Chinese New Year 2022: when is lunar new year, how is it celebrated, and how to say Happy New Year in Mandarin

Chinese New Year is celebrated across the world by many communities, each with their own special ways of honouring the sacred time.

The dates in which Chinese New Year falls vary from year to year, however will always fall some time between 21 January and 20 February depending on the moon.  This year it falls on 1 February.

The New Year celebration is centred around removing the bad and the old and welcoming the new and the good.

It is seen as a time to connect with ancestors, honour deities, and pray for good harvest.

How is it celebrated?

Also known as ‘Spring Festival’, celebrations typically last 16 days. The celebrations often involve food, fireworks and, the final day is marked by the Lantern Festival. This festival is celebrated by people letting paper lanterns off into the sky.

What is 2022 the year of?

The Year of the Tiger starts on 1 February 2022 and finishes on 31 January 2023. The element of the year is water.

2021 was the year of the Ox, beginning 12 February 2021 and ending 31 January 2022. The element of the year was metal.

How to say Happy New Year in Chinese?

Happy New Year is written as 新年快乐 / 新年快樂 and translates as “Xīnnián kuàile”. Translated directly this means “New Year Happiness”.

The pronunciation of Xīnnián kuàilè in Mandarin is ‘Shin-nyen kwhy-ler’ and in Catonese, it is pronounced ‘Sen-nin feye-lor’.

What are the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac?

The legend behind the zodiacs varies in different regions, however, The Great Race is a common tale associated with the Zodiac.

It states that The Jade Emperor wanted to select 12 animals to be his guards, and the order of the zodiacs is the same order in which the animals finished the race.

Each animal that finished the race was rewarded with a year named after them.

The animals are assigned in cycles of 12 years, so 2021 was the Year of the Ox, and so was 2009, 1997, and so on.

The 12 animals are:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Goat

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

What does the year of the Tiger symbolise?

Those born in the year of the Tiger are seen as brave, loyal, and self-confident. The last year of the Tiger was in 2012.

To see events planned for Chinese new year in Manchester, visit here.