san1 nin4 hou2新年好
Jyutpingsan1 nin4 hou2
Yalesān nìhn hóu
Definition
Happy New Year!; a common New Year greeting.
neutralfestivalcommunication
How it's used
While this phrase is understood in Hong Kong, it is primarily associated with Mandarin speakers or written greetings on red packets. Local Cantonese speakers overwhelmingly prefer saying 恭喜發財 or 新年快樂 to express well wishes during the Lunar New Year. Using this phrase can sometimes make a speaker sound like they are reading from a script or are not a native Cantonese speaker.
Examples
Happy New Year, wishing you good health!
Did you have a good New Year this year?
Related words
Common phrases
Wish you a happy New Year
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Cantonese way of wishing someone a happy holiday, which typically involves phrases like 恭喜發財 or 身體健康. Using 新年好 in a casual conversation may sound slightly stiff or unnatural compared to the more common festive greetings.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
