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
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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.
Chinese New Year customs and etiquette: greetings, red envelopes and the gifts to avoid
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 - they carry funeral associations.
If you are invited to someone's home, the practical version is: arrive on time, bring something edible, take your shoes off if there is a rack by the door, and let the eldest person sit first.
Gifts and gestures at a glance: give, avoid, and why
A single table for the two questions that come up at every door: what to hand over, and what to keep in your bag.
| Occasion | Give | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visiting a family | Fruit, tea, or a red envelope for children with both hands | Clocks, knives, pears, or anything in sets of four | Clocks sound like attending a funeral, knives cut ties, pears sound like parting, four sounds like death |
| Receiving a red envelope | Both hands, a small thank-you, and put it away unopened | Opening it in front of the giver | Opening it in front of them puts both of you in an awkward spot |
| Dinner with elders | Wait for the eldest to start, and toast with your glass lower | Sticking chopsticks upright in rice, or flipping a whole fish | Both echo funeral imagery and are read as bad luck |
| Greeting during the holiday | 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè) or 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái) | Talking about illness, death, bankruptcy or breakups | The holiday is built around auspicious language; bad news is left for later |
| What to bring to a host | An even number of items, wrapped in red or gold | Odd numbers, or white and black wrapping | Odd numbers and funeral colours sit badly with the holiday's symbolism |
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).
Several of the avoid-list items come down to number symbolism - lucky and unlucky numbers in Chinese explains the 4, the 8 and the rest.
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.
How much goes in a red envelope
The amount matters less than two rules: it should be **even**, and it should avoid **4**. 四 (sì) sounds like 死 (sǐ), death, and odd numbers carry funeral associations — so the safe choices are built around 6 and 8: 88, 166, 188, 288, 666, 888.
Use clean, new notes if you can. Banks in China hand out fresh notes in the week before the holiday precisely because people come in and ask for them, and a worn, creased envelope reads as careless rather than thrifty.
The amount itself carries meaning: lucky numbers in Chinese covers why even numbers and the number 8 dominate.
| Who it is for | What people usually do | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Children of friends or relatives | An even amount built on 6 or 8 — 88, 188, 288 | Any 4 in the number; odd amounts |
| Colleagues, staff, service workers | A smaller token amount, often 66 or 88 | Announcing or comparing the amount in front of others |
| Close family | Larger amounts, decided inside the family | Discussing the figure publicly |
| Your host's children, if you are a guest | A red envelope plus a small gift from your own country | White or black wrapping, or a funeral-coloured card |
What happens across the fifteen days
The holiday is not one day. It runs about two weeks, and what you see in the street changes as it goes — knowing the shape of it saves you from turning up at a closed shop or an empty office.
| When | What it is | What you will notice |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Eve | 团圆饭 — the reunion dinner | The most important meal of the year; the travel rush is already over |
| Day 1 | Visits to the eldest relatives | Red envelopes for children; most shops and all offices closed |
| Day 2 | Visits to the other side of the family | Return visits and packed restaurants |
| Day 5 | 破五 pò wǔ — 'breaking the fifth' | Firecrackers, and shops beginning to reopen |
| Day 15 | 元宵节 — the Lantern Festival | Sweet rice-ball dumplings (汤圆) and lantern displays; the holiday ends |
If you are travelling in China during the holiday
The two weeks around Spring Festival are the busiest travel period on earth, and the practical effects on a visitor are bigger than the etiquette. Everything that matters should be booked before you land.
The good news: cities empty out. Beijing and Shanghai become unusually quiet for a few days, while any town with a lantern show or temple fair gets packed. Prices for hotels in the big cities often dip; flights and trains in the other direction do the opposite.
| What | During the holiday | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Train tickets | Released 15 days ahead and gone within minutes on trunk routes | Book the moment your dates open; use 12306 directly. |
| Long-distance flights | Full and expensive on the last two days before the holiday | Fly earlier, or after the first day of the new year. |
| Restaurants | Small family places close for 3-7 days; chains and hotels keep going | Ask your hotel which places near you are open. |
| Shops and markets | The biggest outdoor markets shut; malls stay open with shorter hours | Plan sightseeing around parks, temples and malls. |
| Taxis and ride-hailing | Fewer drivers, surge pricing, longer waits | Use the metro where it exists. |
The small rules at someone's home
Being invited to a family dinner at Spring Festival is a real welcome, and four small things make you an easy guest.
Arrive within a few minutes of the time you were given, take something edible (fruit, pastries, or a bottle of something from home), and take off your shoes if there is a shoe rack at the door - look at what the hosts are wearing before you decide. Then let the elder generation sit first, and wait for the host to indicate your place.
On red envelopes: children get them, guests usually do not. If you are handed one anyway, accept it with both hands and do not open it at the table. If you are the visitor and want to give one, do it quietly and only to children - and remember the two rules: even numbers, no 4.
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.
How much should I put in a red envelope?
An even amount that avoids 4 — 88, 188, 288, 666 and 888 are the common choices. New notes are better than worn ones.
Should I give a red envelope to my boss or my teacher?
Traditionally no. Envelopes flow downwards, from older to younger and from senior to junior. A small gift is the better move in that direction.
Do I have to give money, or is a gift enough?
For children a red envelope is the standard, and a gift does not replace it. Between adults a gift is fine — and if you do give money, clean notes and an even number are what people notice.
Can I visit China during the Spring Festival as a tourist?
Yes, and it is one of the most atmospheric times to be there - lantern fairs, fireworks and family meals. Just book trains and flights as early as the system allows, expect some small restaurants to be shut for a week, and keep in mind that the biggest travel days are the two before the holiday and the last two of it.
Do I give a red envelope to my host at a family dinner?
No. Red envelopes flow down the generations, not between adult guests and hosts. Bring a gift for the household instead - fruit, tea or pastries - and if there are children in the family, a small red envelope for them is the one gesture that fits.
Can I give cash instead of a red envelope?
Yes - the envelope matters more than the container. Use a red envelope rather than handing over loose notes, and give notes rather than coins. If you are unsure of the amount, an even number is the safe default.
What should I say when I receive a red envelope?
Take it with both hands, say thank you, and put it away without opening it. Opening it in front of the giver is the one move to avoid.
Read next
- Alipay for Foreigners: Setup & the 200 RMB Rule
- Chinese Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Explained
- Chinese Table Manners: What to Do, What Is Rude, and Why (2026)
Sources
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - official element page for "Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year" (nomination file No. 02126), inscribed on the Representative List in 2024.
- 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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