Happy Chinese New Year 2026 | Traditions & Greetings

Chinese New Year—also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival—is the most important holiday in China and a major celebration across many East and Southeast Asian communities. It’s a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, sharing symbolic foods, and welcoming good fortune for the year ahead.

In this guide, you’ll find the festival’s key traditions and dates, along with essential phrases you can use to wish someone “Happy Chinese New Year” in Mandarin and Cantonese.

What is the Chinese New Year?

The Chinese New Year marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. In China, it is also called Spring Festival, as it signals the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The two-week celebration includes many traditional activities that families and friends enjoy together. The first week is a public holiday, and festivities end with the Lantern Festival, hosted on the 15th day. On this day, people eat rice balls and release lanterns into the sky as a way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new one.

Chinese New Year also marks the transition between zodiac signs, with each year corresponding with a zodiac animal that sets the tone for the rest of the year. For example, 2025 is the year of the Snake, which represents wisdom and transformation. 2026 will be the Year of the Horse, symbolizing vitality, speed, and perseverance.

When is the Chinese New Year 2026?

The date of the Chinese New Year is based on the traditional Chinese calendar, which is lunar-solar, combining solar, lunar, and other cycles.

The holiday falls on the second new moon after the December 21 winter solstice, according to Western calendars. The date changes every year but is always somewhere in the period from January 21 to February 20.

Festivities last up to 16 days, with the first 7 days being public holidays. People normally return to work on the eighth day, as eight is considered the luckiest number.

Chinese New Year 2026 falls on Tuesday, February 17, and celebrations culminate on March 3 (Lantern Festival).

Chinese New Year origins

The origins of the Chinese New Year date back thousands of years and are steeped in myths and legends.

According to Chinese folklore, one of the most popular stories is that of Nian, a lion-like monster that preyed on villagers at the end of every year, destroying livestock, crops, and homes. A wise old man advised the villagers to scare the creature away using loud noises, the color red, and fire. They followed his instructions, Nian was defeated, and from then on, people repeated these practices each New Year’s Eve to keep the monster from returning.

Chinese New Year’s Day is called Guo Nian (过年) in Chinese, which can mean “celebrate (a new) year” or “overcome Nian.” The story also helps explain why red decorations, lanterns, and firecrackers remain so important today; they symbolize driving away bad luck and welcoming a fresh start.

Chinese New Year traditions

Chinese New Year is traditionally a time to visit family and friends, and engage in activities that will bring prosperity and luck in the new year. Although customs vary by region, here are some key practices:

Cleaning.In the days leading up to the beginning of the new lunar year, people thoroughly clean their houses, as it is believed that this will sweep away any bad luck lingering inside. With the negative energy removed, the house is ready to attract positivity and abundance in the new year. This also represents a wish to bid farewell to the old and welcome in the new.

Decorations.Doors and windows are decorated with red lanterns, auspicious phrases, and paper cuttings often featuring the “fu” character (福 “happiness”). Putting up those decorations is thought to keep evil away and attract good luck.

Family dinner.The Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner is called “reunion dinner,” as the extended family sits around the table and enjoys the food and time together. The dinner includes traditional foods with auspicious symbolism, such as yuanxiao (sticky rice balls that symbolize family unity), fagao (prosperity cake), and dumplings (representing wealth).

Giving red envelopes.It is customary for the elders of the family to give children red envelopes filled with money during the New Year. This is to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. The significance of the envelopes is in the red paper, not the money inside, as red symbolizes energy, happiness, and good luck in Chinese culture.

Honoring the ancestors. People show their respect toward past generations by offering them things like food, incense sticks, and tea.

Firecrackers and fireworks. Setting off firecrackers is a traditional way to ward off evil spirits.

Watching lion and dragon dances. Performed throughout the Chinese New Year period, these traditional dances are performed in China and many Western countries to usher in good luck for the upcoming year.

Chinese New Year do’s and don’ts

Since Chinese New Year is all about attracting good luck for the year ahead, there are some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind. In Chinese tradition, how you spend the first day or two of the New Year really matters—it’s believed to set the tone for your luck and happiness all year long. That’s why so many do’s and don’ts focus on starting off on the right foot.

