Festivals and holidays in Chinese
The Chinese word for "festivals and holidays" is 节日 (jié rì). Below are 20 Chinese words for festivals and holidays, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 3 to HSK 7-9, in the order a learner meets them.
Time Off and Get-Togethers HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 放假 | fàng jià | to have a holiday; to be off (school, work) | 3 |
| 假期 | jià qī | holiday; vacation | 3 |
| 新年 | xīn nián | New Year | 3 |
| 过节 | guò jié | to celebrate a festival | 3 |
| 开会 | kāi huì | to hold or attend a meeting | 3 |
| 工作日 | gōng zuò rì | working day; weekday | 3 |
| 休假 | xiū jià | to take leave from work | 3 |
| 做客 | zuò kè | to be a guest; to visit someone's home | 3 |
| 搬家 | bān jiā | to move house | 3 |
| 晚会 | wǎn huì | evening party; gala | 3 |
Festivals, Traditions & Cultural History HSK 5 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鞭炮 | biān pào | firecrackers | 7-9 |
| 朝代 | cháo dài | dynasty | 6 |
| 除夕 | chú xī | lunar New Year's Eve | 5 |
| 传统 | chuán tǒng | tradition; traditional | 5 |
| 风俗 | fēng sú | custom, social convention | 5 |
| 革命 | gé mìng | revolution | 6 |
| 古代 | gǔ dài | ancient times | 5 |
| 古典 | gǔ diǎn | classical | 6 |
| 古老 | gǔ lǎo | age-old, ancient | 5 |
| 国庆节 | Guó qìng jié | PRC National Day (Oct 1) | – |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "festivals and holidays" in Chinese?
节日 (jié rì), meaning "festival; holiday". The most common words in this topic are 放假 (fàng jià, to have a holiday), 假期 (jià qī, holiday), 新年 (xīn nián, New Year), 过节 (guò jié, to celebrate a festival).
How many Chinese words for festivals and holidays do I need?
This page lists 20, from HSK 3 to HSK 7-9. The 10 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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