The auspicious symbolism of these traditional Chinese New Year foods is based on their pronunciations or appearance. Not only do the dishes themselves matter, but also the preparation, and ways of serving and eating mean a lot. The most common Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao. We've rounded up 12 Niangao (Chinese New Year Cake) Niangao, the sticky rice cake , emerges as a culinary metaphor-laden with auspicious meanings. Associated with growth, progress, and the anticipation of a higher income, its name echoes the desire for “increasing prosperity year after year.” Read on to find out how to kick off the new year right with these Lunar New Year foods and enjoy the blessings of their auspicious meanings. By The HK HUB 2025-01-21 Updated: 2025-01-22 8 Mins Read Chinese New Year is all about gathering with family and friends to welcome the new year, which falls on January 29 this year! The word “sticky” in Chinese is pronounced “nian” which is the same way as the word “year” in Chinese, so “Sticky Bean Bun” is also considered relatively to symbolize Chinese New Year. As the name suggests, it is the New Year cake wrapped during the new year. Glutinous rice cake – Niangao is also a common New Year food, as its name sounds like “getting higher year-on-year,” a wish for prosperity. 2. Chow Mein Noodles. Longevity noodles (Chang Shou Mian / chung-show mien) are another unsurprising addition to the Chinese New Year table. When is the Chinese New Year 2025? Chinese New Year 2025: Dates and Celebrations. In 2025, Chinese New Year will fall on Saturday, February 10th, marking the beginning of the Year of the Wood Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. Chinese New Year celebrations span 16 days, from New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. Here are the key dates The Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is the most important festival in China: it lasts up to two weeks. Food plays a big part in this family gathering holiday period. The festive and different kinds of food people eat during this special period are meant to bring families together and symbolize a great new year. Also called Spring Festival in most of mainland China, Lunar New Year begins on the night of the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, which is a bit shorter than the 365-day solar year. The 16-day festival season is celebrated with lots of traditional Chinese New Year foods that are prepared, served and eaten in symbolic ways. Chinese New Year is steeped in traditions and symbolism, with various foods believed to bring good luck and fortune for the year ahead. Fish is a must-have dish, symbolising surplus and abundance. Dumplings (jiaozi) are widely consumed during this time, representing prosperity and wealth due to their resemblance to ancient Chinese money. Chinese people eat foods with the symbols of good luck, prosperity, and happiness during the Chinese New Year. The lunar New Year 2025 is coming, try these traditional dishes with auspicious meanings and have good fortune in the new year. 1. Fish - Fortune and Abundance And of course, a lot of care and thought is put into the menu for the most important holiday of the year. As with Chinese New Year activities and decorations, the dishes are created to give blessings for the next year. Both the names and looks are symbols of wishes for prosperity, happiness and auspiciousness. Welcome to the Year of the Snake! In 2025, Chinese New Year isn’t just about dazzling fireworks and red envelopes. It’s a food lover’s paradise where ancient flavors dance with modern twists. Ready to dive into a world where tradition and innovation create culinary magic? Let’s explore how Chinese New Year food is transforming in 2025! Lunar New Year may be called different names in different East Asian countries and communities, but it is celebrated on the same date (and surrounding days) with similar celebrations. China. In China, Lunar New Year is known as Chinese New Year or in Chinese 'Spring Festival' (Chunjie). The celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, beginning Given the importance of food in Chinese culture, it is not surprising that certain dishes play a major role in Chinese New Year celebrations. Foods that are considered lucky or offer good fortune are part of the menu, as are ingredients whose names in Chinese sound similar to other positive words. Another food you definitely want to put on your Chinese New Year food list for this Year of the Tiger is tang yuan — black sesame filled sweet rice balls that are typically served in a sweet soup. These little balls of joy symbolize a happy family reunion because their name sounds like a Chinese phrase for ‘reunion’ and ‘togetherness’. For the festivities, this Chinese New Year food — usually carp — are most often steamed whole, or put into a stew. Editors’ Recommendations How to lose belly fat: Eating these 10 foods more Layue (simplified Chinese: 腊月; traditional Chinese: 臘月; pinyin: Làyuè) is a term often associated with Chinese New Year as it refers to the sacrifices held in honour of the gods in the twelfth lunisolar month, hence the cured meats of Chinese New Year are known as larou (simplified Chinese: 腊肉; traditional Chinese: 臘肉; pinyin Green is a color associated with wealth and currency, so leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and bok choy are often served as a Chinese New Year food. During Chinese New Year, these foods are often included in stir fry, soups, spring rolls and salads. The hope is some of that promised prosperity will manifest in your new year. 6. Dumplings The lunisolar Chinese calendar determines the date of Lunar New Year. The calendar is also used in countries that have been influenced by, or have relations with, China – such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, though occasionally the date celebrated may differ by one day or even one moon cycle due to using a meridian based on a different capital city in a different time zone or different Discover 10 traditional Chinese New Year desserts, including pudding, cakes, and cookies, perfect for celebrating all year round.
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