Chinese New Year

Meanings

1. An annual Chinese festival marking the beginning of the new year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, starting on the first day of the first lunar month and traditionally ending on the fifteenth day when there is a full moon. It is often celebrated by visiting family and friends, and giving gifts of money in red envelopes (ang pows or hongbao).

Etymology

From Chinese (adjective) + New Year (noun), the latter component matching the traditional name of the holiday, Mandarin 新年 (xīnnián, “New Year”): new (xīn) + year (nián).