• Do finish haircuts before the New Year. Cutting hair during the festival is bad luck because the word for “hair” (fa) sounds like “prosperity.” Avoid cutting hair or washing it on New Year’s Day to keep your good fortune.
• Do wear new clothes, especially red. New clothes symbolize fresh beginnings, and red wards off evil spirits and attracts luck.
• Don’t say unlucky words. Avoid talking about death, sickness, or misfortune to keep negative energy away.
• Don’t break stuff or sweep on New Year’s Day. Breaking things signals bad luck, and sweeping may “sweep away” your fortune. Do all cleaning before the celebrations start.
• Do visit family and friends. Reunion and togetherness are central to the holiday’s spirit.

How to Say “Happy Chinese New Year” in Mandarin and Cantonese

Chinese people wish each other health, wealth, and good fortune when they meet during the Chinese New Year period.

To wish someone “Happy Chinese New Year” in Chinese, the most common phrase in Mandarin is 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè), meaning “Happy New Year.” A popular Cantonese greeting is 恭喜发财 (Gong hei fat choy), which translates to “wishing you prosperity.”

Usage tips

To use these phrases naturally, a few simple guidelines can help you choose the right greeting for the right moment.

• Xīnnián kuàilè is a universal greeting used for both the Lunar New Year and the Gregorian New Year (January 1st)
• Gōngxǐ fācái is especially common in Cantonese-speaking regions and among Chinese communities abroad, and you’ll hear it a lot when people exchange New Year wishes and gifts.
• When speaking with elders, adding a phrase like shēntǐ jiànkāng (“wishing you good health”) is a warm and respectful touch.
• In business settings, expressions such as 生意兴隆 (Shēngyì xīnglóng)—“may your business flourish”—are perfectly suited.

Frequently asked questions about Happy Chinese New Year

Is it better to say Happy Chinese New Year or Happy Lunar New Year?

Both “Happy Chinese New Year” and “Happy Lunar New Year” are widely used greetings, but they have slightly different meanings and contexts.

Happy Chinese New Year specifically refers to the traditional celebration rooted in Chinese culture and the lunar calendar. It’s the most common phrase used in China and among Chinese communities worldwide.

Happy Lunar New Year is a more inclusive term that acknowledges the new year celebrations observed by various East and Southeast Asian cultures—including Vietnamese (Tết), Korean (Seollal), and others—that follow a lunar calendar but have distinct customs and traditions.

If you’re addressing a diverse audience or want to be culturally sensitive, “Happy Lunar New Year” can be a thoughtful choice. However, if you’re speaking specifically about Chinese traditions or people, “Happy Chinese New Year” is perfectly appropriate.

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What are some unique ways to say Happy Chinese New Year?

Beyond the common “Happy Chinese New Year” (新年快乐, Xīnnián kuàilè), here are some meaningful and less commonly mentioned greetings you can use to add a special touch during the celebrations:

• 步步高升 (Bù bù gāo shēng) — Wishing you continuous promotion and success
• 招财进宝 (Zhāo cái jìn bǎo) — May wealth and treasures come to you
• 吉祥如意 (Jíxiáng rúyì) — Wishing you good fortune and that everything goes as you wish
• 大吉大利 (Dà jí dà lì) — Wishing you great luck and great profit
• 龙马精神 (Lóng mǎ jīngshén) — Wishing you the spirit and vitality of the dragon and horse
• 合家欢乐 (Hé jiā huānlè) — Wishing happiness to your whole family

Using these alternative greetings can show cultural insight and make your wishes stand out during the Lunar New Year festivities.

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What to say other than Gong Xi Fa Cai?

While Gong Xi Fa Cai (恭喜发财), meaning “wishing you prosperity,” is one of the most popular greetings during Chinese New Year, there are many other meaningful phrases you can use to wish someone a Happy Chinese New Year.

Here are some alternative greetings you might try:

• 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè) — “Happy New Year,” a universal and friendly way to greet anyone.
• 万事如意 (Wànshì rúyì) — “May all your wishes come true,” perfect for conveying good luck and positive hopes.
• 身体健康 (Shēntǐ jiànkāng) — “Wishing you good health,” a warm and respectful wish, especially for elders.
• 年年有余 (Niánnián yǒuyú) — “Wishing you abundance every year,” symbolizing wealth and surplus.

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