Meaning of 新年
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- New Year
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 新年
新年 usually refers to the start of the calendar year on January 1, and it appears in greetings and phrases like 新年快乐. Example: 新年快乐 (xīnnián kuàilè) Happy New Year.
新年 is simply 新 (xīn, new) plus 年 (nián, year), so it means the new year. Think of the 斤 (axe) inside 新 cutting fresh wood, and picture a brand new year starting.
Common mistake: Learners often use 新年 when they mean Chinese New Year, which is usually called 春节 (Chūnjié). Also keep both syllables clear: 新 is first tone xīn, not third tone xǐn.
新年 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
新 xīn · new · 13 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
年 nián · year · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 新年.
| 今年 | jīnnián | this year |
| 去年 | qùnián | last year |
| 明年 | míngnián | next year |
| 半年 | bàn nián | half a year |
| 年轻 | niánqīng | young |
| 重新 | chóngxīn | again; once more; re- |
| 新闻 | xīnwén | news |
| 少年 | shàonián | early youth; youngster |
| 青年 | qīngnián | youth; youthful years |
| 青少年 | qīng-shàonián | adolescent; youth |
| 周年 | zhōunián | anniversary; annual |
| 年级 | niánjí | grade; year (in school, college etc) |
Questions about 新年
What does 新年 mean?
新年 (xīnnián) means "New Year" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 新年?
新年 is made of 2 characters: 新 (13 strokes), 年 (6 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 新年 an HSK word?
Yes. 新年 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I say 新年快乐 during Chinese New Year?
Yes, 新年快乐 is commonly said during the Spring Festival too. People also say 春节快乐 (Chūnjié kuàilè) or 过年好 (guònián hǎo) at that time.
What is the difference between 新年 and 过年?
新年 is a noun meaning the New Year itself. 过年 (guònián) is a verb phrase meaning to celebrate or spend the New Year, especially Chinese New Year, as in 你在哪儿过年 (nǐ zài nǎr guònián), where are you spending the New Year.