Skip to content

OneDotDot Chinese

Learn a little Chinese every day

Menu
  • Vocabulary
    • Pronunciation
    • HSK 3.0 Voc
    • Topic Center
    • Professional Field
    • Food Words
    • Synonyms
    • Chinese Slang
  • Grammar
    • Foundation
    • A1 Grammar (HSK 1)
    • A2 Grammar (HSK 2)
    • B1 Grammar (HSK 3)
    • B1 Grammar (HSK 4)
    • B2 Grammar (HSK 5)
    • B2 Grammar (HSK 6)
    • C1-C2 Grammar (HSK 7-9)
  • Resources
    • Characters
    • Get A Chinese Name
    • Conversation
    • Cooking Chinese Food
    • Story with Audio
    • Songs
    • Download
    • Chinese Festivals
  • Practice
    • Grammar
    • Reading
    • Listening
  • Shop
Menu

Nian Beast

Posted on July 25, 2026July 26, 2026 by tiffany

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Story
  • English Translation

  • Text Display
  • ►Traditional
  • ►Simplified
  • Pinyin Display
  • ►Visible
  • ►Mouseover
  • ►Hidden
Story · HSK 2+ · Chinese New Year
年

Nian Beast

年獸年兽

Posted July 25, 2026 Author Tiffany Reading time 10 mins

This story is one of the most famous legends associated with Chinese New Year, explaining where traditions like red decorations, firecrackers, and saying “gongxi” come from.

Nian Beast illustration

Story

Listen to the Story

很久hěnjiǔ以前yǐqián, 中國Zhōngguó有yǒu一個yíge關於guānyú「 年獸Niánshòu」 的de傳說chuánshuō。 很久hěnjiǔ以前yǐqián, 中国Zhōngguó有yǒu一个yíge关于guānyú“ 年兽Niánshòu” 的de传说chuánshuō。

傳說chuánshuō中zhōng, 年獸Niánshòu是shì一種yìzhǒng住zhù在zài深海shēnhǎi裡lǐ的de怪獸guàishòu。 每měi到dào除夕chúxì晚上wǎnshàng, 年獸Niánshòu就jiù會huì從cóng海底hǎidǐ的de山洞shāndòng跑pǎo出來chūlái, 到dào村子cūnzi裡lǐ找zhǎo食物shíwù。 传说chuánshuō中zhōng, 年兽Niánshòu是shì一种yìzhǒng住zhù在zài深海shēnhǎi里lǐ的de怪兽guàishòu。 每měi到dào除夕chúxī晚上wǎnshang, 年兽Niánshòu就jiù会huì从cóng海底hǎidǐ的de山洞shāndòng跑pǎo出来chūlái, 到dào村子cūnzi里lǐ找zhǎo食物shíwù。

牠Tā不但búdàn會huì吃chī動物dòngwù也yě會huì吃chī人rén, 甚至shènzhì還hái會huì破壞pòhuài房子fángzi, 所以suǒyǐ大家dàjiā都dōu非常fēicháng害怕hàipà。 它Tā不但búdàn会huì吃chī动物dòngwù也yě会huì吃chī人rén, 甚至shènzhì还hái会huì破坏pòhuài房子fángzi, 所以suǒyǐ大家dàjiā都dōu非常fēicháng害怕hàipà。

為了Wèile躲duǒ年獸Niánshòu, 村民cūnmín每年měinián除夕chúxì晚上wǎnshàng都dōu會huì離開líkāi家jiā, 跑pǎo到dào山上shānshàng躲起來duǒqǐlái。 为了Wèile躲duǒ年兽Niánshòu, 村民cūnmín每年měinián除夕chúxī晚上wǎnshang都dōu会huì离开líkāi家jiā, 跑pǎo到dào山上shānshàng躲起来duǒqǐlái。

有Yǒu一年yìnián一位yíwèi老人lǎorén來到láidào村子cūnzi, 他tā的de肚子dùzi很hěn餓è, 所以suǒyǐ向xiàng大家dàjiā要yào食物shíwù, 但是dànshì大家dàjiā都dōu忙máng著zhe準備zhǔnbèi逃走táozǒu, 根本gēnběn沒有méiyǒu人rén有yǒu時間shíjiān幫助bāngzhù老人lǎorén。 有Yǒu一年yìnián一位yíwèi老人lǎorén来到láidào村子cūnzi, 他tā的de肚子dùzi很hěn饿è, 所以suǒyǐ向xiàng大家dàjiā要yào食物shíwù, 但是dànshì大家dàjiā都dōu忙máng着zhe准备zhǔnbèi逃走táozǒu, 根本gēnběn没有méiyǒu人rén有yǒu时间shíjiān帮助bāngzhù老人lǎorén。

