Chinese New Year Taboos & Superstitions: A Foreigners Guide

No Sweeping on New Year’s Day:
Sweeping or throwing out garbage on the first day of the New Year is believed to sweep away good fortune.

Avoiding Unlucky Words
Speaking of death, ghosts, or using negative language is avoided as it’s believed to bring bad luck.

Do not Wash and Cut Hair:
Washing hair is taboo on New Year’s Day because in Mandarin, the word for hair (发) is a homophone for wealth. Thus, washing hair is symbolically seen as washing away one’s fortune. Don’t cut it either!

Postpone Laundry:
The first two days of the New Year are considered the birthday of the Water God, making it disrespectful to wash clothes. The act of washing is also metaphorically viewed as washing away wealth.

Be Mindful of Gift Choices:
Gifts like clocks, scissors, and pears carry negative connotations in Chinese culture and should be avoided during this festive period.

Married Daughters Visiting Parents:
It’s traditionally considered bad luck for married daughters to visit their parents’ home on New Year’s Day. This visit is usually made on the second day of the New Year.

Avoid Breaking Objects:
Breaking items like plates or glasses is seen as a bad omen, often associated with misfortune or loss. If something breaks, it’s customary to wrap the fragments in red paper and utter auspicious phrases to counteract the bad luck.

Wearing Red:
Red is considered a lucky color, bringing happiness, and wearing it is believed to ward off evil spirits and bad fortune. (is red not your color? Some say it is enough to wear red underwear!) Avoid wearing white or black as these colors are traditionally associated with mourning.

Avoiding Sharp Objects:
Using knives, scissors, and needles is avoided to prevent cutting off good fortune.

Wear Intact Clothes:
Wearing damaged clothes, especially for children, is believed to bring bad luck.

Avoid Hospital Visits and taking medicine:
Unless it’s an emergency, visiting a hospital during the New Year period is avoided as it’s thought to bring illness throughout the year. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, it’s considered unlucky to brew or consume any kind of medicine. Doing so is believed to lead to a year of continuous illness. In some regions, people smash medicine pots at midnight as a symbol of casting away illnesses.

Prevent Children from Crying/no reprimanding of children:
The sound of a child crying is believed to bring bad luck to the family, so efforts are made to keep children happy and content. If you do scold your child they may become mischievous throughout the year, necessitating continuous reprimands.

Avoid Porridge and Meat for Breakfast:
Eating porridge on New Year’s Day is seen as a sign of poverty and is considered an omen of starting the year in a poor state. Furthermore, abstaining from meat during the first breakfast honors Buddhist deities, as it’s a time when gods are thought to be exchanging New Year greetings.

Even Numbers in Red Envelopes:
When giving out red envelopes, ensure the money inside is an even number. Odd numbers and amounts containing the number ‘4’ are frowned upon due to their association with bad luck.

No Killing or Slaughtering:
From the 1st to the 15th of the Lunar New Year, any form of killing is avoided to prevent bad omens, such as accidents or disasters. People generally prepare their meat before New Year’s Eve. 

Avoid Asking Someone to Get Out Of Bed:
On the first morning of the New Year, it is considered inauspicious to urge someone to get out of bed. The belief is that if someone is rushed out of bed on this day, they will experience a hurried and restless year ahead.

Refrain from Extending New Year Greetings to Someone in Bed:
It’s a superstition that offering New Year’s greetings to someone who is still in bed could result in that person spending much of the year unwell or confined to bed. This practice is avoided to ensure a healthy and active year.

Avoid Afternoon Naps:
Refrain from taking an afternoon nap on New Year’s Day, as it is believed to symbolize a tendency towards laziness throughout the upcoming year.

Don’t Lend or Borrow Money:
New Year’s Day is not the time for financial transactions like lending or borrowing money. Debts should be settled before the New Year.

Respecting Elders through Bowing:
It is customary for younger individuals to bow to their elders, emphasizing the significance of hand posture. During this gesture of respect, the left hand should delicately cover the right fist. This tradition originates from the belief that the “left” side symbolizes greater respect in ancient Chinese customs. Conversely, the opposite hand posture is employed to convey reverence to the deceased.

Bedtime on New Year’s Eve:
Contrary to the idea of an early bedtime on New Year’s Eve, tradition dictates staying awake late into the night. This practice stems from the belief in warding off the mythical “Sui” monster. Staying alert and awake symbolizes vigilance against potential misfortunes, ensuring a peaceful and prosperous new year.