424 - The dos and don’ts of Chinese New Year 2

Source: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lunar-new-year-etiquette-dos-donts-chinese-new-year/index.html#:~:text=Cleaning%20of%20any%20kind%20on,at%20the%20stroke%20of%20midnight.

Don’ts

1. Wash or cut yourhair 

洗头或剪头发

- The Chinesecharacter for hair is the same first character in the word for prosper.

“发“字和”发财“的第一个字是同一个字。

- This means washingor cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away.

这意味着洗或剪头被视为洗走你的财富。

- Dry shampoo will comein handy.

干的洗发液会派上用场。

2. Clean post-NewYear 

新年之后打扫

- Cleaning of anykind on the first day is strictly forbidden.

（新年）第一天严禁进行任何形式的打扫。

- Don’t even wash thedishes.

甚至碗都不要洗。

- You don’t want towipe, sweep, or wash away any of the good luck that arrived at the stroke ofmidnight.

你不会想要在午夜钟声敲响时擦去，扫去，或者洗去任何好运。

3. Buy books 

买书

- TheChinese word for “book” sounds exactly the same as the word for “lose”.

中文“书“一词和”输钱“的”输“发音完全相同。

- Buying abook right after the New Year is considered an invitation for bad luck.

新年过后马上就买书被认为会招来厄运。

Vocabulary

Character：字、性格

Wash away：洗走

Fortune: 好运

Come inhandy: 派上用场、迟早有用

Forbidden：被禁止的

At thestroke of: 刚好在……时