Hong Kong Festivals in Cantonese
Hong Kong keeps both the lunar and the Western calendar, so the year is full of public holidays — and each one brings its own food, greeting and vocabulary. These are the festivals and the words that go with them.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say Chinese New Year in Cantonese?
農曆新年 (nung4 lik6 san1 nin4), the lunar calendar new year. The classic greeting is 恭喜發財 (gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4).
What is 利是 (lai6 si6)?
The red packet of lucky money given at Lunar New Year. Married people give them to children and to unmarried adults, including colleagues.
What do people eat at the Mid-Autumn Festival?
月餅 (jyut6 beng2), mooncakes, eaten while carrying 燈籠 (dang1 lung4), lanterns, on the night of the full moon.
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