A: I seriously can't focus on work anymore. The year is drawing to a close and all I can think about is going home.

我真的无心工作了。年关将近,我满脑子想的都是回家。

B: Same! I'm literally just counting down the days. How many more till the holiday?

我也是!我就在倒数日子了。还有几天放假?

A: Like five more days, but I've been slacking off for the past two weeks already.

大概还有五天,但我过去两周已经在摸鱼了。

B: Ha! At least you're honest. Did you get your Chunyun ticket yet?

哈!至少你诚实。你春运票买到了吗?

A: Don't even get me started. I'm still on the waitlist. Everyone else is ready to go home for the New Year, and I'm here stressing out.

别提了。我还在候补呢。别人都准备回家过年了,我在这儿焦虑死了。

B: That sucks. The work atmosphere has been so heavy lately too — way heavier than any festive atmosphere.

太惨了。最近班味也特别重——比年味重多了。

A: Right? My boss keeps piling on work. I have zero time to stock up on New Year goods. I went to the supermarket yesterday and it was packed with people, everyone snapping up stuff.

对吧?我老板一直加活儿。我完全没时间置办年货。昨天去超市,人山人海,大家都在抢购。

B: What do you even need to buy? Spring Festival couplets? Fu character stickers?

你需要买啥?对联?福字?

A: Yeah, those decorations, plus sunflower seeds, peanuts, candies... but honestly, I was just standing there with no idea what to buy. Totally clueless.

对,那些装饰品,还有瓜子、花生、糖果……但说实话,我就站在那儿完全不知道买啥。一脸懵。

B: I feel you. This whole pre-CNY rush is exhausting.

我懂。这整个年前冲刺太累了。

A: Whoa, the supermarket was absolutely packed with people today! Everyone's snapping up red stuff. What's going on?

哇,今天超市人山人海!大家都在抢购红色的东西。怎么回事?

B: Oh, the year is drawing to a close! Spring Festival is coming — that's our Chinese New Year. I'm stocking up on New Year goods.

哦,年关将近了!春节要来了——就是我们的中国新年。我在置办年货。

A: Wait, didn't you guys already celebrate New Year on January 1st? I remember seeing fireworks then.

等等,你们不是1月1号已经过新年了吗?我记得那时候看到烟花了。

B: Oh that! Yeah, we do celebrate January 1st, but that's just the solar calendar New Year — we call it 元旦. It's like... a regular holiday, maybe go out for dinner, count down at midnight. But Spring Festival is the BIG one — that's the Lunar New Year, based on the moon calendar. It changes every year, usually between late January and mid-February.

哦那个!对,我们确实过1月1号,但那只是阳历新年——我们叫元旦。就像……普通假期,可能出去吃个饭,午夜倒数一下。但春节才是大的——那是农历新年,基于月亮历法。每年日期都变,通常在1月底到2月中旬之间。

A: So you basically get two New Years? That's awesome!

所以你们基本上过两个新年?太棒了!

B: Haha, kind of! But trust me, they're totally different vibes. January 1st is chill — maybe a day off, that's it. But Spring Festival? That's when everyone goes home for the New Year, families gather together, we have all these traditions... It's THE holiday.

哈哈,算是吧!但相信我,氛围完全不同。1月1号很轻松——可能放一天假,就这样。但春节?那才是大家回家过年、家人团聚、我们有各种传统的时候……这才是真正的节日。

A: Right, I keep hearing about it! Is it like Christmas for you guys?

对,我一直听说!对你们来说是不是像圣诞节?

B: Kind of! But instead of one day, we get a whole week off — the Golden Week. And instead of a Christmas tree, we use these decorations — Spring Festival couplets, Fu character stickers, red lanterns...

有点像!但我们不是一天,而是整整一周假期——黄金周。而且我们不用圣诞树,我们用这些装饰品——对联、福字、红灯笼……

A: Those red papers with the gold characters? What do they say?

那些写着金字的红纸?上面写的是什么?

B: They're Spring Festival couplets — traditional poems about good fortune and prosperity. We hang them on both sides of the door to decorate festively. It's like... you know how you hang wreaths? Same idea, different style.

