Chinese New Year Quiz

Quiz all about Chinese New Year. You'll find many of the answers on our Spring Festival page
1. What is the phase of the moon at Chinese New Year?
full
new
first quarter
garden, Foshan, Guangdong, architecture
Moon gate in Qinghui garden, Foshan city, Guangdong

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

3. Which day of the New Year festival should you give the family dog a treat?
4th
6th
2nd
Ming dynasty, Forbidden City, lion, Beijing
Gilded bronze, guardian xiezhi statue at Forbidden City, Beijing

4. Which Chinese god is given an offering a week prior to Chinese New Year?
Kui Xing - god of literature
Mi Le Fo - the Laugjhing buddha
Zao Jun - the Kitchen god
deity, eight immortals, Shandong, Penglai
Statue of the Eight Immortals at Penglai Pavilion, Shandong

5. Why are fish widely eaten at Chinese New Year?
Fish in Chinese sounds like abundance
Fish were the first creatures created
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

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

7. Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) usually takes place in which month(s)?
April or May
January or February
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

8. What are the lucky numbers in a year of the Ox?
eight
seven and three
four and one
cat
Japanese lucky cat

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

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

11. What heralds the start of New Year's day?
phoenix dances
President's speech
firecrackers

12. When is the next dragon astrological year?
2024
2031
2022
silk, dragon
Silk embroidery of Chinese dragon

13. Which event marks the traditional end of the Chinese New Year (Spring) festival?
Easter
Lantern Festival
Lichun Festival
festival, temple, lion dance
Traditional lion dance near a temple

14. What is a 'guotie'?
kitchen demon
rice cake
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 .

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