jyu4 laan4 zit3盂蘭節盂兰节
Definition
Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, held on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month.
How it's used
Refers specifically to the cultural and religious observance of the seventh lunar month, whereas the term 鬼節 is a generic, more colloquial way to describe the period. People often avoid major life events like moving house or getting married during this month, as it is considered a time when the boundary between the living and the dead is thin. It is common to see temporary bamboo stages built in neighborhoods for traditional Chinese opera performances intended to entertain the spirits.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Qingming Festival, which is for honoring ancestors, whereas this festival is primarily focused on appeasing wandering spirits who have no descendants to care for them.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
