春節(jié)的前一天,人們俗稱為“大年三十”,這一天的晚上,稱作除夕,也叫“大年夜”。大年三十這一天在過年的過程中是最最重要的,若是有誰沒有趕上在這一天與家人一起吃年夜飯,會感到非常遺憾。
The Spring Festival Eve is called the 30th of the year. This evening is called Chuxi, or the night of the year. The last day of the last lunar month is the most important day in the whole Spring Festival. If one missed the dinner with his or her family in this day, he or she would feel very sorry.
特別是年三十,這一定要合家團聚。
Especially on the last day of the last lunar month, the whole family must get together.
跟父母一塊兒團聚吃團圓飯。
I am having a get reunion dinner with my parents.
這一天,所有的準備工作必須完成。這是大人孩子都興奮的時刻,準備了大半個月,為的就是這一天的到來。
On this day, all the preparation must be completed. It is the moment of joy for all adults and children. The more than half month preparation is for this day.
小時候,我總是盼著過年。
Ouch, in my childhood, I was always looking forward to the Spring Festival.
喜歡能放炮,吃好東西什么的。
I like to fire crackers, eat delicious food and so on.
除夕最重要的儀式,就是祭祖和吃年夜飯,然后一家人團團圓圓的在一起“守歲”,守歲,就是一晚上不睡,這種習俗,有對逝去歲月的留戀,也有對新年的美好希望。
The most important ceremonies in the eve of the Spring Festival are the ceremony of ancestor worship and the Spring Festival eve dinner. According to custom, each family will stay up to “guard the year”, which means to stay up to see the New Year in. This custom contains the nostalgic feelings for the past days and also good hopes for the new year.
我對春節(jié)印象最深的是年三十晚上供飯,祭祀祖先。
The most impressive thing for me during the Spring festival is to provide sacrifices in the Spring Festival eve to worship our ancestors.
第一個是祭祖的儀式,不忘記祖先的意思。祖先在家里面一年四季都供著的,但是在過春節(jié)的這個時候,我們要準備供奉的東西,比如把一些吃的擺在祖先的牌位面前。
The first is a ceremony to worship ancestors, which means not to forget ancestors. Ancestors are worshipped at the home all around the year. But during the Spring Festival, we will prepare something to sacrifice. For example, we will place some food in front of the name boards of our ancestors.
大多數人在家中將祖先牌位擺在房內,供上食物供品,然后由長至幼依序上香跪拜。
Most people place the name boards of ancestors at home. After placing food and other sacrifices, they will kneel down to worship ancestors according to their position in the family hierarchy.
把祖先的牌位和從爺爺奶奶那里拿的相片什么的,都供在那兒。然后給他們上菜和一些其他的供品,這之后,我們才能夠吃團圓飯。
We will place the name boards of ancestors, and photos from my grandparents there. Then we will place dishes and other sacrifices for them. After that, we can enjoy the family union dinner.
團圓飯就是人們常說的年夜飯,這一餐無論如何都一定是豐盛的,每一道菜都融入了人們對幸福和吉祥的憧憬。
The reunion dinner is the Spring Festival Eve dinner, which is luxurious anyway. Every dish contains people’s wishes for auspiciousness and happiness
按照傳統(tǒng)來說,團圓飯必須得有餃子,比較注重傳統(tǒng)的家庭還有年糕(糯米粉制成的新年蛋糕)。
A traditional reunion dinner normally must have jiaozi. Some families which pay more attention to tradition also have niangao (New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour) on this occasion.
餃子的形狀像中國古時候的元寶,所以人們吃餃子以期待財源滾滾!
The shape the shape of jiaozi is like a gold ingot from ancient China. So people eat them and wish for money and treasure.
過年的時候,一般晚上包餃子時,我們會在一個兩個餃子里頭包上一枚硬幣,哪個小孩大人咬到了,預示著新年交好運!
In the Spring Festival, we make jiaozi in the evening and put coins into one or two of them. Whoever gets one of these special pieces will be especially lucky.
而在中國南方的有些地方,年夜飯多是吃湯圓,這是用糯米粉做成皮兒,里面包上各種餡,或糖的,或芝麻的,或豆沙的。
In Southern China, people have Tangyuan for the dinner at the eve of Spring Festival. Tangyuan are glutinous rice balls. It has different stuffing, such as sugar, sesame or sweetened bean paste.
這個春節(jié),它求吉祥,你比如說年糕,這年糕什么意思呢,是年年高。這年年高,不僅僅是指這個孩子一年比一年長得高,它還指運氣也好。
The Spring Festival is also a time for people to pray for happiness and auspiciousness. For example, as a homophone, niangao means higher and higher, one year after another. To be higher does not only refer that a child will grow higher each year. It also refers to better luck.
除了這幾樣,年夜飯還要有魚,有肉,也差不多是一年中最豐盛的。
Except the above mentioned food, there are also fish and meat dishes in the dinner. It might be the most sumptuous dinner in the whole year.
守歲就是從吃年夜飯開始的。這頓飯要慢慢地吃,從掌燈時分入席,有的人家一直要吃到深夜。然后,全家人圍坐在一起,茶點瓜果放滿一桌,一家老小,邊吃邊樂,說說笑笑。也有的人家聚在一起打撲克,搓麻將,喧嘩笑鬧之聲持續(xù)整晚。
To guard the year starts with the Spring Festival eve dinner. This dinner need to be enjoyed slowly. People start to take a seat in the evening. Some people even eat till midnight. Then the whole family will sit together. The whole table is full of refreshments and fruits. The whole family will eat, talk and enjoy the time together. Some families like to play poker or majiang and chat the whole night.
當除夕夜的午夜12點,新年鐘聲敲響,孩子們紛紛跟著大人跑出屋子,或到樓下空曠處或在自家院子里放著爆竹煙花,高興地活蹦亂跳,用爆竹聲迎接新的一年的到來。頓時,整個中華大地上空,爆竹聲聲,煙花燦爛。這時屋內是通明的燈火,庭前是燦爛的火花,屋外是震天的響聲,夜空亮如白晝,把除夕的熱鬧氣氛推向了最高潮。
At the midnight of the Spring Festival eve, when the new year bell rings. Children will follow adults and run out of their home. They will fire fireworks and crackers in an empty ground near their residence or in their own yards. They are so happy. They want to welcome the new year with the sounds of fireworks. Suddenly, thousands of fireworks give a beautiful performance in the sky. The night looks like daytime. The atmosphere of the Spring Festival reaches its climax.