這Zhè時候shíhòu有yǒu一位yíwèi老婆婆lǎopópo說shuō: 「 來Lái, 來lái我wǒ這zhè, 我wǒ給gěi你nǐ飯fàn吃chī。 」 这Zhè时候shíhou有yǒu一位yíwèi老婆婆lǎopópo说shuō: “ 来Lái, 来lái我wǒ这zhè, 我wǒ给gěi你nǐ饭fàn吃chī。 ”

老人Lǎorén問wèn為什麼wèishéme大家dàjiā要yào離開líkāi。 老太太lǎotàitai告訴gàosù他tā: 「 年獸Niánshòu晚上wǎnshàng會huì來lái, 會huì把bǎ我們wǒmen都dōu吃chī了le。 你nǐ吃完chīwán飯fàn也yě趕快gǎnkuài走zǒu吧ba! 」 老人Lǎorén问wèn为什么wèishéme大家dàjiā要yào离开líkāi。 老太太lǎotàitai告诉gàosu他tā: “ 年兽Niánshòu晚上wǎnshang会huì来lái, 会huì把bǎ我们wǒmen都dōu吃chī了le。 你nǐ吃完chīwán饭fàn也yě赶快gǎnkuài走zǒu吧ba! ”

老人Lǎorén聽完tīngwán以後yǐhòu笑xiào著zhe說shuō: 「 不用búyòng害怕hàipà, 我wǒ有yǒu辦法bànfǎ趕走gǎnzǒu年獸Niánshòu。 」 老人Lǎorén听完tīngwán以后yǐhòu笑xiào着zhe说shuō: “ 不用búyòng害怕hàipà, 我wǒ有yǒu办法bànfǎ赶走gǎnzǒu年兽Niánshòu。 ”

晚上Wǎnshàng年獸Niánshòu果然guǒrán來到了láidàole村子cūnzi。 晚上Wǎnshang年兽Niánshòu果然guǒrán来到了láidàole村子cūnzi。

年獸Niánshòu看見kànjiàn房子fángzi的de牆上qiángshàng都dōu貼tiē著zhe紅色hóngsè的de紙zhǐ, 屋裡屋外wūlǐwūwài也yě都dōu點diǎn著zhe蠟燭làzhú, 牛niú、 羊yáng還有háiyǒu老人lǎorén身上shēnshàng都dōu披pī著zhe紅布hóngbù。 年兽Niánshòu看见kànjiàn房子fángzi的de墙上qiángshang都dōu贴tiē着zhe红色hóngsè的de纸zhǐ, 屋里屋外wūlǐwūwài也yě都dōu点diǎn着zhe蜡烛làzhú, 牛niú、 羊yáng还有háiyǒu老人lǎorén身上shēnshàng都dōu披pī着zhe红布hóngbù。

長年Chángnián在zài黑暗hēiàn海底hǎidǐ的de年獸Niánshòu不bù喜歡xǐhuān鮮豔xiānyàn、 光亮guāngliàng的de東西dōngxī, 眼睛yǎnjīng痛得tòngde不得了bùdéliǎo。 长年Chángnián在zài黑暗hēiàn海底hǎidǐ的de年兽Niánshòu不bù喜欢xǐhuan鲜艳xiānyàn、 光亮guāngliàng的de东西dōngxi, 眼睛yǎnjing痛得tòngde不得了bùdéliǎo。

接著Jiēzhe, 老人lǎorén開始kāishǐ把bǎ竹子zhúzi丟進diūjìn火堆huǒduī裡lǐ, 發出fāchū巨大jùdà的de聲音shēngyīn。 接着Jiēzhe, 老人lǎorén开始kāishǐ把bǎ竹子zhúzi丢进diūjìn火堆huǒduī里lǐ, 发出fāchū巨大jùdà的de声音shēngyīn。

長年Chángnián在zài安靜ānjìng海底hǎidǐ的de年獸Niánshòu當然dāngrán從沒cóngméi聽過tīngguò這麼zhème大dà的de聲音shēngyīn, 所以suǒyǐ感到gǎndào非常fēicháng害怕hàipà, 馬上mǎshàng逃回táohuí了le海裡hǎilǐ。 长年Chángnián在zài安静ānjìng海底hǎidǐ的de年兽Niánshòu当然dāngrán从没cóngméi听过tīngguò这么zhème大dà的de声音shēngyīn, 所以suǒyǐ感到gǎndào非常fēicháng害怕hàipà, 马上mǎshàng逃回táohuí了le海里hǎilǐ。

