Lunar New Year: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Haoran.

1. Xiaoyu

   回(huí)家(jiā)的(de)春(chūn)运(yùn)火(huǒ)车(chē)票(piào)抢(qiǎng)着(zháo)了(le)吗(ma)？

   Did you manage to snag your train ticket home for New Year?

2. Haoran

   放(fàng)票(piào)第(dì)一(yī)秒(miǎo)就(jiù)锁(suǒ)单(dān)了(le)！我(wǒ)妈(mā)在(zài)家(jiā)已(yǐ)经(jīng)开(kāi)始(shǐ)盘(pán)算(suan)包(bāo)多(duō)少(shao)个(gè)饺(jiǎo)子(zi)了(le)。

   Locked it in the very first second tickets dropped! My mom's already calculating how many dumplings to fold.

3. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)家(jiā)春(chūn)联(lián)都(dōu)贴(tiē)上(shàng)了(le)，大(dà)门(mén)上(shàng)的(de)“福(fú)”字(zì)也(yě)特(tè)意(yì)倒(dào)着(zhe)贴(tiē)。

   We've got the red couplets up at our place, and the character for 'fu' pasted upside down on the front door.

4. Haoran

   我(wǒ)小(xiǎo)侄(zhí)子(zi)打(dǎ)电(diàn)话(huà)就(jiù)关(guān)心(xīn)一(yí)件(jiàn)事(shì)：今(jīn)年(nián)能(néng)收(shōu)几(jǐ)个(gè)红(hóng)包(bāo)？

   My little nephew only asked one question on the phone: how many red envelopes is he getting this year?

5. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)家(jiā)那(nà)个(ge)也(yě)是(shì)，这(zhè)两(liǎng)天(tiān)正(zhèng)对(duì)着(zhe)镜(jìng)子(zi)练(liàn)拜(bài)年(nián)吉(jí)祥(xiáng)话(huà)呢(ne)。

   Ours too—he's been practicing his New Year greetings in front of the mirror for two days.

6. Haoran

   对(duì)了(le)，除(chú)夕(xī)年(nián)夜(yè)饭(fàn)桌(zhuō)上(shàng)为(wèi)啥(shá)非(fēi)得(děi)摆(bǎi)条(tiáo)整(zhěng)鱼(yú)？

   By the way, why does every New Year's Eve reunion table have to have a whole fish?

   1. “鱼(yú)”和(hé)“余(yú)”谐(xié)音(yīn)，图(tú)个(gè)“年(nián)年(nián)有(yǒu)余(yú)” 'Fish' sounds like 'surplus'—wishing for abundance every year
   2. 因(yīn)为(wèi)冬(dōng)天(tiān)买(mǎi)鱼(yú)最(zuì)便(pián)宜(yi) Because fish is the cheapest meat in winter
   3. 为(wèi)了(le)把(bǎ)年(nián)兽(shòu)吓(xià)跑(pǎo) To scare the monster Nian away

   Answer

   “鱼(yú)”和(hé)“余(yú)”谐(xié)音(yīn)，图(tú)个(gè)“年(nián)年(nián)有(yǒu)余(yú)” 'Fish' sounds like 'surplus'—wishing for abundance every year

7. Xiaoyu

   图(tú)个(gè)“年(nián)年(nián)有(yǒu)余(yú)”嘛(ma)！吃(chī)年(nián)糕(gāo)也(yě)是(shì)，寓(yù)意(yì)“年(nián)年(nián)高(gāo)升(shēng)”。

   For 'surplus every year'! Same reason we eat niangao rice cake—so you rise higher every year.

8. Haoran

   在(zài)北(běi)方(fāng)还(hái)得(děi)全(quán)家(jiā)人(rén)围(wéi)一(yí)块(kuài)儿(r)包(bāo)饺(jiǎo)子(zi)。我(wǒ)舅(jiù)包(bāo)的(de)饺(jiǎo)子(zi)常(cháng)年(nián)趴(pā)着(zhe)，丑(chǒu)得(de)很(hěn)有(yǒu)辨(biàn)识(shí)度(dù)。

   Up north, the whole family gathers round to fold dumplings. My uncle's always slump flat—uniquely ugly every single year.

9. Xiaoyu

   那(nà)你(nǐ)知(zhī)道(dào)过(guò)年(nián)为(wèi)啥(shá)到(dào)处(chù)都(dōu)挂(guà)红(hóng)的(de)、还(hái)得(děi)弄(nòng)出(chū)这(zhè)么(me)大(dà)动(dòng)静(jing)吗(ma)？

   And do you know why we hang red everywhere and make such a racket at New Year?

10. Haoran

    传(chuán)说(shuō)里(lǐ)的(de)“年(nián)兽(shòu)”呗(bei)？

    The legendary monster Nian, right?

11. Xiaoyu

    老(lǎo)话(huà)讲(jiǎng)年(nián)兽(shòu)除(chú)夕(xī)夜(yè)里(lǐ)出(chū)来(lái)害(hài)人(rén)，就(jiù)怕(pà)三(sān)样(yàng)东(dōng)西(xi)：红(hóng)颜(yán)色(sè)、火(huǒ)光(guāng)、还(hái)有(yǒu)噼(pī)里(li)啪(pā)啦(lā)的(de)响(xiǎng)声(shēng)。

    Folklore says Nian came out on New Year's Eve, and it was terrified of three things: the color red, firelight, and loud cracking noises.

12. Haoran

    合(hé)着(zhe)半(bàn)夜(yè)十(shí)二(èr)点(diǎn)放(fàng)鞭(biān)炮(pào)，属(shǔ)于(yú)安(ān)全(quán)防(fáng)御(yù)工(gōng)程(chéng)。

    So setting off fireworks at midnight is technically a public safety defense measure.

13. Xiaoyu

    回(huí)头(tóu)被(bèi)街(jiē)坊(fāng)邻(lín)居(jū)投(tóu)诉(sù)扰(rǎo)民(mín)，我(wǒ)就(jiù)拿(ná)你(nǐ)这(zhè)话(huà)去(qù)顶(dǐng)。

    If the neighbors complain about the noise, I'm using that exact excuse.

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