gau6 lik6 nin4舊歷年旧历年
Jyutpinggau6 lik6 nin4
Yalegauh lihk nìhn
Definition
The Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar.
colloquialfestivaltime
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 農曆年 or 新年 when referring to the holiday. Using 舊歷年 is technically understood but sounds quite dated or formal, as if emphasizing the lunar calendar system rather than the festive occasion itself.
Examples
Will you go home for dinner during Chinese New Year?
Many shops are closed during Chinese New Year.
Related words
Common phrases
to celebrate Chinese New Year
Common mistake
Learners often use 舊歷年 because it translates literally to old calendar year, but this sounds unnatural in daily conversation. Stick to 新年 for the holiday or 農曆年 for the specific calendar reference.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
