Chinese festivals follow a mix of lunar dates, solar terms and modern national holidays, so the English names alone are not enough. Learn the Chinese name, when it falls and the greeting that is actually used.
Festival names and dates
Most traditional festivals follow the lunar calendar, which means their Gregorian date changes every year. 农历 (nónglì) means the lunar calendar and 公历 (gōnglì) means the Gregorian calendar.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 春节 | Chūnjié | Spring Festival / Chinese New Year | Lunar month 1, day 1 |
| 元宵节 | Yuánxiāojié | Lantern Festival | Lunar month 1, day 15 |
| 清明节 | Qīngmíngjié | Qingming / Tomb-Sweeping Day | Around 4–5 April |
| 端午节 | Duānwǔjié | Dragon Boat Festival | Lunar month 5, day 5 |
| 七夕节 | Qīxījié | Qixi / Chinese Valentine’s Day | Lunar month 7, day 7 |
| 中元节 | Zhōngyuánjié | Ghost Festival | Lunar month 7, day 15 |
| 中秋节 | Zhōngqiūjié | Mid-Autumn Festival | Lunar month 8, day 15 |
| 重阳节 | Chóngyángjié | Double Ninth Festival | Lunar month 9, day 9 |
| 除夕 | Chúxī | Lunar New Year’s Eve | Last day of the lunar year |
国庆节 (Guóqìngjié, National Day) is a modern public holiday on 1 October in Mainland China. Public holidays, work schedules and regional observances differ across Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and overseas communities, so check the local calendar rather than assuming one shared schedule.
Everyday greetings by festival
节日快乐 (happy festival) works as a general greeting, but several festivals have preferred phrases. Using the right one sounds more natural than translating “happy” into every context.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 新年好 | xīnnián hǎo | New Year |
| 恭喜发财 | gōngxǐ fācái | Spring Festival, often with 红包 |
| 元宵节快乐 | Yuánxiāojié kuàilè | Lantern Festival |
| 端午安康 | Duānwǔ ānkāng | Dragon Boat Festival |
| 中秋快乐 | Zhōngqiū kuàilè | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 重阳节快乐 | Chóngyángjié kuàilè | Double Ninth Festival |
端午安康 (wishing you health and safety at Dragon Boat Festival) is widely used because the festival carries associations with health and protection. 端午快乐 is also used in casual settings, but 安康 is the more common choice in many communities. When in doubt, 安康 is a safe option.
Talking about the Spring Festival
Spring Festival is the most important family holiday in many Chinese-speaking communities. 过年 means to celebrate the New Year, 团圆 means family reunion and 年夜饭 is the New Year’s Eve dinner. 红包 (red envelope) and 压岁钱 (New Year money for children) are common gift words.
The holiday period is long: 除夕 is New Year’s Eve, 初一 is the first day and 正月 is the first lunar month. 拜年 means to visit or greet people for the New Year, and 春运 refers to the heavy travel period around the holiday. The 15th day closes the season with 元宵节.
Food words tied to festivals
Food names are part of the vocabulary of each festival: 饺子 dumplings and 年糕 rice cake at Spring Festival, 汤圆 or 元宵 at Lantern Festival, 粽子 at Dragon Boat Festival and 月饼 at Mid-Autumn Festival.
What is eaten varies by region and family. 汤圆 and 元宵 are both associated with Lantern Festival, but they are made differently, and the preferred one depends on the region. 粽子 fillings differ between sweet and savoury traditions, and 月饼 has many regional styles.
Wishes and blessing phrases
Many festival phrases are wishes rather than descriptions. 万事如意 means may everything go as you wish, 岁岁平安 means peace year after year and 身体健康 means good health. These express goodwill; they are not guarantees of outcomes.
For a specific festival, combine the festival name with a short wish: 中秋快乐，阖家团圆 (happy Mid-Autumn, may your family be reunited). 阖家 means the whole family and is a formal, warm choice for cards and messages.
Common mistakes to check
- Assuming traditional festivals fall on the same Gregorian date each year.
- Using 节日快乐 for every festival when a specific greeting sounds more natural.
- Confusing 元宵 (a Lantern Festival food) with 汤圆 in every region.
- Treating 恭喜发财 as suitable for every occasion; it is tied to New Year and prosperity.
- Assuming holidays and vacation dates are the same across all Chinese-speaking regions.
- Using a blessing phrase as a promise of health, wealth or safety.