它们是对联——关于好运和繁荣的传统诗句。我们把它们挂在门的两边来布置得喜气洋洋。就像……你知道你们挂花环吗?同样的意思,不同的风格。

A: Oh I see! And what about food? Do you have special holiday foods like we have turkey for Thanksgiving?

哦我懂了!那食物呢?你们有特别的节日食物吗,就像我们感恩节吃火鸡那样?

B: Absolutely! On New Year's Eve, the whole family gathers together for this huge lavish dinner. The kitchen is bustling with activity all day. In northern China, we make dumplings together — it's a family activity, kind of like decorating cookies together.

当然!在除夕,全家人团聚吃一顿超级丰盛的大餐。厨房一整天都热火朝天。在中国北方,我们一起包饺子——这是家庭活动,有点像一起装饰饼干。

A: That sounds fun! Why dumplings specifically?

听起来很有意思!为什么特别是饺子?

B: They're shaped like gold ingots — ancient Chinese money. So eating them symbolizes wealth and prosperity for the new year. Everything has meaning! Like, we always have fish because "fish" in Chinese is a homophone for "surplus" — surplus year after year.

它们的形状像元宝——中国古代的钱。所以吃它们象征新年招财进宝。每样东西都有意义!比如,我们一定要有鱼,因为中文里"鱼"和"余"是谐音——年年有余。

A: Wow, that's so clever! We don't really have that kind of symbolism with food. So after dinner, do you guys do anything special?

哇,太聪明了!我们的食物没有这种象征意义。那晚饭后,你们会做什么特别的事吗?

B: Yeah! We stay up late on New Year's Eve watching this huge TV show called the Spring Festival Gala — it's like... imagine if the Super Bowl halftime show lasted 4 hours and the whole country watched it.

对!我们守岁看一个大型电视节目叫春晚——就像……想象一下如果超级碗中场秀持续4小时,而且全国人都在看。

A: Four hours?! What happens at midnight?

四小时?!午夜的时候会发生什么?

B: When the New Year bell rings, people used to set off firecrackers and fireworks everywhere — it was deafening! But now many cities ban them for safety and the environment. It's like your Fourth of July fireworks, but for New Year.

当新年钟声敲响时,人们过去到处放鞭炮和放烟花——震耳欲聋!但现在很多城市为了安全和环保禁放了。就像你们的国庆日烟花,但是为了新年。

A: Got it! And then the next day?

明白了!那第二天呢?

B: On the first day of the Lunar New Year, we wear new clothes — a fresh start in the new year. We say auspicious words like "wishing you prosperity", "good health", "may all your wishes come true". Then comes the fun part — or the exhausting part, depending on how you see it.

在大年初一,我们穿新衣服——新年新气象。我们说吉祥话,比如恭喜发财、身体健康、万事如意。然后就是有趣的部分——或者说累人的部分,取决于你怎么看。

A: What do you mean?

什么意思?

B: We have to pay New Year visits and make the rounds to all our relatives' houses. Every single house, you exchange pleasantries, eat snacks like sunflower seeds, peanuts, candies... and the elders give red envelopes with lucky money to the younger generation.

我们得拜年,串门去所有亲戚家。每一家,你都要寒暄客套,吃零食,像瓜子、花生、糖果……然后长辈发红包,里面装着压岁钱给年轻一辈。

A: Oh, like Christmas money from grandparents! That's nice!

哦,就像圣诞节从祖父母那里得到的钱!挺好的!

B: Yeah, but here's the catch — at every house, relatives ask whether you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, when you're getting married, what you're doing with your life... I get totally overwhelmed! You really have to read the room and say the right thing to the right person to get away unscathed.

对,但问题是——在每一家,亲戚都会问有没有对象、什么时候结婚、你的人生在做什么……我完全应接不暇!你真的得察言观色、见人说人话见鬼说鬼话才能全身而退。

A: Haha! Sounds exactly like Thanksgiving dinner with my family! "So, still single?" "What are you doing with that degree?"

哈哈!听起来和我家的感恩节晚餐一模一样!"还单身吗?""你那个学位要干嘛?"

B: RIGHT?! Family gatherings are the same everywhere! That's why some people now just go traveling during CNY instead — domestic travel or international trips to escape the cold... and the questions.

