Chinese word

嘉年华

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiā nián huá

Meaning

  • nouncarnival

Example

市中心今天有个嘉年华。shì zhōng xīn jīn tiān yǒu gè jiā nián huá

There is a carnival downtown today.

Illustration for 嘉年华 (carnival)

More examples

游客们在嘉年华的游行中拍照。yóu kè men zài jiā nián huá de yóu xíng zhōng pāi zhào

Tourists are taking pictures during the carnival parade.

Core concept

A lively public celebration built around shared entertainment, parades, music, stalls, or themed activities, sometimes presented as a branded event.

Common phrases

  • 参加嘉年华cān jiā jiā nián huá

    attend a carnival

  • 举办嘉年华jǔ bàn jiā nián huá

    host a carnival

Similar words

狂欢节kuáng huān jié: A large celebration known for costumes, dancing, music, and joyful crowds.
节日jié rì: A day that a country or region sets aside for celebration or a break from work.
游行yóu xíng: An organized street procession with bands, groups, or performers moving in formation.
庆典qìng diǎn: A formal event arranged to mark and celebrate an important occasion.

Definition in Chinese

指以游行、舞蹈、音乐和各类摊位为主要内容的庆祝性活动，也常作为活动名称或商业推广的项目名zhǐ yǐ yóu xíng wú dǎo yīn yuè hé gè lèi tān wèi wéi zhǔ yào nèi róng de qìng zhù xìng huó dòng yě cháng zuò wéi huó dòng míng chēng huò shāng yè tuī guǎng de xiàng mù míng

Word origin

嘉年华 (jiāniánhuá, "carnival") is a sound-based borrowing of English carnival, with characters chosen chiefly for pronunciation while suggesting good fortune, the year, and splendor.

Usage tips

  • 嘉年华 (jiāniánhuá, "carnival") often appears after 有 (yǒu, "have") or 去 (qù, "go"), while 参加 (cānjiā, "attend") highlights taking part rather than simply going there.

Other meanings

  • festivalnoun
  • fairnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word