼物。在全球范围内的庆祝者中，赌博和玩传统游戏是农历新年期间的常见习俗。
Ancestor worship is also common during this time. Many Korean families take part in a ceremony called “charye.” Female family members prepare food and male members serve it to ancestors. The final act involves the entire family sharing a meal and asking for help from their ancestors for the coming year.
在这个时期，祖先崇拜也很普遍。许多韩国家庭会参加一种称为“昌礼”的仪式。女性家庭成员准备食物，而男性成员则将食物奉献给祖先。最后的环节是全家一起共享这顿饭，并向祖先祈求来年 assistance。
Vietnamese culture holds a similar tradition. People cook traditional dishes and place them on a home altar in honor of their ancestors.
越南文化也有着类似的传统。人们会烹制传统菜肴，并将其摆放在家庭祭坛上，以敬奉他们的祖先。
How do diaspora communities celebrate?
流散群体如何庆祝？
Members of Asian American communities around the U.S. also organize parades, parties and other events around the Lunar New Year. Lion and dragon dances are common, as are fireworks, traditional food and cultural performances. People do special cleanings of their homes and decorate using orchids and other brightly colored flowers.
美国各地的亚裔美国人社区成员也会在农历新年期间组织游行、派对和其他活动。舞狮和舞龙是常见的庆祝项目，烟花、传统美食以及文化表演同样不可或缺。人们会进行特别的家庭大扫除，并用兰花和其他鲜艳色彩的花卉进行装饰。
What are some special foods for the New Year?
新年的特别美食有哪些？
Each culture has its own special foods for New Year celebration, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats.
每个文化都有自己独特的新年庆祝食品，包括饺子、年糕、春卷、橘子、鱼和肉类。
In Chinese culture, for example, “changshou mian” or “long-life noodles” are eaten with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life. Koreans celebrate with “tteokguk,” a soup that contains thinly sliced rice cakes.
例如，在中国文化中，“长寿面”或“长生面”被食用，寓意着对健康长寿、幸福生活的祝愿。韩国人则会通过庆祝活动享用“tteokguk”（打糕汤），这是一种含有薄片米糕的汤。
And Vietnamese culture has “banh chung”, a traditional dish made from rice, mung bean and pork belly. The dish is usually covered with banana leaves, shaped into a square and tied up with strings for steaming.
越南文化中有“バンチョン”（Bánh chung），这是一种传统的由糯米、绿豆和五花肉制成的菜肴。这道菜通常会用香蕉叶包裹，塑造成方形，并用绳子绑紧，以便于蒸煮。
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Words in This Story
文章中的词语
diaspora – n. people settled far from their ancestral homelands
diaspora – n. （名词） 外裔群体或移民社区 – 指远离祖源地的人们在新的地方建立的聚居地或分散分布的人群。
calendar – n. a system for fixing the beginning, length, and divisions of the civil year and arranging days and longer divisions of time (such as weeks and months) in a definite order
日历 – 名词，一种系统，用于确定公历年份的开始、长度以及时间划分（如星期和月份），并按照特定顺序安排日子和更长的时间单位。
monster – n. a strange, frightening and/or horrible creature
怪兽 – 名词，指奇特、令人恐惧或可怕的生物
lantern – n. a usually portable protective case for a light with transparent openings
灯笼 – 名词，通常是一种便携式的灯具保护装置，具有透明开口。
decorate – n. to make more appealing or meaningful by adding something beautiful, symbolic, interesting etc.
装饰 – n. 通过添加美丽、象征性或有趣的事物，使某事物更具吸引力或意义。
altar – n. a table or place which serves as a center of worship or ritual
祭坛 – 名词，指用作礼拜或仪式中心的桌子或场所。
