Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 209 of 240

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Festivals and red envelopes in Traditional Chinese

Banyan Breakfast is red for Lunar New Year. Auntie Lin tucks envelopes into the till, and A-Li's packet is the thickest on the counter.

Learn festival greetings, how to offer a red envelope, a Mid-Autumn barbecue line, and how to ask how people celebrate. Then wish someone peace and health.

The fortune slip stays in the till unread. A-Li's soy milk sits unfinished while the shop fills with ordinary luck.

By the end of this lesson

Greet someone at a festival, offer a red envelope, mention Mid-Autumn barbecue, and ask how people celebrate.

  • 新年快樂Happy New Year.
  • 恭喜發財Wishing you prosperity.
  • 這是給你的紅包This red envelope is for you.
  • 中秋節我們會烤肉At Mid-Autumn we barbecue.
  • 祝你平安健康Wishing you peace and health.
  • 你們怎麼過節？How do you celebrate?

Scene — New Year on the lane

Paper decorations hang over the counter at Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin has a stack of red envelopes, and A-Li sits on two stools with soy milk he still has not finished.

Maya has lived on the lane long enough to greet the year with the neighbors. The thickest envelope is affection, not a puzzle to solve.

Morning light fills Banyan Breakfast as Auntie Lin stands behind the counter with a stack of red envelopes, Maya faces her from the customer side, and a yak sits on two stools with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — festival greetings and red envelopes

These six lines cover New Year greetings, a red envelope, Mid-Autumn barbecue, and asking how people celebrate.

Listen first, then say each line. 會 here marks a festival habit, not a promise.

  1. Maya makes a small respectful bow toward Auntie Lin with her hands together at her chest, greeting the new year in the breakfast shop.

    新年快樂

    Happy New Year.

    When to use it: Use this New Year greeting with anyone you meet.

    Say it: The last syllable is a falling fourth tone.

  2. Auntie Lin leans over the counter toward Maya with both palms lifted in a prosperous well-wish, the red envelopes left in a pile beside her.

    恭喜發財

    Wishing you prosperity.

    When to use it: Use this after a New Year hello to wish someone prosperity.

    Say it: The third syllable is a high level first tone.

  3. Auntie Lin holds the thickest red envelope out toward Maya with both hands while Maya cups her palms to take it.

    這是給你的紅包

    This red envelope is for you.

    When to use it: Hand someone a red envelope at Lunar New Year.

    的 links the envelope to the person you are giving it to.

  4. Maya stands at the breakfast counter miming a barbecue flip with one hand while Auntie Lin listens, holding a tray.

    中秋節我們會烤肉

    At Mid-Autumn we barbecue.

    When to use it: Talk about the Taiwan habit of barbecuing at Mid-Autumn.

    會 here marks a usual festival habit, not a one-off plan.

  5. Auntie Lin faces Maya with one hand over her apron and the other open in a gentle blessing while Maya holds the thick red envelope to her chest.

    祝你平安健康

    Wishing you peace and health.

    When to use it: Wish someone peace and health at a festival or visit.

    Stack 平安 and 健康 after 祝你 as two wishes.

  6. Maya leans on the counter with her head tilted and both palms open toward Auntie Lin in a curious question.

    你們怎麼過節？

    How do you celebrate?

    When to use it: Ask a group how they spend a festival.

    The question word stays in place; do not move it to the front.

    Say it: The second syllable is a light neutral tone.

Story — the thickest envelope

Listen to New Year at Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin hands out red envelopes, and A-Li's is the thickest.

A-Jie mentions Mid-Autumn barbecue, while A-Li's soy milk stays untouched.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，新年快樂！Happy New Year!
  2. Maya新年快樂。Happy New Year.
  3. A-Li恭喜發財。Wishing you prosperity.
  4. Maya恭喜發財。Wishing you prosperity.
  5. Auntie Lin這是給你的紅包。This red envelope is for you.
  6. Maya謝謝。Thank you.
  7. Auntie Lin阿犛，這是給你的。A-Li, this is for you.
  8. A-Li我的比較厚欸。Mine is thicker.
  9. Auntie Lin對啊，你的最厚。Right, yours is the thickest.
  10. Maya你們怎麼過節？How do you celebrate?
  11. Auntie Lin過年會發紅包。At New Year we give red envelopes.
  12. A-Jie中秋節我們會烤肉。At Mid-Autumn we barbecue.
  13. Maya聽起來不錯。That sounds good.
  14. A-Li祝你平安健康。Wishing you peace and health.
  15. Auntie Lin豆漿還沒喝完喔。The soy milk still isn't finished.

Practice — greet and talk traditions

Work through ten short tasks on greetings, envelopes, and festival habits. Pick the line that fits each moment.

Read why an option is wrong, then say the right line aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    新年快樂

  2. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin already wished you a happy new year. Reply with the prosperity wish.

  3. Fill the gap

    This red envelope is for you.

    這是給你的____

  4. Build the line

    Wishing you peace and health.

    Tap the words in order.

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    新年快樂Drop the English here
    恭喜發財Drop the English here
    這是給你的紅包Drop the English here
    中秋節我們會烤肉Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Traditional Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  7. Swap the word

    Talk about the usual outdoor food habit at Mid-Autumn in Taiwan.

    中秋節我們會____

  8. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    這是給你的紅包

    This red envelope is for you.

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    You hand A-Li a guava, not a red envelope. Tell him this is for him.

  10. Fill the gap

    I hope it goes smoothly for you.

    祝你____

Say it — your festival lines

You play Maya at the New Year counter. Listen to each cue, then greet, wish, or ask about festivals out loud.

Tap the microphone. Replay the other person's line before you speak.

  1. Maya greets the shop on Lunar New Year morning.
  2. Auntie Lin美女，新年快樂！Happy New Year!
  3. Maya (you)Wish her a happy new year.

    新年快樂

    Happy New Year.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
新年快樂Happy New Year.
恭喜發財Wishing you prosperity.
這是給你的紅包This red envelope is for you.
中秋節我們會烤肉At Mid-Autumn we barbecue.
祝你平安健康Wishing you peace and health.
你們怎麼過節？How do you celebrate?
Next: lesson 210Borrow and return

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's festival lines are in Yak Cards with more New Year and Mid-Autumn phrases.

Review a few festival cards each day so the greetings come easily.

Open Yak Cards