Chinese New Year Quiz

Quiz all about Chinese New Year. You'll find many of the answers on our Spring Festival page
1. Which day of the New Year festival should you give the family dog a treat?
2nd
8th
4th
Ming dynasty, Forbidden City, lion, Beijing
Gilded bronze, guardian xiezhi statue at Forbidden City, Beijing

2. Which event marks the traditional end of the Chinese New Year (Spring) festival?
Dragon Boat Festival
Confucius' Birthday
Lantern Festival
festival, temple, lion dance
Traditional lion dance near a temple

3. What are the lucky numbers in a year of the Ox?
eight
four and one
nine
cat
Japanese lucky cat

4. Which astrological year follows the year of the snake?
sheep
horse
dragon
Hong Kong, zodiac, sculpture
The Garden of the Chinese Zodiac features twelve carved animals in the gardens of Kowloon Walled City Park, Hong Kong

5. The New Year greeting 'Gong hei fat choy' is in which language?
Vietnamese
Cantonese
Mongolian
lanterns, new year
Chinese New Year, Saigon, Vietnam. Image by falco available under a Creative Commons License

6. Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) usually takes place in which month(s)?
January or February
January
March or April
red lantern, lantern, chinese new year, spring festival
Red lanterns are hung from the trees during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Ditan Park (Temple of Earth) in Beijing. Image by Paul Louis available under a Creative Commons License

7. When is the next dragon astrological year?
2042
2036
2050
silk, dragon
Silk embroidery of Chinese dragon

8. Which character for good fortune is widely seen at Chinese New Year?
fēi
festival, temple, lion dance
Traditional lion dance near a temple

9. What heralds the start of New Year's day?
President's speech
firecrackers
military parade

10. Which Chinese god is given an offering a week prior to Chinese New Year?
He-He - the Heavenly twins
Kui Xing - god of literature
Zao Jun - the Kitchen god
deity, eight immortals, Shandong, Penglai
Statue of the Eight Immortals at Penglai Pavilion, Shandong

11. What is the phase of the moon at Chinese New Year?
new
full
half
garden, Foshan, Guangdong, architecture
Moon gate in Qinghui garden, Foshan city, Guangdong

12. What is a 'guotie'?
kitchen demon
lucky fish
fried dumpling (jiaozi)
food
Eating dimsum dumplings on the street in gongguan; pictures by tashenka. February 2007. Photo by brappy! from Gongguan Market in Zhongzheng available under a Creative Commons license .

13. Which color envelope is traditionally used for gifts of money?
red
gold
blue
God of Money, poster
Chinese Lunar New Year money god poster in Hong Kong. Image by Mk2010 available under a Creative Commons license

14. Why are oranges, tangerines and similar fruits are often seen at Chinese New Year?
Wishes good luck
Adds Vitamin C to diet
Lucky color
orange
Dish of oranges, Hong Kong. Image by Fung Kimmia available under a Creative Commons License

15. Why are fish widely eaten at Chinese New Year?
Fish in Chinese sounds like abundance
Fish carry a wish for a long life
The god of fish was born on Chinese New Year
taiwan, yin yang, fish
Window detail of Zushih Temple, Sansia, Taipei County, Taiwan. Aug. 2008. Image by Benjiho available under a Creative Commons License
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