Chinese word

除夕

Pronunciation

Pinyinchú xī

Meaning

  • nounChinese New Year's Eve

Example

我们在除夕和家人一起吃年夜饭。wǒ men zài chú xī hé jiā rén yì qǐ chī nián yè fàn

We have New Year's Eve dinner with our family on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Illustration for 除夕 (Chinese New Year's Eve)

More examples

街上很多人在除夕前后买年货准备过年。jiē shàng hěn duō rén zài chú xī qián hòu mǎi nián huò zhǔn bèi guò nián

Many people buy New Year goods on the streets before and after Chinese New Year's Eve to prepare for the Spring Festival.

Core concept

The family-centered night that seals the old lunar year and opens the new one.

Common phrases

  • 除夕吃年夜饭chú xī chī nián yè fàn

    have a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner

  • 除夕守岁chú xī shǒu suì

    stay up through Chinese New Year's Eve

  • 除夕贴春联chú xī tiē chūn lián

    put up Spring Festival couplets on Chinese New Year's Eve

Similar words

除夕夜chú xī yè: The evening and nighttime period of Chinese New Year's Eve.
春节前夜chūn jié qián yè: The night immediately before the Spring Festival begins.
年夜饭nián yè fàn: The special dinner that families share on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Definition in Chinese

指旧历一年的最后一夜，标志旧年结束与新年开始的前夕，许多家庭在此夜团聚并举行年夜饭和守岁等活动。zhǐ jiù lì yì nián de zuì hòu yí yè biāo zhì jiù nián jié shù yǔ xīn nián kāi shǐ de qián xī xǔ duō jiā tíng zài cǐ yè tuán jù bìng jǔ xíng nián yè fàn hé shǒu suì děng huó dòng

Word origin

In 除夕 (chúxī, "Chinese New Year's Eve"), 除 (chú, "to get rid of or finish") joins 夕 (xī, "evening") to identify the final evening before the lunar year changes.

Usage tips

  • In everyday questions, 除夕 (chúxī, "Chinese New Year's Eve") can be followed by 怎么过 (zěnme guò, "how to spend it") to ask about plans for that evening rather than the whole New Year season.

Opposites

  • 正月初一zhēng yuè chū yīthe first day of the lunar new yearnoun

Related words

  • 除夕夜chú xī yèthe night of Chinese New Year's Evenoun

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