So, what's the best way to say Merry Christmas in Chinese? Most say "sheng dan jie kuai le" but I also saw "shen dan kuai le"? What's more proper for China? For Taiwan?
xie xie,
John
Merry xmas
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Dylan Sung
Re: Merry xmas
Chinese already have a good festival at this time of year, it is the Winter Solstice.
Dyl.
Dyl.
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John
Re: Merry xmas
Sung Xian Sheng,
Yes, I know Chinese have there own holidays but they also celebrate xmas, on some level...
Wondering,
Ming Che
Yes, I know Chinese have there own holidays but they also celebrate xmas, on some level...
Wondering,
Ming Che
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Dylan Sung
Re: Merry xmas
I was in China for Xmas a couple of years ago, and there was the trimmings of Xmas in the shops. Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of Jesus, but in China, the population of christians is small. If it was a proper celebration, then this would have had to be a part of the occasion, but it is not, as it is mostly focused on the giving of presents, so on the cynical level, it is a purely commercial venture in my opinion. Does anyone still recall Boxing day is called the Feast of St. Stephen? This was the traditional (pre-Victorian) day of the giving of presents and alms to the poor. Xmas as you see it today is a Victorian era anachronism.
Dyl.
Dyl.
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Kobo-Daishi
Re: Merry xmas
Dear all,
Dylan wrote:
>>I was in China for Xmas a couple of years ago, and
>>there was the trimmings of Xmas in the shops.
>>Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the
>>birth of Jesus, but in China, the population of
>>christians is small. If it was a proper celebration,
>>then this would have had to be a part of the occasion,
>>but it is not, as it is mostly focused on the giving of
>>presents, so on the cynical level, it is a purely
>>commercial venture in my opinion.
I guess it's like Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day in America.
These holidays are mostly commercial ventures named after Catholic saints. Most Americans aren't Catholic and the holidays don't really hold any religious significance for the majority of us.
Valentine's Day is just an excuse for confectioners, jewelers, florists, greeting card manufacturers, etc. to make an easy buck.
While St. Patrick's Day is an excuse for people to get drunk, hold parades, pinch people for not wearing green and put green dye in food that doesn't need green dye in it.
This also reminds me of Chinese funerals here in America.
A lot of Chinese in America aren't Christian but at their funerals they have Christian ministers perform the funeral service. Even Chinese who were vehemently anti-Christian in life have a minister conduct the service. I guess it's too much of a hassle to have a Chinese traditional folk religion service done so they just go with what is offered. But, I always found this hypocritical.
I also resent it when the only Christian convert in the family finds an illness or death in the family to be the opportune time to swoop in and try to convert the sick and grieving.
Kobo-Daishi, PLLA.
Dylan wrote:
>>I was in China for Xmas a couple of years ago, and
>>there was the trimmings of Xmas in the shops.
>>Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the
>>birth of Jesus, but in China, the population of
>>christians is small. If it was a proper celebration,
>>then this would have had to be a part of the occasion,
>>but it is not, as it is mostly focused on the giving of
>>presents, so on the cynical level, it is a purely
>>commercial venture in my opinion.
I guess it's like Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day in America.
These holidays are mostly commercial ventures named after Catholic saints. Most Americans aren't Catholic and the holidays don't really hold any religious significance for the majority of us.
Valentine's Day is just an excuse for confectioners, jewelers, florists, greeting card manufacturers, etc. to make an easy buck.
While St. Patrick's Day is an excuse for people to get drunk, hold parades, pinch people for not wearing green and put green dye in food that doesn't need green dye in it.
This also reminds me of Chinese funerals here in America.
A lot of Chinese in America aren't Christian but at their funerals they have Christian ministers perform the funeral service. Even Chinese who were vehemently anti-Christian in life have a minister conduct the service. I guess it's too much of a hassle to have a Chinese traditional folk religion service done so they just go with what is offered. But, I always found this hypocritical.
I also resent it when the only Christian convert in the family finds an illness or death in the family to be the opportune time to swoop in and try to convert the sick and grieving.
Kobo-Daishi, PLLA.
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may
Re: Merry xmas
"sheng dan jie kuai le" and"shen dan kuai le" r the same.
but we prefer to say the latter.
but we prefer to say the latter.
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John
Re: Merry xmas
Kobo-Daishi wrote:
I also resent it when the only Christian convert in the family finds an illness or death in the family to be the opportune time to swoop in and try to convert the sick and grieving.
Yeah, that does sound tacky.
may wrote:
"sheng dan jie kuai le" and"shen dan kuai le" r the same.
but we prefer to say the latter.
First of all, who is "we"? Where are you from, May? You like "shen dan kuai le"? Hmm.. Taiwan likes "sheng dan jie kuai le" ...
xie xie,
Ming Che
[%sig%]
I also resent it when the only Christian convert in the family finds an illness or death in the family to be the opportune time to swoop in and try to convert the sick and grieving.
Yeah, that does sound tacky.
may wrote:
"sheng dan jie kuai le" and"shen dan kuai le" r the same.
but we prefer to say the latter.
First of all, who is "we"? Where are you from, May? You like "shen dan kuai le"? Hmm.. Taiwan likes "sheng dan jie kuai le" ...
xie xie,
Ming Che
[%sig%]
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may
Re: Merry xmas
John:
I'm from china.
in fact,there r no difference between "shen dan jie kuai le" and "shen dan kuai le",sometimes we say "shen dan jie kuai le",sometimes we say "shen dan kuai le".just as u want.
i say we prefer to say "shen dan kuai le",coz sometimes we'd like to delete some unimportant words.and it doesnt change the meaning.
can u understand it now?i hope it can help u.
I'm from china.
in fact,there r no difference between "shen dan jie kuai le" and "shen dan kuai le",sometimes we say "shen dan jie kuai le",sometimes we say "shen dan kuai le".just as u want.
i say we prefer to say "shen dan kuai le",coz sometimes we'd like to delete some unimportant words.and it doesnt change the meaning.
can u understand it now?i hope it can help u.
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John
Re: Merry xmas
May,
Yes, thank you, I understand now.=) But where in China are you from?
Almost everyone in Taiwan uses the "unimportant word" (jie), for your information....
Xie xie ni,=)
Ming Che
Yes, thank you, I understand now.=) But where in China are you from?
Almost everyone in Taiwan uses the "unimportant word" (jie), for your information....
Xie xie ni,=)
Ming Che
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Stacy
Re: Merry xmas
I'm a Taiwanese. Well,actually how to say is not very important. We usually say "shen dan kuai le". The word "jie" means festival.