During and after the Chinese New Year, it is common to open new businesses, buy a new home, or get married in China. Since it’s that time of year again, you can try out some of these phrases to celebrate and congratulate people on their prosperous New Year to come. Of course, many of these phrases can be used all year round to congratulate people on birthdays, graduation, or the beginning of something worth celebrating!
General Expressions of Congratulations
恭喜！恭喜！(gōng xǐ! gōng xǐ!) Congratulations!
This phrase is often accompanied by 拱手礼 (gǒng shǒu lǐ), the well known ‘fist and palm’ hand gesture.
祝贺你获得一个这么好的机会。(zhù hè nǐ huò dé yī gè zhè me hǎo de jī huì.) Congratulations on this amazing opportunity!
祝贺开张大吉。(zhù hè kāi zhāng dà jí) Wishing you the best of luck on the opening of your new business.
庆祝 (qìng zhù) to celebrate
(祝你) 结婚周年快乐。((zhù nǐ) jié hūn zhōu nián kuài lè) Congratulations on your wedding anniversary.
(祝你) 新婚愉快。((zhù nǐ) xīn hūn yú kuài) Congratulations on your marriage.
祝贺你生了一个健康的宝宝。(zhù hè nǐ shēng le yī gè jiàn kāng de bǎo bǎo.)
Congratulations on your new baby.
New Year Congratulations
恭喜发财！(gōng xǐ fā cái) Wishing you a prosperous New Year!
新春大喜！(xīn chūn dà xǐ) Wishing you happiness in the New Year!
新年快乐！(xīn nián kuàilè) Happy New Year!
万事如意！(wàn shì rú yì) May all your hopes be fulfilled.
心想事成！(xīn xiǎng shì chéng) Have all your wishes come true.
新年好! (xīn nián hǎo) Happy New Year!
You can use the phrase above to say ‘Happy New Year’ to neighbors and people on the street.
Christmas
圣诞节快乐！(shèng dàn jié kuài lè) Merry Christmas!
Marriage
天作之合。(tiān zuò zhīhé) A match made in heaven!
百年好合。(bǎi nián hǎohé) Here’s to a happy union for 100 years!
白头偕老。 (bái tóu xié lǎo) Grow together in happiness!
Birthday Congratulations
祝你生日快乐！(zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè) Wishing you a happy birthday!
长命百岁！(cháng mìng bǎi suì) May you live to be 100!
祝您寿比南山， 福如东海。(zhù nín shòu bǐ nán shān, fú rú dōng hǎi) I wish you a long life and a great fortune. (as long as the south mountains, as great as the east sea).
The character 您 (nín), the formal version of ‘you’, is used here to express respect, as this would normally be a phrase spoken to the older generation.
Graduation
祝你前程似锦！(zhù nǐ qián chéng sì jǐn) Wishing you have boundless prospects
祝你前途光明。(zhù nǐ qián tú guāng míng) Wishing you a bright future.
祝你鹏程万里。(zhù nǐ péng chéng wàn lǐ) Wishing you a promising future.
New Business
开张大吉！(kāi zhāng dà jí) Wishing you good luck in your new business!
开业大吉！(kāi yè dà jí) Wishing you good luck in your new business!
(祝) 生意兴隆！(zhù shēng yì xīng lóng) Wishing you a thriving and prosperous business!
(祝) 财源广进！(zhù cái yuán guǎng jìn) Wishing you abundant wealth!
Replying to Congratulations
谢谢。(xiè xie) Thanks!
多谢。(duō xiè) Thanks!
同喜同乐！(tóng xǐ tóng lè) The same to you.
谢谢你的祝福。(xiè xie nǐ de zhù fú) Thanks for your good wishes.