对吧?!家庭聚会全世界都一样!所以现在有些人春节就直接出去旅游——国内游或者出国旅游来避寒……还有避开这些问题。

A: Smart move! Though I bet it's crowded everywhere and prices skyrocket, right?

聪明!不过我猜到处都人山人海,而且物价飞涨,对吧?

B: Exactly! But honestly, even with all the chaos and the nosy relatives, there's something special about it. Every house has this lavish spread of food, everyone's together... and hey, I get lucky money. Can't complain!

没错!但说实话,即使有这些混乱和爱管闲事的亲戚,还是有种特别的感觉。每家都有丰盛的菜,大家都在一起……而且,我能收压岁钱。不能抱怨!

A: That actually sounds really nice. I love how much meaning everything has — the fish, the dumplings, the red color... It's not just about presents like Christmas sometimes feels.

听起来真的很好。我喜欢每样东西都有这么多意义——鱼、饺子、红色……不只是像圣诞节有时候感觉的那样只关于礼物。

B: Yeah, that's what I love about it too. Even when I'm exhausted from making the rounds, it reminds me what matters. Family, tradition, and hoping for a fresh start in the new year.

对,这也是我喜欢的地方。即使我串门累得要死,它也提醒我什么是重要的。家人、传统,还有希望新年新气象。

A: So what are your plans for CNY this year? Traditional celebration or something different?

你今年春节什么计划?传统过年还是换个方式?

B: Honestly? I'm thinking of just going traveling. I'm so over the whole visiting relatives thing — it's way too exhausting.

说实话?我在考虑出去旅游。我受够了走亲戚这事儿——太累了。

A: I feel you. Those social obligations can be too tedious. Where are you thinking of going?

我懂。那些人情往来确实太繁琐。你想去哪儿?

B: Maybe somewhere warm for domestic travel — like Sanya? Or I might travel abroad to Southeast Asia to escape the cold.

可能去暖和的地方国内游——比如三亚?或者我可能出国游去东南亚避寒。

A: Ooh, nice! The Spring Festival Golden Week is perfect for taking a spontaneous trip. Seven whole days!

哦,不错!春节黄金周特别适合来一场说走就走的旅行。整整七天!

B: Exactly! Though I know it'll be crowded everywhere and prices will skyrocket.

没错!虽然我知道会人山人海,而且物价飞涨。

A: True, but still beats staying home and being pressured to get married by relatives, right?

确实,但还是比待在家里被亲戚催婚强吧?

B: Ha! Facts. I'd rather deal with tourist crowds than answer "when are you getting married" fifty times a day.

哈!说得对。我宁愿应付游客人群,也不想一天回答五十次"什么时候结婚"。

A: Fair point. At the end of the day, CNY is about relaxing and unwinding, recharging for the new year. Whether that's with family or on a beach somewhere.

有道理。说到底,春节就是为了放松心情,为新年充电。不管是和家人在一起还是在某个海滩上。

B: Exactly. Just gotta make the most of this long holiday however works best for you.

没错。就是要充分利用这个长假,用最适合自己的方式。

A: Amen to that. Enjoy your trip!

说得好。祝你旅途愉快!

B: Thanks! You too — whether you're making the rounds or chilling at home!

谢谢!你也是——不管你是串门还是在家放松!

The year is drawing to a close, and Chinese New YearSpring Festival is just around the corner. Honestly, you can't focus on work at all right now—your mind is completely occupied with New Year preparations. You start to count down the days until the holiday, slacking off at work every day, just waiting for Chunyunthe Spring Festival travel rush to begin so you can go home for the New Year.

💡 词汇解释

• The year is drawing to a close /jɪə(r) ɪz ˈdrɔːɪŋ tə ə kləʊz/: 年关将近; 一年快结束了 (Draw to a close 指接近尾声,Year-end 也可以表示年末)。

• Chinese New Year /ˌtʃaɪˈniːz njuː jɪə(r)/ / Spring Festival /sprɪŋ ˈfestɪvl/: 春节 (CNY 是缩写,Spring Festival 是官方英文名称,Lunar New Year 农历新年更包容,因为其他亚洲国家也过)。

• Can't focus on work /kɑːnt ˈfəʊkəs ɒn wɜːk/: 无心工作 (Focus 专注,Can't concentrate 也可以)。

• Count down /kaʊnt daʊn/: 倒数 (Countdown 作名词指倒计时,如 New Year's countdown 跨年倒数)。

• Slack off /slæk ɒf/: 摸鱼; 偷懒 (Slack 松懈,Goof off / Kill time 也表示混时间)。

• Chunyun /ˈtʃuːnˈjuːn/ / Spring Festival travel rush春运 (中国特有现象,是世界上最大规模的人口迁徙 the world's lar gest human migration)。

• Go home for the New Year /ɡəʊ həʊm fə(r) ðə njuː jɪə(r)/: 回家过年 (Return home 回家,Family reunion 家庭团聚)。

Before heading home, you need to do a thorough cleaningspring cleaning. Chinese people believe in ringing out the old year and ringing in the new, making sure the house is spotlessly clean to sweep away bad luck. You roll up your sleeves and get to work—wiping the windows, mopping the floor, decluttering—until you're aching all over. After cleaning, you still need to stock up on New Year goods.

💡 词汇解释

• Spring cleaning /sprɪŋ ˈkliːnɪŋ/ / Thorough cleaning /ˈθʌrə ˈkliːnɪŋ/: 大扫除 (Spring cleaning 原指春季大扫除,但春节前的大扫除也常用这个词)。

• Ring out the old year and ring in the new /rɪŋ aʊt ðə əʊld jɪə(r) ænd rɪŋ ɪn ðə njuː/: 辞旧迎新 (Ring 本意是敲钟,这个表达很有仪式感)。

• Spotlessly clean /ˈspɒtləsli kliːn/: 一尘不染 (Spotless 没有污点的,Immaculate 也表示极其干净)。

• Sweep away bad luck /swiːp əˈweɪ bæd lʌk/: 扫走晦气 (Sweep 扫,Bad luck / Misfortune 晦气、厄运)。

• Roll up your sleeves /rəʊl ʌp jɔː(r) sliːvz/: 撸起袖子; 准备大干一场 (表示准备认真做事,Get down to business 也有类似意思)。

• Wipe /waɪp/ / Mop /mɒp/ / Declutter /diːˈklʌtə(r)/: 擦 / 拖 / 整理杂物 (Clean 是通用词,Tidy up 整理)。

• Aching all over /ˈeɪkɪŋ ɔːl ˈəʊvə(r)/: 腰酸背痛; 浑身酸痛 (Ache 酸痛,Sore 也表示肌肉酸痛)。

• Stock up on New Year goods /stɒk ʌp ɒn njuː jɪə(r) ɡʊdz/: 置办年货 (Stock up 囤货,New Year goods 年货)。

The supermarket is packed with people, with everyone snapping up all sorts of things. You push your shopping cart around, first picking up Spring Festival couplets, Fu character stickers, and red lanterns—decorations to make your home look festive. Then you stock up on food: sunflower seeds, peanuts, candies, and nuts—essential snacks for the holiday. You also grab fish, chicken, and pork as ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinnerreunion dinner.

💡 词汇解释

• Packed with people /pækt wɪð ˈpiːpl/: 人山人海 (Packed / Crowded / Jam-packed 都表示拥挤)。

• Snap up /snæp ʌp/: 抢购; 抢着买 (Snap 抓,形容快速抢购,Grab / Snatch up 也可以)。

• Spring Festival couplets /sprɪŋ ˈfestɪvl ˈkʌpləts/: 对联 (Couplets 对联,通常是成对的诗句贴在门两边)。

• Fu character stickers /fuː ˈkærəktə(r) ˈstɪkəz/: 福字贴 (Fu 福,Character 字,常倒着贴寓意"福到了" Fu arrives)。

• Red lanterns /red ˈlæntənz/: 红灯笼 (Lantern 灯笼,红色象征好运和喜庆)。

• Decorations /ˌdekəˈreɪʃnz/: 装饰品 (Decorate 装饰,Festive decorations 节日装饰)。

• Decorate festively /ˈdekəreɪt ˈfestɪvli/: 布置得喜气洋洋 (Festive 喜庆的,Lively and joyful 也可以)。

• Snacks /snæks/: 零食 (Munchies / Nibbles 也指小零食)。

• Ingredients /ɪnˈɡriːdiənts/: 食材 (Groceries 杂货,Raw materials 原材料)。

• New Year's Eve dinner /njuː jɪəz iːv ˈdɪnə(r)/ / Reunion dinner /ˌriːˈjuːniən ˈdɪnə(r)/: 年夜饭 (除夕夜的团圆饭,Family feast 家庭盛宴)。

On New Year's EveChuxi, the whole family gathers togetherreunites. In the afternoon, you start preparing the reunion dinner, and the kitchen is bustling with activity. You help out by washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, and making dumplings. Northerners always eat dumplingsjiaozi during New Year because their shape resembles gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Southerners might eat New Year cakenian gao, which means rising higher year after year, or glutinous rice ballstang yuan, symbolizing family reunion and harmony.

💡 词汇解释

• New Year's Eve /njuː jɪəz iːv/ / Chuxi /ˈtʃuːˈʃiː/: 除夕 (农历年的最后一天,Eve 前夜)。

• Gather together /ˈɡæðə(r) təˈɡeðə(r)/ / Reunite /ˌriːjuːˈnaɪt/: 团聚 (Reunion 团圆,Get together 聚在一起)。

• Bustling with activity /ˈbʌslɪŋ wɪð ækˈtɪvəti/: 热火朝天 (Bustling 熙熙攘攘、热闹,Buzzing with energy 也可以)。

• Wash vegetables /wɒʃ ˈvedʒtəblz/ / Chop vegetables /tʃɒp ˈvedʒtəblz/: 洗菜 / 切菜 (Prep / Prepare ingredients 准备食材)。

• Make dumplings /meɪk ˈdʌmplɪŋz/: 包饺子 (Wrap dumplings 也可以,Dumpling-making 包饺子这个活动)。

• Dumplings /ˈdʌmplɪŋz/ / Jiaozi /ˈdʒjaʊˈdzɪ/: 饺子 (中国北方春节必吃,Potstickers 锅贴是煎饺)。

• Gold ingots /ɡəʊld ˈɪŋɡəts/: 元宝 (古代货币,Ingot 锭、块)。

• Bring in wealth and treasure /brɪŋ ɪn welθ ænd ˈtreʒə(r)/: 招财进宝 (Attract wealth 招财)。

• New Year cake /njuː jɪə(r) keɪk/ / Nian gao /ˈnjæn ˈɡaʊ/: 年糕 (Sticky rice cake 糯米糕,Gao 糕和 Gao 高谐音)。

• Rising higher year after year /ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈhaɪə(r) jɪə(r) ˈɑːftə(r) jɪə(r)/: 年年高升 (寓意事业、学业步步高升)。

• Glutinous rice balls /ˈɡluːtɪnəs raɪs bɔːlz/ / Tang yuan /ˈtɑːŋ ˈjuæn/: 汤圆 (甜汤圆,Yuan 圆象征团圆)。

• Family reunion and harmony /ˈfæməli ˌriːˈjuːniən ænd ˈhɑːməni/: 团团圆圆 (Togetherness 团聚,Harmony 和睦)。

The reunion dinner must be lavishsumptuous, emphasizing auspicious meanings. There must be fish on the table because "fish" (yú) is a homophone for "surplus" (yú), symbolizing surplus year after year. There should also be chicken, representing great luck and prosperity, and shrimp, meaning always smilingfull of joy, because shrimp's curved shape resembles a smile. During the meal, elders give red envelopeshongbao to the younger generation, containing lucky money to ward off evil spirits and ensure safety.

💡 词汇解释

• Lavish /ˈlævɪʃ/ / Sumptuous /ˈsʌmptʃuəs/: 丰盛 (Abundant 丰富,Feast 盛宴)。

• Auspicious meanings /ɔːˈspɪʃəs ˈmiːnɪŋz/: 好意头; 吉祥寓意 (Auspicious 吉利的,Lucky 幸运的)。

• Fish /fɪʃ/: 鱼 (必备菜肴,但通常不能吃完,要留一点象征"有余")。

• Homophone /ˈhɒməfəʊn/: 谐音 (发音相同但意思不同的字,Sound-alike 也可以)。

• Surplus year after year /ˈsɜːpləs jɪə(r) ˈɑːftə(r) jɪə(r)/: 年年有余 (Surplus 盈余,Abundance 富足)。

• Great luck and prosperity /ɡreɪt lʌk ænd prɒˈsperəti/: 大吉大利 (Prosperity 繁荣,Good fortune 好运)。

• Always smiling /ˈɔːlweɪz ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/ / Full of joy /fʊl əv dʒɔɪ/: 笑口常开 (虾的弯曲形状像笑容)。

• Give red envelopes /ɡɪv red ˈenvələʊps/ / Hongbao /ˈhɒŋˈbaʊ/: 发红包 (Red packet 红包,Hand out 分发)。

• Lucky money /ˈlʌki ˈmʌni/: 压岁钱 (Money gift 礼金,Cash gift 现金礼物)。

• Ward off evil spirits /wɔːd ɒf ˈiːvl ˈspɪrɪts/: 压住邪祟; 驱邪 (Ward off 抵御,Evil spirits 邪灵)。

After the reunion dinner, the whole family stays up late on New Year's Eve (shou sui), watching the Spring Festival Gala together. The Gala features crosstalkxiangsheng, comedy sketches, song and dance performances, and more. At midnight, when the New Year bell rings, people outside start setting off firecrackers and fireworks—it's deafening. However, many cities now ban fireworks for environmental protection and safety.

💡 词汇解释

• Stay up late on New Year's Eve / Shou sui守岁 (传统习俗,熬夜迎接新年,Stay awake 保持清醒) 。

• Spring Festival Gala春晚 (CCTV Spring Festival Gala 央视春晚,年度盛事) 。

• Crosstalk / Xiangsheng相声 (中国传统曲艺,两人对口的喜剧表演) 。

• Comedy sketch小品 (短喜剧,Skit 也可以) 。

• Song and dance performances歌舞表演 (Musical performances 音乐表演) 。

• Midnight午夜; 零点 (12 AM,Stroke of midnight 午夜钟声) 。

• The New Year bell rings新年钟声敲响 (Bell tolls 钟声响起) 。

• Set off firecrackers放鞭炮 (Firecracker 鞭炮,Light firecrackers 点 燃鞭炮)。

• Set off fireworks放烟花 (Fireworks display 烟花表演,Launch firew orks 发射烟花)。

• Deafening震耳欲聋 (Ear-splitting 刺耳的,Thunderous 雷鸣般的) 。

• Ban fireworks禁放烟花 (Ban 禁止,Fireworks ban 禁放令) 。

• Environmental protection / Safety环保 / 安全 (Eco-friendly 环保的,Public safety 公共安全)。

On the first day of the Lunar New Year (Lunar New Year's Day), you put on new clothes, symbolizing a fresh start in the new year. First thing in the morning, you exchange auspicious wordswell-wishes like "wishing you prosperity"gong xi fa cai, "good health", and "may all your wishes come true". Then you start paying New Year visits, dropping by relatives' and friends' homes to exchange New Year greetings. Kids are the happiest because they get to receive red envelopes and make a fortune.

💡 词汇解释

• The first day of the Lunar New Year大年初一 (Lunar New Year's Day 农历新年第一天) 。

• New clothes新衣服 (穿新衣象征辞旧迎新,Fresh outfit 新装扮) 。

• A fresh start in the new year新年新气象 (New beginning 新开始,Turn over a new leaf 翻开新篇章)。

• Auspicious words / Well-wishes吉祥话; 祝福语 (Blessings 祝福,Greetings 问候) 。

• Wishing you prosperity / Gong xi fa cai恭喜发财 (最常见的新年祝福,Prosperity 繁荣) 。

• Good health身体健康 (Health and wellness 健康,Stay health y 保持健康)。

• May all your wishes come true万事如意 (Everything goes well 一切顺利) 。

• Pay New Year visits拜年 (传统习俗,Make the rounds 四处拜访) 。

• Drop by / Visit串门 (Stop by 顺便拜访,Pop in 突然来访) 。

• Exchange New Year greetings拜年问候; 互致新春祝福 (Greet each other 互相问候) 。

• Receive red envelopes收红包 (Get hongbao 得到红包,Collect 收集) 。

• Make a fortune赚得盆满钵满; 发大财 (赚很多钱,Strike it rich 发财) 。

From the first to the fifth day, tradition calls for visiting relatives and friends, making the rounds from family to family to pay New Year respects. At each home, you exchange pleasantries—elders will inevitably ask about your job, whether you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, when you're getting married, leaving you feeling overwhelmed. You need to say the right thing to the right person and read the room if you want to get away unscathed.

