Dialogue - Wish you good luck in the Year of the Rabbit!

zhù nǐ tù nián jí xiáng!
祝你兔年吉祥！
Wish you good luck in the Year of the Rabbit!

随着二月三日起兔年的临近，兔形玩具和礼品正成为中国各大商店和市场最受欢迎的商品。在中华传统文化中，兔子象征着宽厚、善良、文雅、以及美感。同样，它预示着在兔年出生的人将会一生平安，享受一种祥和与安静的生活环境。
With the Year of the Rabbit set to start on Feb. 3, rabbit-shaped toys and gifts are becoming popular items at stores and markets in China. In traditional Chinese culture, the rabbit symbolizes graciousness, kindness, good manners, and sensitivity to beauty. So, a person born under this sign is expected to lead a tranquil life, enjoying a congenial peaceful and quiet environment.
 

课文
Text
mài kè: tù nián dào le, gōng xǐ fā cái!
麦克：兔年到了，恭喜发财！ 
Mike: The Year of the Rabbit is coming. May you be prosperous!

lì li: xiè xiè, yě zhù nǐ tù nián hǎo yùn!
丽丽：谢谢，也祝你兔年好运！ 
Lili: Thanks, and may you have good luck in the Year of the Rabbit, too!

mài kè: tù nián shì wǒ de běn mìng nián, yǒu shé me tè shū de jiǎng jiù ma?
麦克：兔年是我的本命年，有什么特殊的讲究吗？ 
Mike: The Year of the Rabbit is my zodiacal year of birth. Is there anything that I should pay particular attention to?

lì li: zhōng guó rén tōng cháng xǐ huān zài běn mìng nián zā hóng yāo dài, chuān hóng dài hóng.
丽丽：中国人通常喜欢在本命年扎红腰带，穿红戴红。 
Lili: The Chinese likes to fasten a red belt and wear red in his or her zodiacal year.

mài kè: hóng sè zài zhè lǐ yì wèi zhe shén me?
麦克：红色在这里意味着什么？ 
Mike: What does the color mean in this situation？

lì li: zhōng guó rén bǎ hóng sè shì wéi xǐ xìng, chéng gōng de xiàng zhēng, rèn wéi hóng sè kě yǐ qū xié bì xiōng.
丽丽：中国人把红色视为喜幸、成功的象征，认为红色可以驱邪避凶。 
Lili: Chinese regard red as a symbol of happiness and success, and think it can drive away evils.

mài kè: yuán lái rú cǐ, yě jiù shì shuō hóng sè kě yǐ bǎo yòu wǒ píng píng ān ān.
麦克：原来如此，也就是说红色可以保佑我平平安安。 
Mike: I see. So, it can bless me and protect me.

lì li: duì. guò nián shí, zhǎng bèi men hái xǐ huān gěi xiǎo háir men yī xiē yā suì qián.
丽丽：对。过年时，长辈们还喜欢给小孩儿们一些压岁钱。 
Lili: Yes. In the lunar New Year, the elders also like to give their children some money as a gift.

mài kè: yě jiào “hóng bāo” ba? xiǎo háir men yī dìng dū pàn zhe guò nián ne.
麦克：也叫“红包”吧？小孩儿们一定都盼着过年呢。 
Mike: It is also called hong bao [red envelope], isn't it? Children must be too impatient to wait for the New Year.

lì li: shì de. quán jiā rén hái yào jù zài yī qǐ chī nián yè fàn.
丽丽：是的。全家人还要聚在一起吃年夜饭。 
Lili: Yes. The whole family will have dinner together on lunar New Year's Eve.

mài kè: zhōng guó rén hái xǐ huān zài chūn jié qī jiān fàng biān pào.
麦克：中国人还喜欢在春节期间放鞭炮吧？ 
Mike: Chinese people like to set off firecrackers in the Spring Festival period, don't they?

lì li: duì, fang biān pào yě shì zhōng guó rén cí jiù yíng xīn de yī zhǒng xí sú.
丽丽：对，放鞭炮也是中国人辞旧迎新的一种习俗。 
Lili: Yes, setting off firecrackers is another Chinese custom of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new.

mài kè: chūn jié qí jiān, wǒ kě yǐ qù nǐ men jiā bài nián ma?
麦克：春节期间，我可以去你们家拜年吗？ 
Mike: Can I go to your home to extend New Year greetings during the period?

lì li: dāng rán kě yǐ, dào shí hòu wǒ bāo jiǎo zi zhāo dài nǐ.
丽丽：当然可以，到时候我包饺子招待你。 
Lili: Of course you can. Then, I will treat you to dumplings.

生词
New Words
兔年 tù nián: Year of the Rabbit 
吉祥 jí xiáng: lucky; auspicious 
宽厚 kuān hòu: graciousness; generosity 
善良 shàn liáng: kindness; goodness 
文雅 wén yǎ: good manners 
美感 měi gǎn: sensitivity to beauty 
平安 píng ān: peaceful 
本命年 běn mìng nián: someone's zodiacal year of birth 
特殊的 tè shū de: particular; special 
讲究 jiǎng jiù: pay attention to 
腰带 yāo dài: belt 
红色 hóng sè: red; red color 
意味着 yì wèi zhe: mean 
喜幸 xǐ xìng: happy: happiness 
喜兴 xǐ xing: happy; joyful 
成功 chéng gōng: success 
象征 xiàng zhēng: symbolize; signalize 
驱邪避凶 qū xié bì xiōng: drive away evils 
保佑 bǎo yòu: bless and protect 
长辈 zhǎng bèi: the elders; senior member of a family 
压岁钱 yā suì qián: money given to children as a lunar New Year gift 
红包 hóng bāo: red envelope containing money (usually given privately as a tip, gift, bonus or bribe) 
年夜饭 nián yè fàn: dinner on lunar New Year's Eve 
放鞭炮 fàng biān pào: set off firecrackers 
辞旧迎新 cí jiù yíng xīn: bid farewell to the old and usher in the new 
习俗 xí sú: custom 
拜年 bài nián: pay a New Year call; send New Year greetings 
饺子 jiǎo zi: dumplings 
招待 zhāo dài: treat; entertain