隔天Gétiān早上zǎoshàng, 人們rénmen從cóng山上shānshàng下來xiàlái, 發現fāxiàn家中jiāzhōng的de牛羊niúyáng都dōu還在háizài, 家jiā也yě沒有méiyǒu被bèi破壞pòhuài, 高興gāoxìng的de恭喜gōngxǐ對方duìfāng。 隔天Gétiān早上zǎoshang, 人们rénmen从cóng山上shānshang下来xiàlái, 发现fāxiàn家中jiāzhōng的de牛羊niúyáng都dōu还在háizài, 家jiā也yě没有méiyǒu被bèi破坏pòhuài, 高兴gāoxìng的de恭喜gōngxǐ对方duìfāng。

從此Cóngcǐ, 每měi到dào農曆nónglì除夕chúxì, 人們rénmen會huì貼tiē春聯chūnlián、 點亮diǎnliàng燈dēng、 掛guà燈籠dēnglóng、 放fàng鞭炮biānpào、 穿chuān紅hóng衣服yīfú, 希望xīwàng趕走gǎnzǒu不好bùhǎo的de事情shìqíng。 从此Cóngcǐ, 每měi到dào农历nónglì除夕chúxī, 人们rénmen会huì贴tiē春联chūnlián、 点亮diǎnliàng灯dēng、 挂guà灯笼dēnglóng、 放fàng鞭炮biānpào、 穿chuān红hóng衣服yīfu, 希望xīwàng赶走gǎnzǒu不好bùhǎo的de事情shìqíng。

然後Ránhòu在zài隔天gétiān新年xīnnián的de第一天dìyītiān, 跟gēn見到jiàndào的de人rén說shuō恭喜gōngxǐ, 恭喜gōngxǐ迎接yíngjiē平安píngān幸福xìngfú的de新一年xīnyìnián。 然后Ránhòu在zài隔天gétiān新年xīnnián的de第一天dìyītiān, 跟gēn见到jiàndào的de人rén说shuō恭喜gōngxǐ, 恭喜gōngxǐ迎接yíngjiē平安píngān幸福xìngfú的de新一年xīnyìnián。

English Translation

A long time ago, there was a legend about the “Nian Beast” in China. According to the legend, the Nian Beast was a monster that lived deep in the sea. Every Lunar New Year’s Eve, it would come out from a cave at the bottom of the sea and go to the village to look for food.

It would eat not only animals but also people, and it would even destroy houses, so everyone was terrified of it. To avoid the Nian Beast, every year on New Year’s Eve, the villagers would leave their homes and hide in the mountains.

One year, an old man came to the village. He was very hungry, so he asked everyone for food, but everyone was busy preparing to flee and had no time to help him. At this time, an old woman said, “Come, come to my place, I’ll give you food to eat.”

The old man asked why everyone was leaving. The old woman told him, “The Nian Beast will come tonight and eat all of us. After you finish eating, you should hurry and leave too!” After hearing this, the old man smiled and said, “Don’t be afraid, I have a way to drive the Nian Beast away.”

That night, the Nian Beast indeed came to the village. It saw that the walls of the houses were covered with red paper, candles were lit both inside and outside, and the cows, sheep, and even the old man were draped in red cloth. Having lived in the dark depths of the sea for so long, the Nian Beast disliked bright, vivid colors, and its eyes hurt terribly.

Then, the old man began throwing bamboo into the fire, creating a loud noise. Having lived in the quiet depths of the sea for so long, the Nian Beast had never heard such a loud noise, so it became extremely frightened and immediately fled back into the sea.

The next morning, the villagers came down from the mountains and found that their cows and sheep were still there, and their homes were undamaged. They happily congratulated one another.

Since then, every Lunar New Year’s Eve, people put up spring couplets, light lanterns, hang lanterns, set off firecrackers, and wear red clothes, hoping to drive away bad luck. Then, on the first day of the new year, they greet everyone they meet with “congratulations,” welcoming a peaceful and happy new year.

Do you like it? 🙂

Contemporary Chinese
➤ Book 1
➤ Book 2
➤ Book 3
➤ Book 4

OneDotDot Chinese

When a foreign friend says their Chinese is "yì diǎn diǎn" (just a little), this site exists to make that little bit grow, one day at a time.

  ABOUT

  About Me
  Special Thanks
  News
  My Students Only

  CONTACT

  LinkedIn
  Instagram
  Privacy Policy

© 2026 OneDotDot Chinese | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme