Want to say “Merry Christmas” in Traditional Chinese without sounding like you copy-pasted a greeting card from 1997? You’ll get high-utility greetings, holiday words, and practical lines for texts, cards, parties, and gift exchanges.
Every item includes Traditional Chinese characters, pinyin with tone marks, and a real sentence (with translation). Tap the audio buttons to hear Taiwan Mandarin (zh-TW).
Yak Snark (early edition)
If you only learn one thing today, make it 聖誕快樂. It’s the “hello” of Christmas. Everything else is just extra glitter.
Section 1: The 8 “Use These Everywhere” Cards greetings you can text, say, or write
聖誕快樂
Shèngdàn kuàilè
Merry Christmas
Most common & safe
聖誕快樂！祝你今天超開心。
Shèngdàn kuàilè! Zhù nǐ jīntiān chāo kāixīn.
Merry Christmas! Wishing you an extra-happy day.
佳節愉快
Jiājié yúkuài
Happy holidays (a bit formal)
Great for cards/emails
佳節愉快，謝謝你今年的照顧！
Jiājié yúkuài, xièxiè nǐ jīnnián de zhàogù!
Happy holidays—thank you for looking out for me this year!
節日快樂
Jiérì kuàilè
Happy holidays (generic)
Works for any holiday
節日快樂！路上小心，平安回家。
Jiérì kuàilè! Lùshàng xiǎoxīn, píng’ān huíjiā.
Happy holidays! Travel safe and get home safely.
平安夜快樂
Píng’ān yè kuàilè
Happy Christmas Eve
For Dec 24 vibes
平安夜快樂！今晚一起吃點甜的吧。
Píng’ān yè kuàilè! Jīnwǎn yìqǐ chī diǎn tián de ba.
Happy Christmas Eve! Let’s eat something sweet tonight.
新年快樂
Xīnnián kuàilè
Happy New Year
For year-end + countdown
新年快樂！希望明年更順利。
Xīnnián kuàilè! Xīwàng míngnián gèng shùnlì.
Happy New Year! Hope next year goes even smoother.
祝你假期愉快
Zhù nǐ jiàqī yúkuài
Have a great holiday break
Perfect for coworkers
祝你假期愉快，好好休息一下！
Zhù nǐ jiàqī yúkuài, hǎohǎo xiūxi yíxià!
Enjoy your holiday break—get some real rest!
願你聖誕平安
Yuàn nǐ shèngdàn píng’ān
Wishing you peace at Christmas
Warm & heartfelt
願你聖誕平安，心裡很踏實。
Yuàn nǐ shèngdàn píng’ān, xīnlǐ hěn tāshí.
Wishing you peace this Christmas—steady and calm inside.
聖誕快樂，萬事如意
Shèngdàn kuàilè, wànshì rúyì
Merry Christmas, and may all go well
Card-ready line
聖誕快樂，萬事如意！明年也一起加油。
Shèngdàn kuàilè, wànshì rúyì! Míngnián yě yìqǐ jiāyóu.
Merry Christmas—may everything go your way! Let’s keep it up next year too.
Section 1.01: Ready-to-Copy Phrases & Sentences texts, cards, party talk
祝你聖誕節快樂！
Zhù nǐ Shèngdàn jié kuàilè!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
祝你聖誕節快樂，今天吃好吃滿！
Zhù nǐ Shèngdàn jié kuàilè, jīntiān chī hǎo chī mǎn!
Merry Christmas—eat all the good stuff today!
Slightly longer than 聖誕快樂, perfect for messages.
祝你和家人聖誕快樂！
Zhù nǐ hé jiārén Shèngdàn kuàilè!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
祝你和家人聖誕快樂，平安健康。
Zhù nǐ hé jiārén Shèngdàn kuàilè, píng’ān jiànkāng.
Merry Christmas to you and your family—peace and health.
Warm and very common in holiday cards.
願你在這個佳節裡充滿愛與溫暖。
Yuàn nǐ zài zhè ge jiājié lǐ chōngmǎn ài yǔ wēnnuǎn.
May your holidays be full of love and warmth.
願你在這個佳節裡充滿愛與溫暖，也多一點好運。
Yuàn nǐ zài zhè ge jiājié lǐ chōngmǎn ài yǔ wēnnuǎn, yě duō yìdiǎn hǎoyùn.
May your holidays be full of love and warmth—and a bit more luck too.
A classic “card vibe” sentence—sweet, not weird.
今年要不要交換禮物？
Jīnnián yào bú yào jiāohuàn lǐwù?
Do you want to do a gift exchange this year?
今年要不要交換禮物？我們可以抽籤。
Jīnnián yào bú yào jiāohuàn lǐwù? Wǒmen kěyǐ chōuqiān.
Want to do a gift exchange this year? We can draw names.
The practical line that actually gets the party organized.
你的願望清單是什麼？
Nǐ de yuànwàng qīngdān shì shénme?
What’s on your wish list?
你的願望清單是什麼？我想參考一下。
Nǐ de yuànwàng qīngdān shì shénme? Wǒ xiǎng cānkǎo yíxià.
What’s on your wish list? I want to get some ideas.
Polite way to ask, “So… what should I buy you?”
我幫你準備了一點小禮物。
Wǒ bāng nǐ zhǔnbèi le yìdiǎn xiǎo lǐwù.
I prepared a small gift for you.
我幫你準備了一點小禮物，希望你喜歡。
Wǒ bāng nǐ zhǔnbèi le yìdiǎn xiǎo lǐwù, xīwàng nǐ xǐhuān.
I prepared a small gift for you—hope you like it.
Sweet, simple, and not overly dramatic.
聖誕派對幾點開始？
Shèngdàn pàiduì jǐ diǎn kāishǐ?
What time does the Christmas party start?
聖誕派對幾點開始？我可能會晚到一點。
Shèngdàn pàiduì jǐ diǎn kāishǐ? Wǒ kěnéng huì wǎn dào yìdiǎn.
What time does the Christmas party start? I might be a bit late.
Useful for people with… calendars.
路上小心，祝你一路平安。
Lùshàng xiǎoxīn, zhù nǐ yílù píng’ān.
Take care—safe travels.
路上小心，祝你一路平安，到了跟我說。
Lùshàng xiǎoxīn, zhù nǐ yílù píng’ān, dào le gēn wǒ shuō.
Travel safe—tell me when you arrive.
Holiday travel = traffic. This line is evergreen.
今天好冷，記得保暖！
Jīntiān hǎo lěng, jìdé bǎonuǎn!
It’s cold—keep warm!
今天好冷，記得保暖，別感冒了。
Jīntiān hǎo lěng, jìdé bǎonuǎn, bié gǎnmào le.
It’s cold today—stay warm and don’t catch a cold.
Holiday kindness, Taiwan edition.
我們跨年夜一起倒數吧！
Wǒmen kuànián yè yìqǐ dàoshǔ ba!
Let’s count down together on New Year’s Eve!
我們跨年夜一起倒數吧！十二點見。
Wǒmen kuànián yè yìqǐ dàoshǔ ba! Shí’èr diǎn jiàn.
Let’s count down together on New Year’s Eve! See you at midnight.
For when Christmas turns into “wait, it’s already year-end?!”
謝謝你今年的陪伴。
Xièxiè nǐ jīnnián de péibàn.
Thank you for being with me this year.
謝謝你今年的陪伴，祝你佳節愉快。
Xièxiè nǐ jīnnián de péibàn, zhù nǐ jiājié yúkuài.
Thanks for being with me this year—happy holidays.
Simple gratitude hits harder than fancy words.
今晚一起吃火雞嗎？
Jīnwǎn yìqǐ chī huǒjī ma?
Want to eat turkey together tonight?
今晚一起吃火雞嗎？我帶甜點。
Jīnwǎn yìqǐ chī huǒjī ma? Wǒ dài tiándiǎn.
Turkey tonight? I’ll bring dessert.
Food is the true holiday language.
祝你心想事成！
Zhù nǐ xīnxiǎng shìchéng!
May your wishes come true!
祝你心想事成，明年更順利。
Zhù nǐ xīnxiǎng shìchéng, míngnián gèng shùnlì.
May your wishes come true—and next year be even smoother.
A classic wish line that works beyond Christmas too.
Quick nuance: 佳節愉快 feels more formal (cards, emails). 假期愉快 is more “enjoy your break.” 聖誕快樂 is always safe.
Section 2: Christmas Words You’ll Actually See and Hear
2A) Holiday time & events the “when/where” vocabulary
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 聖誕節 | Shèngdàn jié | Christmas (the day/holiday) | 聖誕節我們在家吃飯。Shèngdàn jié wǒmen zài jiā chīfàn. | We eat at home on Christmas. | |
| 平安夜 | Píng’ān yè | Christmas Eve | 平安夜你有空嗎？Píng’ān yè nǐ yǒu kòng ma? | Are you free on Christmas Eve? | |
| 聖誕假期 | Shèngdàn jiàqī | Christmas holiday break | 聖誕假期我想回家。Shèngdàn jiàqī wǒ xiǎng huíjiā. | I want to go home for the Christmas break. | |
| 聖誕季 | Shèngdàn jì | Christmas season | 聖誕季到處都在放歌。Shèngdàn jì dàochù dōu zài fàng gē. | During the Christmas season, songs are playing everywhere. | |
| 跨年夜 | Kuànián yè | New Year’s Eve | 跨年夜我們去看煙火。Kuànián yè wǒmen qù kàn yānhuǒ. | We’re going to watch fireworks on New Year’s Eve. | |
| 倒數 | Dàoshǔ | countdown | 快十二點了，準備倒數！Kuài shí’èr diǎn le, zhǔnbèi dàoshǔ! | It’s almost midnight—get ready to count down! | |
| 年末 | Niánmò | year-end | 年末事情特別多。Niánmò shìqíng tèbié duō. | Things get especially busy at year-end. | |
| 聖誕市集 | Shèngdàn shìjí | Christmas market | 週末去逛聖誕市集吧。Zhōumò qù guàng Shèngdàn shìjí ba. | Let’s go to a Christmas market this weekend. | |
| 聖誕派對 | Shèngdàn pàiduì | Christmas party | 我們公司有聖誕派對。Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu Shèngdàn pàiduì. | Our company has a Christmas party. | |
| 聚會 | Jùhuì | gathering | 這次聚會在我家。Zhè cì jùhuì zài wǒ jiā. | This gathering is at my place. | |
| 連假 | Liánjià | long holiday (several days off) | 連假我只想睡飽。Liánjià wǒ zhǐ xiǎng shuì bǎo. | On the long break, I just want to sleep in. | |
| 休假 | Xiūjià | take time off | 我下週要休假兩天。Wǒ xiàzhōu yào xiūjià liǎng tiān. | I’m taking two days off next week. |
2B) Decorations & symbols the pretty stuff
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 聖誕樹 | Shèngdàn shù | Christmas tree | 我們把聖誕樹放在客廳。Wǒmen bǎ Shèngdàn shù fàng zài kètīng. | We put the Christmas tree in the living room. | |
| 星星 | Xīngxīng | star | 樹頂有一顆星星。Shùdǐng yǒu yì kē xīngxīng. | There’s a star on top of the tree. | |
| 彩燈 | Cǎidēng | string lights / colorful lights | 窗邊掛了很多彩燈。Chuāngbiān guà le hěn duō cǎidēng. | There are lots of string lights by the window. | |
| 聖誕燈 | Shèngdàn dēng | Christmas lights | 晚上聖誕燈亮起來很美。Wǎnshàng Shèngdàn dēng liàng qǐlái hěn měi. | The Christmas lights look beautiful at night. | |
| 花環 | Huāhuán | wreath | 門上有一個聖誕花環。Mén shàng yǒu yí ge Shèngdàn huāhuán. | There’s a Christmas wreath on the door. | |
| 槲寄生 | Hújìshēng | mistletoe | 他們在槲寄生下面拍照。Tāmen zài hújìshēng xiàmiàn pāizhào. | They’re taking photos under the mistletoe. | |
| 鈴鐺 | Língdāng | bells | 鈴鐺一響就很有節日感。Língdāng yì xiǎng jiù hěn yǒu jiérì gǎn. | Once the bells ring, it instantly feels festive. | |
| 雪花 | Xuěhuā | snowflake | 我用紙剪了雪花裝飾。Wǒ yòng zhǐ jiǎn le xuěhuā zhuāngshì. | I cut paper snowflakes as decorations. | |
| 雪人 | Xuěrén | snowman | 小朋友在外面堆雪人。Xiǎopéngyǒu zài wàimiàn duī xuěrén. | Kids are building a snowman outside. | |
| 裝飾品 | Zhuāngshìpǐn | decorations / ornaments | 今年的裝飾品走金色風。Jīnnián de zhuāngshìpǐn zǒu jīnsè fēng. | This year’s decorations are in a gold theme. | |
| 拐杖糖 | Guǎizhàng táng | candy cane | 拐杖糖很可愛，但也很甜。Guǎizhàng táng hěn kě’ài, dàn yě hěn tián. | Candy canes are cute… and very sweet. | |
| 聖誕襪 | Shèngdàn wà | Christmas stocking | 我把聖誕襪掛在牆上。Wǒ bǎ Shèngdàn wà guà zài qiáng shàng. | I hung the Christmas stocking on the wall. | |
| 聖誕帽 | Shèngdàn mào | Santa hat | 戴上聖誕帽就有氣氛。Dài shàng Shèngdàn mào jiù yǒu qìfēn. | Put on a Santa hat and you’ve got the vibe. | |
| 緞帶 | Duàndài | ribbon | 我用紅色緞帶綁禮物。Wǒ yòng hóngsè duàndài bǎng lǐwù. | I tie gifts with a red ribbon. |
2C) Gifts, cards & wrapping the “what did you get me” section
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 禮物 | Lǐwù | gift | 這份禮物是給你的。Zhè fèn lǐwù shì gěi nǐ de. | This gift is for you. | |
| 禮物盒 | Lǐwù hé | gift box | 禮物盒我包得很用心。Lǐwù hé wǒ bāo de hěn yòngxīn. | I wrapped the gift box with a lot of care. | |
| 包裝 | Bāozhuāng | wrapping / packaging | 這個包裝也太好看了吧。Zhè ge bāozhuāng yě tài hǎokàn le ba. | This wrapping is way too pretty. | |
| 包裝紙 | Bāozhuāng zhǐ | wrapping paper | 我買了聖誕圖案的包裝紙。Wǒ mǎi le Shèngdàn tú’àn de bāozhuāng zhǐ. | I bought wrapping paper with Christmas patterns. | |
| 聖誕卡 | Shèngdàn kǎ | Christmas card | 我寫了一張聖誕卡給你。Wǒ xiě le yì zhāng Shèngdàn kǎ gěi nǐ. | I wrote you a Christmas card. | |
| 卡片 | Kǎpiàn | card | 卡片上我寫了祝福。Kǎpiàn shàng wǒ xiě le zhùfú. | I wrote blessings on the card. | |
| 願望清單 | Yuànwàng qīngdān | wish list | 我的願望清單其實很短。Wǒ de yuànwàng qīngdān qíshí hěn duǎn. | My wish list is actually pretty short. | |
| 交換禮物 | Jiāohuàn lǐwù | gift exchange | 我們公司要交換禮物。Wǒmen gōngsī yào jiāohuàn lǐwù. | Our company is doing a gift exchange. | |
| 拆禮物 | Chāi lǐwù | open/unwrap gifts | 小朋友最期待拆禮物。Xiǎopéngyǒu zuì qīdài chāi lǐwù. | Kids look forward to opening gifts the most. | |
| 驚喜 | Jīngxǐ | surprise | 我想給你一個驚喜。Wǒ xiǎng gěi nǐ yí ge jīngxǐ. | I want to give you a surprise. |
2D) People & holiday characters who’s showing up
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 聖誕老人 | Shèngdàn lǎorén | Santa Claus | 小孩相信聖誕老人會來。Xiǎohái xiāngxìn Shèngdàn lǎorén huì lái. | Kids believe Santa will come. | |
| 馴鹿 | Xùnlù | reindeer | 馴鹿在故事裡拉雪橇。Xùnlù zài gùshì lǐ lā xuěqiāo. | Reindeer pull the sleigh in stories. | |
| 麋鹿 | Mílù | moose (also used in cute holiday decor) | 我看到一個可愛的麋鹿玩偶。Wǒ kàndào yí ge kě’ài de mílù wányǒu. | I saw a cute moose plush toy. | |
| 小精靈 | Xiǎo jīnglíng | elves | 電影裡有很多小精靈。Diànyǐng lǐ yǒu hěn duō xiǎo jīnglíng. | There are lots of elves in the movie. | |
| 家人 | Jiārén | family | 我想跟家人一起過節。Wǒ xiǎng gēn jiārén yìqǐ guòjié. | I want to spend the holiday with my family. | |
| 朋友 | Péngyǒu | friend(s) | 朋友們今晚要聚在一起。Péngyǒumen jīnwǎn yào jù zài yìqǐ. | Friends are getting together tonight. | |
| 同事 | Tóngshì | coworker(s) | 我跟同事交換禮物。Wǒ gēn tóngshì jiāohuàn lǐwù. | I’m exchanging gifts with coworkers. | |
| 鄰居 | Línjū | neighbor(s) | 鄰居送了我餅乾。Línjū sòng le wǒ bǐnggān. | A neighbor gave me cookies. |
2E) Food & sweet stuff the real holiday magic
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 火雞 | Huǒjī | turkey | 火雞烤得很香。Huǒjī kǎo de hěn xiāng. | The turkey smells amazing. | |
| 烤火雞 | Kǎo huǒjī | roast turkey | 我第一次做烤火雞。Wǒ dì-yī cì zuò kǎo huǒjī. | I’m making roast turkey for the first time. | |
| 薑餅 | Jiāngbǐng | gingerbread | 薑餅有濃濃的香料味。Jiāngbǐng yǒu nóngnóng de xiāngliào wèi. | Gingerbread has a strong spice aroma. | |
| 薑餅人 | Jiāngbǐngrén | gingerbread man | 這個薑餅人笑得很可愛。Zhè ge jiāngbǐngrén xiào de hěn kě’ài. | This gingerbread man looks adorably smiley. | |
| 熱巧克力 | Rè qiǎokèlì | hot chocolate | 冷天喝熱巧克力最舒服。Lěng tiān hē rè qiǎokèlì zuì shūfu. | Hot chocolate is the coziest on cold days. | |
| 蛋酒 | Dànjiǔ | eggnog | 我第一次喝蛋酒，味道很特別。Wǒ dì-yī cì hē dànjiǔ, wèidào hěn tèbié. | I tried eggnog for the first time—it’s a unique taste. | |
| 肉桂 | Ròuguì | cinnamon | 加一點肉桂更有聖誕味。Jiā yìdiǎn ròuguì gèng yǒu Shèngdàn wèi. | Add a bit of cinnamon for a more “Christmas” flavor. | |
| 糖霜 | Tángshuāng | icing | 餅乾上擠了白色糖霜。Bǐnggān shàng jǐ le báisè tángshuāng. | White icing was piped onto the cookies. | |
| 餅乾 | Bǐnggān | cookies | 我烤了兩盤餅乾。Wǒ kǎo le liǎng pán bǐnggān. | I baked two trays of cookies. | |
| 甜點 | Tiándiǎn | dessert | 甜點我已經準備好了。Tiándiǎn wǒ yǐjīng zhǔnbèi hǎo le. | I’ve already prepared dessert. | |
| 聖誕布丁 | Shèngdàn bùdīng | Christmas pudding | 聖誕布丁甜甜的，很有節日感。Shèngdàn bùdīng tiántián de, hěn yǒu jiérì gǎn. | Christmas pudding is sweet and feels very festive. | |
| 派 | Pài | pie | 我帶了一個蘋果派。Wǒ dài le yí ge píngguǒ pài. | I brought an apple pie. |
2F) Cozy winter words + warm wishes because it’s cold and you’re kind
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH + Pinyin) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 溫馨 | Wēnxīn | warm, cozy, heartwarming | 我們度過一個溫馨的晚上。Wǒmen dùguò yí ge wēnxīn de wǎnshàng. | We spent a warm, cozy evening. | |
| 平安 | Píng’ān | peace, safety | 希望你一切平安。Xīwàng nǐ yíqiè píng’ān. | Hope everything is safe and peaceful for you. | |
| 喜樂 | Xǐlè | joy (often used in blessings) | 願你平安喜樂。Yuàn nǐ píng’ān xǐlè. | Wishing you peace and joy. | |
| 祝福 | Zhùfú | blessing / best wishes | 把我的祝福收下吧。Bǎ wǒ de zhùfú shōu xià ba. | Please accept my best wishes. | |
| 感恩 | Gǎn’ēn | gratitude | 年末很適合說感恩。Niánmò hěn shìhé shuō gǎn’ēn. | Year-end is a great time to express gratitude. | |
| 分享 | Fēnxiǎng | to share | 我們一起分享甜點。Wǒmen yìqǐ fēnxiǎng tiándiǎn. | Let’s share dessert together. | |
| 開心 | Kāixīn | happy | 看到你我就很開心。Kàndào nǐ wǒ jiù hěn kāixīn. | Seeing you makes me happy. | |
| 健康 | Jiànkāng | health | 祝你和家人健康平安。Zhù nǐ hé jiārén jiànkāng píng’ān. | Wishing you and your family health and peace. | |
| 萬事如意 | Wànshì rúyì | may everything go your way | 祝你萬事如意！Zhù nǐ wànshì rúyì! | May everything go your way! | |
| 心想事成 | Xīnxiǎng shìchéng | may your wishes come true | 希望你心想事成。Xīwàng nǐ xīnxiǎng shìchéng. | Hope your wishes come true. | |
| 保暖 | Bǎonuǎn | keep warm | 外面風大，記得保暖。Wàimiàn fēng dà, jìdé bǎonuǎn. | It’s windy outside—stay warm. | |
| 圍巾 | Wéijīn | scarf | 我出門一定帶圍巾。Wǒ chūmén yídìng dài wéijīn. | I always bring a scarf when I go out. | |
| 毛衣 | Máoyī | sweater | 這件毛衣很有聖誕感。Zhè jiàn máoyī hěn yǒu Shèngdàn gǎn. | This sweater feels very Christmas-y. | |
| 手套 | Shǒutào | gloves | 手套別忘了帶。Shǒutào bié wàng le dài. | Don’t forget your gloves. |
Section 3: Handy Variants & “Polite vs Casual” Picks
| You want to say… | Best pick (Traditional Chinese) | Pinyin | When to use it | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merry Christmas (default) | 聖誕快樂 | Shèngdàn kuàilè | Casual + universal. Texts, speaking, cards—works everywhere. | |
| Merry Christmas (more “written”) | 祝你聖誕節快樂 | Zhù nǐ Shèngdàn jié kuàilè | Great for messages and cards; slightly longer and warmer. | |
| Happy holidays (formal) | 佳節愉快 | Jiājié yúkuài | Work emails, polite cards, slightly more formal tone. | |
| Happy holidays (generic) | 節日快樂 | Jiérì kuàilè | When you’re not sure which holiday someone celebrates. | |
| Enjoy your time off | 祝你假期愉快 | Zhù nǐ jiàqī yúkuài | Holiday break / vacation vibe (especially for coworkers & classmates). | |
| “Peace” blessing | 願你平安喜樂 | Yuàn nǐ píng’ān xǐlè | Heartfelt, classic blessing line (often seen in cards). | |
| Measure word quickies | 一份禮物／一棵聖誕樹 | yí fèn lǐwù / yì kē Shèngdàn shù | Use 份 for gifts (a set/portion), 棵 for trees. |
Yak Snark (closing edition)
Pro tip: if you forget everything else, smile and say 聖誕快樂. Confidence covers 80% of pronunciation. The other 20% is snacks.
