Fish - Prosperity
In Chinese, "fish" (鱼 Yú / yoo) sounds similar to the word'redundant'. Fish is a traditional Chinese New Year dish. Chinese people always want to have a surplus at the end of the year, because they think that if they can save something at the end of the year, they can earn more in the coming year.
The types of fish that should be chosen for New Year's dinner are based on auspicious homonyms such as'zebra carp'(鲫鱼 jìyú /jee-yoo/) sounds like the word'good luck' (jí / jee) in Chinese;'mud carp'(鲤鱼 lǐyú /lee-yoo/) is pronounced like the word'present'(礼 lǐ / lee);catfish(鱼 niányú / nyen-yoo) sounds like 年余 (nián yú) which means'year surplus'.
Notes when eating:
- Chinese people usually eat two fish, one on New Year's Eve and one on New Year's Day. If there is only one fish, people will eat the body of the fish on New Year's Eve and leave the head and tail to eat on New Year's Day. The fish should also be the last dish left on the table. All of this represents the hope that the year will begin and end with prosperity.
- The fish head should be placed towards the guest or elder, representing respect. The diner can only enjoy the fish after the person facing the fish head has eaten first. The fish should not move. The two people facing the head and tail of the fish should drink together, as this is considered to have good luck.
Lucky sayings when eating fish:
- 年年 有余 (Niánnián yǒu yú / nyen-nyen yo yoo): May you always have more than you need!
- 鱼跃龙门 (Yú yuè linhmén / yoo ywair long-mnn):'A fish jumps over the dragon gate', meaning wishing success, passing competitive exams.
Chinese Dumplings - Wealth
With a history of over 1,800 years, dumplings (饺子 Jiǎozi / jyaoww-dzrr) are a classic Chinese dish. They are traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve, most commonly in North China. Dumplings are often shaped to resemble Chinese silver ingots. Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebration, the more money you will make in the year.
Dumplings typically consist of minced meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin, elastic dough skin. Common fillings include minced pork, diced shrimp, fish, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. They can be cooked by boiling, steaming, frying, or grilling.
Chinese people do not eat Chinese pickled cabbage (酸菜 suāncài / swann-tseye) with dumplings in spring, because it implies a poor and difficult future. On New Year's Eve, people often eat dumplings with cabbage and radish, implying that the eater's skin will become fairer and his mood will also become lighter.
Notes when making lucky dumplings:
- When making dumplings, there should be some clear and beautiful folds. If you make it too flat, it will imply poverty.
- Some Chinese people put a white thread inside a dumpling, and the person who eats it is believed to have a long life. Sometimes a coin is placed in a dumpling, and the person who eats it is believed to become rich.
- Dumplings should be arranged in rows instead of in a circle, because the circle of dumplings is said to mean that a person's life will go in circles, will always go around and around.
Lucky saying when eating dumplings:
- Zhāo cái jìn baow (jaoww tseye jin baoww): 'Brings wealth and treasure'
Spring Rolls - Wealthy
Spring rolls (春卷 Chūnjuǎn / chwnn- jwen) are a dish especially popular in Eastern China: Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong,…
Spring rolls are cylindrical rolls filled with vegetables, meat, or sweet fillings. The filling is wrapped in a thin dough wrapper and then fried until golden brown.
Lucky saying when eating spring rolls:
- 黄金万两 (Hwung-jin wan-lyang): 'A ton of gold' (because the spring rolls look like gold bars) - a wish for prosperity.
Sticky rice cake - higher income or position
Sticky rice cake (年糕 Niángāo /nyen-gaoww) is a traditional Chinese New Year food. In Chinese, sticky rice cake is pronounced as"increasing year by year". In the minds of Chinese people, this means an improvement in income or job position. The main ingredients of the dish are glutinous rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates and lotus leaves.
Lucky saying when eating sticky rice cake:
- 年年 (niánnián gāo / nyen-nyen gaoww): 'Increasing year after year', can imply children's height, success in business, better studies, promotion at work, etc.
Banh Troi Nuoc - Family Reunion
Tung-ywen (汤圆 Tāngyuán / tung-ywen) is a staple food during the Chinese Lantern Festival every year. However, in southern China, people often eat them during the Spring Festival. The round shape and pronunciation of the dish are associated with reunion and togetherness, which is why they are popular among the Chinese during the New Year celebrations.
Lucky saying when eating banh troi:
- 团团 圆圆 (Tuántuán yuányuán / twann-twann ywen-ywen): 'Happy reunion'
Longevity Noodles - Happiness and Longevity
Longevity noodles (áng áng Chángshòu Miàn / chung-show myen) symbolize a wish for longevity. They are longer than normal noodles and uncut, and are usually stir-fried and served on a plate, or boiled briefly and cooked in broth.
Lucky Fruit - Fulfillment and Wealth
Some of the fruits eaten during Chinese New Year are tangerines, oranges, and grapefruits. They were chosen because they are round and have a “golden” color, which symbolizes fullness and wealth.
In Chinese, the color orange is pronounced (chéng /chnng/), which sounds like the pronunciation of'success'. Grapefruit (柚 yòu /yo/) sounds like'Have'(有 yǒu), or'once again'(又 yòu), is said to bring continuous prosperity.
