Intermediate - Jewish Holiday (C1250)

A:  小韩,新年快乐!
Xiǎo Hán, xīnnián kuàilè!
Happy New Year, Xiao Han!
B:  新年?现在才9月!
xīnnián? xiànzài cái jiǔ yuè!
New Year? It's only September!
A:  是犹太新年!
shì Yóutài xīnnián!
It's the Jewish New Year!
B:  哦!新年快乐!
ò! xīnnián kuàilè!
Oh! Happy New Year!
A:  我带了苹果和蜂蜜,一起吃吧。
wǒ dài le píngguǒ hé fēngmì, yīqǐ chī ba.
I brought apples and some honey. Let's eat them together.
B:  为什么要吃苹果和蜂蜜?
wèishénme yào chī píngguǒ hé fēngmì?
Why should we eat apples and honey?
A:  意思就是祝你有一个甜蜜的新年。看,要这样吃。
yìsi jiùshì zhù nǐ yǒu yī ge tiánmì de xīnnián. kàn, yào zhèyàng chī.
They mean "Here's wishing you a sweet New Year!" Look, you should eat them this way.
B:  苹果沾着蜂蜜吃?有意思。还有什么特别的?
píngguǒ zhān zhe fēngmì chī? yǒu yìsi. hái yǒu shénme tèbié de?
Smearing the apple with honey? That's really interesting. Is there anything else special to do?
A:  要去犹太会堂祈祷,请求上帝宽恕你的罪恶。
yào qù Yóutài huìtáng qídǎo, qǐngqiú shàngdì kuānshù nǐ de zuì è.
You have to go to the synagogue to pray and ask God to forgive your sins.
B:  你们过新年要反省自己?
nǐmen guò xīnnián yào fǎnxǐng zìjǐ?
You have to reflect on yourself on the New Year?
A:  对。新年就是要重新开始。
duì. xīnnián jiùshì yào chóngxīn kāishǐ.
Yes. You need to make a new start on the New Year.

Key Vocabulary

新年xīnniánNew Year
cáionly
犹太YóutàiJewish
蜂蜜fēngmìhoney
甜蜜tiánmìsweet
zhānto smear with, to be stained with
有意思yǒu yìsiinteresting; funny
特别tèbiéspecial, distinctive
犹太会堂Yóutài huìtángassembly hall, meeting place
祈祷qídǎoto pray
请求qǐngqiúrequest
上帝shàngdìGod
宽恕kuānshùto forgive
罪恶zuì èsins, wrong-doing
反省fǎnxǐngto reflect on
重新chóngxīnanew, afresh
开始kāishǐto begin

Supplementary Vocabulary

犹太人YóutàirénJews
犹太教YóutàijiàoJudaism
宗教zōngjiàoreligion
赎罪节ShúzuìjiéYom Kippur
安息日An1xīrìSabbath, Shabbos
逾越节YúyuèjiéPassover
原谅yuánliàngto forgive, to pardon

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