The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit begins on Sunday 22 January 2023 and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on 5 February 2023.
Each year is represented by one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac – including the Rooster, Rabbit, Snake, and Dragon, among others. The Chinese zodiac has a 12-year cycle, so the previous Years of the Rabbit were 2011, 1999, and 1987.
Each animal is also assigned an element – metal, earth, wood, water, or fire. 2023’s Rabbit will be a Water Rabbit. The sign of the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
Greetings
Below are some common greetings used during Chinese New Year:
How to say best wishes in Chinese for the year of the Rabbit 2023
Best wishes specifically for the Year of the Rabbit:
Too nian da ji - Good luck to the year of the Rabbit
兔年大吉
Too nian kuwai lur - Happy year of the Rabbit to you
兔年快乐
(you have probably already figured out that ‘rabbit’ is pronounced as ‘tu’ in Chinese, so same as ‘too’ in English)
Best wishes for every Chinese New Year:
Jin yu man tang- May you have gold and jade filling the hall (abundant wealth; abundance of knowledge)
金玉满堂
Swi swi ping an - May you have peace year after year
岁岁平安
Nian nian you yu- (may you) have abundance year after year / (an auspicious saying for the Lunar New Year)
年年有余
Chun jaye kuwai lur - Happy Chinese lunar new year (most commonly used among Chinese)
春节快乐
Wan shi ru yi - All the best wishes to you
万事如意
Gong shi fa tsai - Wish you great fortune
恭喜发财
Shiao co chang kai – Wish you smile every day
笑口常开
Shin ti jian kang- Wish you good health
身体健康
Yi fan feng shun - Wish you a smooth and happy year
一帆风顺
See if you can spot any of these phrases being used in our staff greeting video below.....
How to celebrate...
Hong bao, red envelope with cash
Traditionally, older Chinese distribute money in paper red packets to younger people during the Lunar New Year to pass on good fortune, such as from adults to children, from married adults to unmarried ones in the family, from employers to employees, or simply among friends. Nowadays, sending electronic "Hongbao," or red packets via WeChat, has become a "modern tradition".
National Spring Gala
This is a must-watch show that broadcasts from 8 p.m. to midnight on Chinese New Year's Eve. It is a mix of comedy acts, songs and dance, acrobatics and magic, representing the highest level of entertainment by top-notch performers.
Dumplings
Dumplings for Chinese New Year are like turkeys for Christmas. It’s a very festive dish at the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve. Making dumplings together is a bonding moment where families catch up and reflect on what happened in the past year.
Events
The School of EEECS is holding a Chinese New Year Celebration event on Friday 20th January. If you can, why not come along for some delicious cake?
Events in Liverpool
https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/cny/
Events in Chester
https://www.visitcheshire.com/whats-on/chinese-new-year-in-chester-p300871
Finally, to everyone celebrating, the School of EEECS wishes you
兔年大吉.