Chinese Vocabulary · 中文词汇
Festival, Culture and Sports Words in Chinese
节庆文化与运动词汇 jiéqìng wénhuà yǔ yùndòng cíhuì
The most important meal of the Chinese year is the one on 除夕 (chúxī, Lunar New Year’s Eve): the 年夜饭 (niányèfàn), or reunion dinner. Families from near and far travel home to eat it together. In Taiwan, many people call this dinner 围炉 (wéilú), and there is almost always a fish on the table, because the word for fish sounds like the word for “surplus,” as in the wish 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú) (“may you have a surplus every year”).
If you are interested in Chinese festivals, you can also read our guide: Chinese Festivals.
Festivals and traditions
Festival and Tradition Words in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Korean | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 传说 | chuánshuō | Legend | 전설 | 伝説 |
| 传统 | chuántǒng | Tradition | 전통 | 伝統 |
| 除夕 | chúxī | Lunar New Year’s Eve | 섣달그믐 | 大晦日(旧正月) |
| 风俗 | fēngsú | Custom | 풍속 | 風俗 |
| 国庆 | guóqìng | National Day | 국경절 | 国慶節 |
| 婚礼 | hūnlǐ | Wedding ceremony | 결혼식 | 結婚式 |
| 年夜饭 | niányèfàn | New Year’s Eve reunion dinner | 설 전날 가족 저녁 식사 | 年夜飯(大晦日の家族の食事) |
| 生肖 | shēngxiào | Chinese zodiac animal | 띠 | 干支 |
| 神话 | shénhuà | Myth | 신화 | 神話 |
| 压岁钱 | yāsuìqián | Lucky money (given at Lunar New Year) | 세뱃돈 | お年玉 |
| 元旦 | yuándàn | New Year’s Day | 신정(1월 1일) | 元日 |
| 中华 | Zhōnghuá | China; Chinese (nation, culture) | 중화 | 中華 |
国庆 (guóqìng)
国庆 (guóqìng) means National Day, but the date depends on where you are. In mainland China, it is October 1. In Taiwan, it is October 10, also called 双十节 (shuāngshíjié), the “Double Ten” holiday.
压岁钱 (yāsuìqián) vs 红包 (hóngbāo)
压岁钱 (yāsuìqián) is the lucky money that elders give to children at Lunar New Year. It is usually put in a red envelope, called 红包 (hóngbāo). In Taiwan, people often just say 红包 (hóngbāo) for this money, and 红包 (hóngbāo) is also used for gifts of money at weddings.
Putting it all together
Examples
除夕晚上，全家人一起吃年夜飯，長輩會給小孩壓歲錢除夕晚上，全家人一起吃年夜饭，长辈会给小孩压岁钱On New Year’s Eve, the whole family eats the reunion dinner together, and the elders give children lucky money.
這個傳說很有名，它反映了中華的傳統風俗这个传说很有名，它反映了中华的传统风俗This legend is very famous, and it reflects traditional Chinese customs.
On the field
Sports and Competition Words in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Korean | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 比分 | bǐfēn | Score | 점수 | スコア |
| 裁判 | cáipàn | Referee; judge | 심판 | 審判 |
| 对手 | duìshǒu | Opponent; rival | 상대 | 相手 |
| 队伍 | duìwu | Team; group; line of people | 팀; 대열 | チーム; 隊列 |
| 冠军 | guànjūn | Champion | 우승자; 챔피언 | 優勝者; チャンピオン |
| 决赛 | juésài | Final (match) | 결승 | 決勝 |
| 跑道 | pǎodào | Running track | 트랙 | トラック |
| 赛场 | sàichǎng | Competition venue; arena | 경기장 | 競技場 |
| 跳高 | tiàogāo | High jump | 높이뛰기 | 走り高跳び |
| 跳远 | tiàoyuǎn | Long jump | 멀리뛰기 | 走り幅跳び |
| 团队 | tuánduì | Team; teamwork group | 팀; 단체 | チーム; 団体 |
| 选手 | xuǎnshǒu | Player; athlete | 선수 | 選手 |
队伍 (duìwu) vs 团队 (tuánduì)
队伍 (duìwu) is a group of people as a unit, like a sports team, a marching line or a queue. 团队 (tuánduì) stresses a group that works together toward a goal, as in 团队合作 (tuánduì hézuò) (teamwork).
Putting it all together
Examples
他是這次比賽的冠軍，決賽的比分是三比一他是这次比赛的冠军，决赛的比分是三比一He is the champion of this competition, and the score of the final was 3 to 1.
選手們在跑道上等裁判發令，對手都很緊張选手们在跑道上等裁判发令，对手都很紧张The athletes wait on the track for the referee’s signal, and all the opponents are nervous.
Test yourself
Vocabulary Quiz
