Hi dear friends, long time no see! Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner! Have you prepared roast turkeys yet? Thanksgiving is a traditional festival in the Western world, but do you know there are also some festivals about expressing gratitude in China?
Gǎn ēn jié
感恩节
Thanksgiving Day
Gǎn ēn jié kuài lè!
感恩节快乐！
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Gǎn ēn jié chī huǒ jī.
感恩节吃火鸡！
People eat turkeys on Thanksgiving Day.
Tomb-sweeping Day is one of China’s four major traditional festivals. Every April, people pay tributes to their departed relatives and ancestors and give thanks for their hard work. Besides demonstrating respect to their ancestors, people usually celebrate the day by enjoying the season of spring – eating Qingtuan, or green rice balls (delicacies made from glutinous rice mixed with pounded mugwort), flying kites, as well as going for an outing.
Chuán tǒng jiē rì
传统节日
Traditional festivals
Gǎn ēn jié shì měi guó de chuán tǒng jié rì.
感恩节是美国的传统节日。
Thanksgiving Day is a traditional American holiday.
Zhōng guó de sì dà chuán tǒng jié rì shì chūn jié, qīng míng jié, duān wǔ jié, zhōng qiū jié.
中国的四大传统节日是春节、清明节、端午节、中秋节。
The four major traditional Chinese festivals are Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for families to enjoy sharing moon cakes and watching the full moon to rise together. After all, the best way to show gratitude to family members is to spend more time with them.
Yuè bǐng
月饼
Moon cake
Zhōng qiū jié chī yuè bǐng.
中秋节吃月饼。
People eat moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival.
Yuè bǐng hěn hǎo chī.
月饼很好吃。
Moon cakes are delicious.
Xiayuan Festival falls on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month each year. On this day, people will worship gods and show gratitude to them, at the same time pray for bumper harvests in the coming year. People normally will have a rest on this day, and hold some ceremonies to celebrate it.
Xiū xi
休息: n. rest/v. to rest
Wǒ jīn tiān xiū xi.
我今天休息。
I’m off today.
Jīn tiān shì xiū xi rì.
今天是休息日。
Today is day-off.
Qìng zhù
庆祝: celebration; v. to celebrate
Wǒ men yī qǐ qìng zhù ba!
我们一起庆祝吧！
Let’s celebrate together!
Měi guó rén zěn me qìng zhù gǎn ēn jié?
美国人怎么庆祝感恩节？
How do people in the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving Day?
Different countries have diversified holidays to express gratitude. No matter what form it is, the true meaning of gratitude is showing people’s sincere and love. Do you also know other festivals about expressing people’s gratitude worldwide? You’re welcome to tell us in the section below!
5 Classic Chinese Stories of Gratitude
How Tomb Sweeping Day was Different This Year in China Due to COVID-19
Three Classic Mid-Autumn Festival Legends You Must Know