Intermediate - Chinese New Year Plans (C0783)

A 妈,我们怎么过年?
mā, wǒmen zěnme guònián?
Mom, what are the plans for Chinese New Year?
B 年三十去爷爷家,年初一去外公家。
nián sānshí qù yéye jiā, nián chūyī qù wàigōng jiā.
On the day before Chinese New Year we'll go to your paternal grandpa's house, and on New Year's Day we'll go to your maternal grandpa's house.
A 又是老一套。
yòu shì lǎoyītào.
Same old thing again.
C 这是传统。过年当然要一家团圆,一起吃年夜饭。
zhè shì chuántǒng. guònián dāngrán yào yī jiā tuányuán, yīqǐ chī niányèfàn.
It's a tradition. Of course the whole family has to get together for the New Year, to have the New Year's Eve dinner together.
A 每年都吃那些东西,真没意思。
měinián dōu chī nàxiē dōngxi, zhēn méi yìsi.
We ate those same things every year. It's so boring.
C 热闹嘛。你快点把寒假作业做完,过年就可以玩了。
rènao ma. nǐ kuài diǎn bǎ hánjià zuòyè zuò wán, guònián jiù kěyǐ wán le.
It's festive. Hurry up and finish your winter vacation homework so that you can have fun on the New Year.
A 可是我们每天都出去拜年,我根本没时间玩。
kěshì wǒmen měitiān dōu chūqù bàinián, wǒ gēnběn méi shíjiān wán.
But every day we go make New Year's visits. I don't have any time at all for fun.
B 谁说的?你不是很喜欢放鞭炮吗?
shéi shuō de? nǐ bù shì hěn xǐhuan fàng biānpào ma?
Says who? Don't you love setting off firecrackers?
A 小时候喜欢,现在不喜欢了。我觉得过年真无聊!
xiǎo shíhou xǐhuan, xiànzài bù xǐhuan le. wǒ juéde guònián zhēn wúliáo!
I liked it when I was little, but now I don't. I think Chinese New Year is so boring!
B 既然无聊,那今年红包就不给你了。
jìrán wúliáo, nà jīnnián hóngbāo jiù bù gěi nǐ le.
Well, if it's so boring, then this year we won't be giving you your red envelope.
A 你们从来都不给我,都拿去自己花了。
nǐmen cónglái dōu bù gěi wǒ, dōu náqù zìjǐ huā le.
You never give it to me. You take it away and spend it yourselves.
C 我们是帮你存钱。
wǒmen shì bāng nǐ cúnqián.
We save it for you.
A 哼!
hēng!
Hmph.

Key Vocabulary

过年 guònián Chinese New Year
年三十 nián sānshí the day before New Year's Day
年初一 nián chūyī New Year's Day
爷爷 yéye paternal grandfather
外公 wàigōng maternal grandfather
老一套 lǎoyītào same old thing
传统 chuántǒng tradition
团圆 tuányuán reunion
年夜饭 niányèfàn New Year's Eve family dinner
热闹 rènao lively
寒假 hánjià winter vacation
拜年 bàinián to pay a New Year's visit
根本 gēnběn simply
鞭炮 biānpào firecrackers
既然 jìrán since
红包 hóngbāo red envelope containing money
存钱 cúnqián to save money
huā to spend

Supplementary Vocabulary

大年夜 dàniányè New Year's Eve
团圆饭 tuányuánfàn reunion dinner
长辈 zhǎngbèi older generation
压岁钱 yāsuìqián gift of money given to children at New Year's
恭喜发财 gōngxǐfācái wishing you happiness and prosperity
万事如意 wànshìrúyì wishing all your wishes come true
岁岁平安 suìsuìpíngān wishing you happiness always
年年有余 niánniányǒuyú wishing you an overabundance always