新年好！(xīn nián hǎo)
Have a good New Year!
新年快乐！(xīn nián kuài lè)
Have a Happy New Year!
Both phrases work well and are widely accepted.
Generally, you’d begin with greeting the person by name. Especially if the person is older than you, someone in your family or someone with authority, you must address them with their position or title. For example:
Family member:
“奶奶，新年快乐！” (nǎi nǎi，xīn nián kuài lè)
“Grandma, Happy New Year!
Authority figure:
“王老板，新年好。” (wáng lǎo bǎn，xīn nián hǎo)
“Mr. (Boss) Wong, Happy New Year.”
Friend:
“小南，新年快乐！” (xiǎo nán，xīn nián kuài lè)
Nan, Happy New Year.
How to Begin a New Year Greeting
To use a New Year greeting, such as the ones listed in this article, begin your sentence with 祝你 (zhù nǐ), which translates to “wish you…”
To be more formal, which is necessary for greeting an older or respected person, use the honorific 您 (nín) for “you” instead. So, you’d begin your greeting with 祝您 (zhù nín), which is a more polite version of “wish you…”
For example:
祝您猴年大吉! (zhù nín hóu nián dà jí)
“Wishing you huge blessings in the Year of the Monkey! (2016)”
Now that we’ve covered the basics of starting greetings, let’s dive into 25 popular Chinese New Year greetings that you can use this Chinese New Year.
2
25 Chinese New Year Greetings to Wish Health, Wealth and Good Fortune
Ways to Wish People Wealth and Prosperity in the New Year
Money and wealth are highly valued in Chinese culture, and Chinese people are not shy to talk about money. It’s considered appropriate and polite to offer money-related greetings at New Year.
Here’s a list of wealth and prosperity Chinese New Year greetings that you can use right away:
1. 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái)
“Wish you wealth and prosperity.”
2. 财源广进 (cái yuán guǎng jìn)
“May wealth flow in.”
3. 和气生财 (hé qì shēng cái)
“May harmony bring wealth.”
4. 金玉滿堂 (jīn yù mǎn táng)
“May your gold and jade fill the halls.”
5. 一本萬利 (yī běn wàn lì)
“Hope you put in a small investment and reap a huge profit.”
6. 招財進寶 (zhāo cái jìn bǎo)
“May you find wealth and treasures.”
7. 財源滾滾 (cái yuán gǔn gǔn)
“May wealth come pouring in.”
8. 大吉大利 (dà jí dà lì)
“May you have great luck and great profit.”
9. 年年有餘 (nián nián yǒu yú)
“May you have abundance every year.”
Wishing People Success at Chinese New Year
Another series of popular Chinese New Year greetings involves wishing people success in their work or business. Yes, some of it’s related to making money—it’s hard to get away from that theme!
10. 事业发达 (shì yè fā dá）
“May your career to take off.”
11. 升官发财 (shēng guān fā cái)
“May you get promoted and receive a raise.”
12. 生意兴隆 (shēng yì xīng lóng)
“May your business flourish.”
13. 學業進步 (xué yè jìn bù)
“May your studies improve.”
14. 步步高升 (bù bù gāo shēng)
“May every step take you higher.”
15. 新年進步 (xīn nián jìn bù)
“May the New Year bring much better things.”
Wishing People Happiness, Health and Peace
You can also wish people peace, health and happiness. The below phrases are perfect for elders in the family, people outside of your work and business circles, or just people in general that you care for and love.
16. 心想事成 (xīn xiǎng shì chéng)
“May all your wishes come true.”
17. 万事如意 (wàn shì rú yì)
“May everything go well with you.”
18. 笑口常開 (xiào kǒu cháng kāi)
“May you smile often.”
19. 五福臨門 (wǔ fú lín mén)
“May the five blessings come to you.” (Longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a natural death.)
20. 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng)
“Wish you good health.”
21. 竹報平安 (zhú bào píng ān)
“May you hear tidings of peace.”
22. 福壽雙全 (fú shòu shuāng quán)
“May you enjoy both longevity and blessing.”
23. 岁岁平安 (suì suì píng ān)
“May you have peace at every age.”
24. 和氣吉祥全家樂 (hé qì jí xiáng quán jiā lè)
“Wish you harmony and joy for the whole family.”
25. 四季平安過旺年 (sì jì píng ān guò wàng nián)
“Wish you four seasons of peace and a flourishing year.”