中华民俗之新年必做的事和禁忌

　　千万不要做这些：

　　Don't wear white or black clothing, since they are the traditional colours of mourning.

　　不要穿白色或黑色服装，因为这是传统意义上丧事的颜色；

　　Don't buy new shoes for the first month of the New Year, because the sound of shoe in Chinese is "hai". "Hai" is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe is not a good way to start the year.

　　不要在新年的第一个月买新鞋，因为在汉语里鞋的发音是"孩"(好像是四川地区的发音)，它与叹息"唉"相近，中国人认为这不是新年伊始的好兆头。

　　Don't wash your hair for the first three days of the New Year, because the Chinese word for hair is a homonym for the Chinese word for wealth. Therefore, Chinese believe it isn't a good thing to 'wash away your wealth' right at the start of the New Year.

　　在新年的前三天里不要洗头，因为汉语里"头发"的"发"和"发财"的"发"同音。因此，中国认为在新年伊始把财富给冲走可不是好兆头。

　　Floors may not be swept and garbage may not be disposed of on the first day of the New Year for fear of casting riches out the door.

　　在新年第一天，不拖地、不扔垃圾，因为怕把"财"给送走了；

　　Don't swear or quarrel.

　　不要诅咒发誓，也不要吵架;

　　Don't break any dishes, otherwise you may incur more misfortune for the New Year. In the event of breaking a dish, quickly say " Peace for all time", and the bad luck will be warded away.

　　不要打破碗碟，否则在来年你可能会遭遇不幸，一旦打破了，要马上说"岁岁平安"，这样坏运气就会被赶走了；

　　Don't greet people who are in mourning.

　　不要向服丧期的人们问候(主要指不要说喜庆的话吧?)。

　　Don't drop your chopsticks.

　　不要让筷子掉地上；

　　Don't say the number "four" (Chinese homonym for death) or mention death.

　　不要说数字"四"(汉语里和"死"谐音)或者提到死；

　　Don't borrow or lend money.

　　不要借钱也不要借给别人钱。