💡 词汇解释

• Visit relatives and friends走亲访友 (Make social calls 社交拜访,Visit famil y 拜访家人)。

• Maternal grandparents' house外婆家 (Mother's parents 母亲的父母) 。

• Pay New Year respects拜年 (Give New Year greetings 致以新年问候) 。

• Aunt's house / Uncle's house姑姑家 / 舅舅家 (Relatives' homes 亲戚家) 。

• Make the rounds串门; 挨家挨户拜访 (Go from house to house 逐家拜访) 。

• Exchange pleasantries寒暄客套 (Make small talk 闲聊,Chitchat 聊天) 。

• If you have a boyfriend/girlfriend有没有对象 (Are you dating anyone 在约会吗,In a r elationship 在恋爱中)。

• When you're getting married什么时候结婚 (When's the wedding 婚礼什么时候) 。

• Overwhelmed应接不暇 (Swamped 应付不过来,Inundated 被淹没) 。

• Say the right thing to the right person见人说人话,见鬼说鬼话 (Tailor your words 因人而异说话) 。

• Read the room察言观色 (Gauge the atmosphere 判断气氛,Be tactf ul 圆滑)。

• Get away unscathed全身而退 (Escape unharmed 毫发无损地逃脱,Dodge a bu llet 躲过一劫)。

However, more and more people now choose to celebrate in a different way. Some feel that visiting relatives is exhausting and social obligations are too tedious, so they simply go traveling instead. The Spring Festival Golden Week offers seven days off—perfect for taking a spontaneous trip. Some opt for domestic travel, visiting popular tourist spots like Sanya or Yunnan, while others travel abroad to Southeast Asia to escape the cold or to Japan and Korea to shop till they drop. Sure, it's crowded everywhere and prices skyrocket, but it beats staying home and being pressured to get married.

💡 词汇解释

• Celebrate in a different way换个方式过年 (Break with tradition 打破传统) 。

• Visiting relatives is exhausting走亲戚太累 (Family visits are tiring 家庭拜访很累人) 。

• Social obligations are too tedious人情往来太繁琐 (Social niceties are burdensome 社交礼节太麻烦)。

• Go traveling出去旅游 (Take a trip 去旅行,Travel 旅行) 。

• Golden Week黄金周 (七天长假,Week-long holiday 一周假期) 。

• Take a spontaneous trip来一场说走就走的旅行 (Impromptu getaway 即兴出游) 。

• Domestic travel国内游 (Travel within the country 国内旅行) 。

• Popular tourist spots热门景点 (Tourist attractions 旅游景点,Hotspots 热点)。

• Travel abroad出国游 (International travel 国际旅行,Overseas trip 海外旅行)。

• Escape the cold避寒 (Seek warmer weather 寻找温暖天气) 。

• Shop till you drop买买买; 疯狂购物 (Go on a shopping spree 疯狂购物) 。

• Crowded everywhere人山人海 (Packed 拥挤,Swarming with people 人潮汹 涌)。

• Prices skyrocket物价飞涨 (Costs soar 费用飙升,Price surge 价格暴涨) 。

• Be pressured to get married被催婚 (Face marriage pressure 面临结婚压力) 。

Whether it's a traditional celebration or holiday travel, the most important thing about Spring Festival is to relax and unwind, recharge, and enjoy this rare long holiday.

💡 词汇解释

• Traditional celebration传统过年 (Conventional way 传统方式) 。

• Holiday travel旅游过年 (Vacation trip 假期旅行) 。

• Relax and unwind放松心情 (De-stress 减压,Chill out 放松) 。

• Recharge充电 (Rejuvenate 恢复活力,Refresh 刷新) 。

• Long holiday长假 (Extended break 延长的假期,Week-long vacat ion 一周假期)。