A must-watch for foreigners celebrating Chinese New Year! 丨马年必看！中国新年这些禁忌千万别踩雷！

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are you curious about other taboos during chinese new year, besides the color red?

if you’re celebrating the year of the horse in china, or spending time with chinese friends, these tips will help you avoid awkward moments. first, what not to say.

stay positive! don’t use words like death, sickness, poor, lose, or bad luck. avoid the number 4 — many people think it’s unlucky. use numbers 6 and 8 instead. 6 means smooth, 8 means wealth.

next, what not to do. on new year’s day, don’t sweep the floor or take out the trash — it might sweep away good luck. if you break a dish, just say “sui sui ping an”, which means “peace year after year.” don’t argue, cry, or get angry. start the year peacefully. many people also don’t get a haircut in the first month of the year.

finally, gift-giving taboos. don’t give:

clocks (sounds like funeral)

shoes (sounds like sending away)

pears (sounds like separation)

umbrellas (sounds like breaking up)

handkerchiefs (related to goodbyes)

these aren’t strict rules. they’re just old, warm traditions for a lucky year. remember these tips, and you’ll celebrate like a local.

你是否好奇除了红色，过年还有哪些小禁忌要注意？

如果你在中国过马年，或是和中国朋友一起过年，记住这些小细节，能避免很多尴尬。

首先，说话要吉利。多说吉祥话，别讲死、病、穷、输、倒霉这些不吉利的词。尽量避开数字4，多用6和8，6 代表顺利，8 代表发财。

其次，有些事别做。大年初一不要扫地、倒垃圾，不然会把好运扫走。不小心打碎碗碟，马上说岁岁平安，就能化解。不要吵架、哭闹、发脾气，新年要和和气气。还有，很多人正月里不理发。

最后，送礼有禁忌。别送这些：

钟（谐音送终）

鞋（谐音送走）

梨（谐音分离）

伞（谐音散）

手帕（代表离别）

这些都不是严格的规矩，只是老辈人祈求平安顺利的小传统。记住这些，你就能像本地人一样过年啦。

swipe for chinese version

reported by su nan, li xiaokang

edited by shi sijia

reviewed by liu kenbo，hetingting，gao shuting

上观号作者：今日闵行