BBC News｜火马年：全球15亿人如何迎接新年？

The year of the fire horse: How 1.5 billion people are ringing in the new year

Host: As we gallop into the year of the fire horse, Chinese or Lunar New Year starts today. And for the next 15 days, it's thought that more than one and a half billion people around the world will be marking the occasion. Kerry Allen is our China media analyst. I asked her to explain the significance of the fire horse and why it's the Lunar New Year.

Kerry: Every 12 years, you have a different animal in the Chinese zodiac and this is the year of the horse. So state media in China, they've been saying that the horse symbolizes courage, wisdom, perseverance and ambition. So it's generally thought of as a very kind of powerful animal.

And the fire horse, because every rotation of the 12 years, you get one of the elements in Chinese astrology, and that kind of dictates the year's energy, personality, fortune, it kind of gives some prospects for that year.

And yeah, it's known as the Lunar New Year, because it's not just China that celebrates this holiday period. The period in a way is kind of similar to Christmas. It's a kind of extended period of time where people get together and celebrate. And yeah, they do so not just in China, but other particularly East Asian countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Host: And I guess being one of the most important holidays for Asians around the world, give us a flavour of the celebrations that will be taking place. And I guess some of the food and the drink that people will be enjoying today.

Kerry: People come together with their families. They often have group meals and they exchange gifts. And in China, some people like to give what's known as a Hongbao, which is a red envelope that contains money.

You also in China, you have firework shows in some cities on the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year. In terms of food, it depends upon people's specialities and also what country they're celebrating in.

But one of the things that people really like to do in China is they sit down and they watch a New Year's countdown show on the Chinese broadcaster CCTV.

And you get lots of song and dance performances this year. People have been able to watch not just Chinese singers and actors put on shows, but also Westlife have been performing and John Legend. Yeah, it's a big highlight.

Host: Are they performing in Chinese as well?

Kerry: No, sometimes they perform in English. But actually Celine Dion in previous years has performed in Chinese. So that was really quite powerful for Chinese audiences to watch.

Host: Love that. Can you wish our listeners a Happy New Year in the language?

Kerry: Yes, Xin Nian Kuai Le.

Host: Love that. I learned Kung Hei Fat Choy when I was younger, so I'll try and go with that one.

词汇表
fire horse 火马年（农历年份，每60年一轮）
ring in 迎接，庆祝（新年等）
gallop into [ˈɡæləp] 飞奔进入，迈入
Chinese / Lunar New Year [ˈluːnə(r)] 春节，农历新年
Chinese zodiac [ˈzəʊdiæk] 中国生肖，十二生肖
symbolize [ˈsɪmbəlaɪz] vt. 象征，代表
perseverance [ˌpɜːsɪˈvɪərəns] n. 毅力，不屈不挠，坚持不懈
rotation [rəʊˈteɪʃn] n. 循环，轮换，交替
astrology [əˈstrɒlədʒi] n. 占星学，星象学
dictate [dɪkˈteɪt] vt. 决定，支配，影响
fortune [ˈfɔːtʃuːn] n. 运气，运势
prospect [ˈprɒspekt] n. 前景，展望，预期
extended [ɪkˈstendɪd] adj. 长期的，延长的
on the stroke of midnight [strəʊk] 午夜时分，午夜钟声敲响时，零时零分
speciality [ˌspeʃiˈæləti] n. 特色，特产
New Year's countdown show [ˈkaʊntdaʊn] 跨年晚会，新年倒计时节目（这里指春晚）
broadcaster [ˈbrɔːdkɑːstə(r)] n. 广播公司，电视台

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