元旦

No base JSON record found for this token.

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 元旦 specifically refers to New Year's Day, the first day of the Gregorian calendar year. It is a formal term often used in written and spoken Chinese to denote January 1st.

Cultural Context

In Chinese culture, 元旦 is a public holiday and a time for family reunions and celebrations. It is distinct from the Lunar New Year (), which is based on the lunar calendar and usually falls later.

Common Collocations

Character Insights

The character means "beginning" or "first," and means "dawn" or "daybreak." Together, they symbolize the dawn of the new year.

Usage Tips

元旦 is used in formal contexts and official announcements. For casual conversation, people might simply say (xīnnián) to refer to the new year period. Avoid confusing 元旦 with , which is the Lunar New Year and a different holiday.

Example Sentences

We plan to go hiking on New Year's Day to welcome the new year.

New Year's Day is a statutory holiday in China, and many people reunite with

The ‘元’ in 元旦 means beginning, and ‘旦’ means dawn; together they signify the