Happy Chinese New Year

Our family had a long discussion around the Supper Table on how to say "Happy New Year" in Chinese.  We concluded with: "No, it said this way..." & "I always heard as..." and so on.   Like any language, there are many different ways to say the same thing. There are Mandarin & Cantonese versions with variations on how to say it properly.

Below are a few popular and correct ways of saying "Happy Chinese New Year":

                    1.  新年快乐 / 新年快樂 (Xīnnián kuàilè)

                         "New Year Happiness!"

                           ~  In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen kwhy-ler/

                           ~  In Cantonese: /sen-nin feye-lor/

                    2.  新年好 / 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo)

                         "New Year Goodness!"  ("Good day.")

                           ~  In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/

                           ~  In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/

                    3.  过年好 / 過年好 (Guònián hǎo)

                         "Pass the New Year Well!"

                           ~  In Mandarin: /gwor-nyen haoww/

                           ~  In Cantonese: /gwor-nin haow/

                    4.  恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)

                         "Happiness and Prosperity!"

                           ~  In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/

                           ~  In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/

                    5.  步步高升 / 步步高陞 (Bùbù gāoshēng)

                         "Step-by-Step High Promotion"

                         A steady rise to high places! ~ "On the Up and Up"

                         ~  In Mandarin: /boo-boo gaoww-shnng /

                         ~  In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /

I hope that this will solve the debate your family and friends may have on ways to say "Happy Chinese new Year" during this wonderful time!

My fortune today was: "When you speak honestly and openly, other truly listen to you."  I was certainly doing this today!  The image is of a beautiful Money Sack straight out of China Town, NYC!