Chinese Culture
Chinese New Year: Etiquette and Customs a Visitor Should Know
By the 17Talk teaching team - certified Mandarin teachers, 8+ years of classroom experience, 3,500+ students in 40 countries
Last updated:
Quick answer
Greet people with 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè) or 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái). Give and receive red envelopes with both hands and never open one in front of the giver. Avoid gifts of clocks, knives, pears and anything in sets of four, because of associations with funerals, endings and separation.
What the festival is
Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié) follows the lunar calendar, so the date moves each year between late January and mid-February. The heart of it is a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. Travel demand spikes weeks ahead — the rush is called chunyun, and it is worth planning around.
Greetings
新年快乐 works for almost anyone. 恭喜发财 — 'wishing you prosperity' — is what people say to friends, colleagues and shopkeepers. Adding the animal of the year, such as 马年大吉, shows you know what is going on.
Red envelopes
Red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo) carry money, given by adults to children, unmarried younger relatives and increasingly to staff. If invited to a family home, a red envelope for the children is a thoughtful gesture; use an even number, and figures including 8 are considered lucky. Receive with both hands and put it away — opening it immediately is a genuine faux pas.
Gifts to give and avoid
Safe: fruit, tea, good pastries, or something from your own region with a story behind it. Avoid clocks (funeral associations), knives and sharp objects (they cut relationships), pears (they sound like 'separation'), white flowers, and sets of four items (four sounds like death).
If you are invited to a home
Offer your gift with both hands; expect the host to say it was unnecessary — that is politeness, not refusal. Remove your shoes if others have. Wait to be seated and to be invited to start eating. If you do not drink, say so plainly; no one will press hard. Compliment the food with 很好吃 (hěn hǎochī).
Gifts: what to bring, what to avoid
| Bring | Why | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit, especially oranges and tangerines | Symbolise luck and gold | Clocks | Sound like attending a funeral |
| Tea or good pastries | Safe, shareable, appreciated | Sharp objects (knives, scissors) | Imply cutting the relationship |
| Something from your own country | Shows thought, starts conversation | Anything in sets of four | Four sounds like death |
| Red envelopes for children | The standard gift for kids | White or black wrapping | Funeral colours |
What to say: five phrases that carry you through the holiday
Xinnian kuaile (新年快乐) - Happy New Year. The safe default for anyone, any time during the holiday.
Gongxi facai (恭喜发财) - a New Year greeting about prosperity, traditionally followed by the red-envelope gift. Say it to adults, not children.
Hongbao (红包) - the red envelope itself. If you are offered one, take it with both hands and thank the giver rather than opening it in front of them.
Chifan le ma (吃饭了吗) - literally 'have you eaten yet?', used as a warm greeting rather than a real question.
Duo xie (多谢) - many thanks. Use it when you leave, alongside a small bow of the head.
Common questions
When is Chinese New Year?
It follows the lunar calendar, falling between late January and mid-February, and lasts about 15 days with the official holiday covering roughly the first week.
What should I say?
新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè) for Happy New Year, or 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái) for the traditional prosperity greeting.
Which gifts should I avoid?
Clocks, knives, pears, white flowers and anything in a set of four. Clock and four carry funeral associations; pears sound like 'separation'.
Is it rude to open a red envelope straight away?
Yes. Put it away and open it later, away from the person who gave it.
Read next
Sources
- 17Talk teaching team: Spring Festival spent with host families and colleagues in China, 2025-2026.
- Gift taboos described here (clocks, sharp objects, some white and black items) are widely observed across mainland China, though customs vary by region.
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