Popular New Year Greetings in Chinese

Happy New Year in Chinese — Most Frequently Used

Simplified Chinese: 新年快乐！

English meaning: Happy New Year!

Pinyin: Xīnnián kuàilè

Pronunciation guide: “sheen-nyen kwai-luh.” Tone-marked pinyin is more reliable than English approximation.

Usage: A neutral greeting for friends, colleagues and service staff. See the Chinese New Year overview for the festival context.
 

Simplified Chinese: 新年好！

English meaning: Happy New Year; literally, “New Year good.”

Pinyin: Xīnnián hǎo

Pronunciation guide: “sheen-nyen how,” with a dipping third tone on hǎo.

Usage: Short, friendly and suitable when greeting someone in person.
 

Simplified Chinese: 过年好！

English meaning: Have a good New Year season.

Pinyin: Guònián hǎo

Pronunciation guide: “gwaw-nyen how.”

Usage: A conversational seasonal greeting heard during the festival period.
 

Simplified Chinese: 祝您全家新春快乐！

English meaning: Wishing your whole family a happy Spring Festival.

Pinyin: Zhù nín quánjiā Xīnchūn kuàilè

Pronunciation note: Use nín as the polite form of “you.”
 

Simplified Chinese: 祝大家新春快乐！

English meaning: Wishing everyone a happy Spring Festival.

Pinyin: Zhù dàjiā Xīnchūn kuàilè

Usage: Suitable for a group message, meeting or social post.
 

Popular Wishes during Chinese New Year

Simplified Chinese: 心想事成

English meaning: May your wishes come true.

Pinyin: Xīn xiǎng shì chéng

Pronunciation guide: “sheen shyahng shir chuhng.”

Usage: A broad wish for personal goals; warm without being overly formal.
 

Simplified Chinese: 万事如意

English meaning: May everything go as you wish. This is an idiomatic blessing, not a literal prediction that every event will be favorable.

Pinyin: Wàn shì rú yì

Pronunciation guide: “wahn shir roo yee.”

Literal sense: “Ten thousand matters according with your wishes,” where ten thousand suggests everything.
 

Simplified Chinese: 大吉大利

English meaning: Great luck and great success.

Pinyin: Dà jí dà lì

Usage: An enthusiastic, concise wish often seen in festive writing.
 

Simplified Chinese: 吉祥如意

English meaning: May good fortune accord with your wishes. 吉祥 emphasizes auspiciousness and favorable signs.

Pinyin: Jíxiáng rúyì

Pronunciation guide: “jee-shyahng roo-yee.”

Literal sense: Auspiciousness and wishes in harmony.
 

Greetings for Health

Simplified Chinese: 岁岁平安

English meaning: Peace and safety year after year.

Pinyin: Suìsuì píng'ān

Usage: A thoughtful wish for family members and travelers.
 

Simplified Chinese: 身体健康

English meaning: Wishing you good health . It expresses goodwill, not a medical promise.

Pinyin: Shēntǐ jiànkāng

Pronunciation guide: “shun-tee jyen-kahng.”
 

Simplified Chinese: 恭喜发财，红包拿来

English meaning: Wishing you prosperity—now bring the red envelope.

Pinyin: Gōngxǐ fācái, hóngbāo nálái

Pronunciation guide: “gong-shee fah-tsai, hong-bow nah-lai.”

Attention: The second half is playful and best used with close family or friends. Do not demand money. Review digital red-envelope guidance before sending funds.
 

Greetings for Fortune and Business

Simplified Chinese: 恭喜发财

English meaning: Wishing you prosperity.

Pinyin: Gōngxǐ fācái

Pronunciation guide: “gong-shee fah-tsai” in Mandarin.

Literal sense: Congratulations and may you prosper.

Usage: Common in Mandarin as well as Cantonese; Cantonese pronunciation is often written “gung hei fat choi.”
 

Simplified Chinese: 财源广进

English meaning: May wealth flow in from many sources.

Pinyin: Cáiyuán guǎng jìn

Usage: Best suited to a business owner or commercial greeting.
 

Simplified Chinese: 生意兴隆

English meaning: May your business prosper.

Pinyin: Shēngyì xīnglóng

Pronunciation guide: “shung-yee sheeng-loong.”

Usage: Appropriate for shops, companies and self-employed friends.

Greetings for Colleagues

Simplified Chinese: 步步高升

English meaning: May you rise higher step by step.

Pinyin: Bùbù gāoshēng

Usage: A positive career wish, though formality and workplace culture matter.
 

Simplified Chinese: 升官发财

Pinyin: Shēng guān fā cái

Pronunciation guide: “shung gwan fah-tsai.”

English meaning: May you gain promotion and prosperity. Use cautiously; it can sound old-fashioned or too focused on rank and money.
 

Simplified Chinese: 工作顺利

English meaning: May your work go smoothly.

Pinyin: Gōngzuò shùnlì

Pronunciation guide: “gong-dzwaw shoon-lee.”

Literal sense: Work proceeds smoothly; a safe professional choice.

Greetings for Students

Simplified Chinese: 学习进步

English meaning: May you make progress in your studies.

Pinyin: Xuéxí jìnbù

Usage: Suitable for school-age students and learners.
 

Simplified Chinese: 学业有成

English meaning: May you succeed in your studies.

Pinyin: Xuéyè yǒuchéng

Usage: Slightly more formal than 学习进步.
 

Simplified Chinese: 金榜题名

English meaning: May your name appear on the list of successful candidates.

Pinyin: Jīnbǎng tímíng

Pronunciation guide: “jeen-bahng tee-meeng.”

Literal and historical sense: Success in major examinations; use when exams are relevant.
 

Greetings for Loved Ones

Simplified Chinese: 我爱你

English meaning: I love you.

Pinyin: Wǒ ài nǐ

Usage: A direct romantic or family expression, not specifically a New Year greeting.
 

Simplified Chinese: 我永远爱你

English meaning: I will always love you.

Pinyin: Wǒ yǒngyuǎn ài nǐ

Usage: Intimate language for an established close relationship.
 

Simplified Chinese: 你是我的唯一

English meaning: You are my one and only.

Pinyin: Nǐ shì wǒ de wéiyī

Usage: Romantic rather than seasonal; use only when the relationship makes it natural.
 

Simplified Chinese: 你是我生命中最珍贵的礼物

English meaning: You are the most precious gift in my life.

Pinyin: Nǐ shì wǒ shēngmìng zhōng zuì zhēnguì de lǐwù

Usage: A personal message, not a standard public greeting. Choose wishes appropriate to the relationship and avoid sensitive language listed in the New Year taboos guide.