What Chinese New Year in 2010?

What Chinese New Year in 2010?  The Answer is Tiger

The Chinese New Year 2010 Begins on February 14th.

• What Chinese New Year Animal for 2010?
• Calculating 'What is Chinese New Year Animal'
• Chinese New Year with Associated 12 Animals
• Chinese New Year Jokes
• Chinese New Year Stories
• Shanghai, China 2010: World Expo
• Wishing Tree For New Year 2010

What Chinese New Year Animal for 2010?   庚寅

2010 is the Chinese year of the Tiger.  Specifically, this is the year of Gēng-yín 庚寅 (Metal Tiger).  Here is a list of animals which answer the question: What Chinese New Year?

   Rat    Ox   Tiger  Rabbit Dragon  Snake Horse Sheep Monkey Rooster  Dog   Pig
2008 2009  2010  2011   2012  2013   2014  2015   2016     2017    2018 2007

Calculating 'What is Chinese New Year Animal'

The fact that the date of Chinese New Year varies within about a month is a clue that it's linked to the new moon.  A rough, guide is that the Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the shortest day.  The winter solstice always falls on December 21st, the next new moon is January 15th, and the second new moon February 14th 2010.

The Chinese New Year Calendar - With Its Associated 12 Animals

The lunar Chinese New Year calendar below shows which of 12 animals you are!  Naturally the animal depends on the year in which you were born.  Note: if you were born in January or February you need to check if your birthday was before or after the date of that Chinese New Year (if it was before this day your animal is the one shown for the previous year).

Rat	1900	1912	1924	1936	1948	1960	1972	1984	1996	2008
Ox	1901	1913	1925	1937	1949	1961	1973	1985	1997	2009
Tiger	1902	1914	1926	1938	1950	1962	1974	1986	1998	2010
Rabbit	1903	1915	1927	1939	1951	1963	1975	1987	1999	2011
Dragon	1904	1916	1928	1940	1952	1964	1976	1988	2000	2012
Snake	1905	1917	1929	1941	1953	1965	1977	1989	2001	2013
Horse	1906	1918	1930	1942	1954	1966	1978	1990	2002	2014
Sheep	1907	1919	1931	1943	1955	1967	1979	1991	2003	2015
Monkey	1908	1920	1932	1944	1956	1968	1980	1992	2004	2016
Rooster	1909	1921	1933	1945	1957	1969	1981	1993	2005	2017
Dog	1910	1922	1934	1946	1958	1970	1982	1994	2006	2018
Pig	1911	1923	1935	1947	1959	1971	1983	1995	2007	2019

60 Year Cycle of the Chinese New Year Calendar

Unlike western calendars, the Chinese calendar has names that are repeated every 60 years.  Within the 'Stem-Branch' system is shorter 'Celestial' cycle of 12 years denoted by animals.  Furthermore, the Chinese believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics of the animal associated with that year. 

   Rat    Ox   Tiger  Rabbit Dragon  Snake Horse Sheep Monkey Rooster  Dog   Pig
2008 2009  2010  2011   2012  2013   2014  2015   2016     2017   2018 2007

Another dimension of the Chinese zodiac is the 5 'Terrestrial' elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth.

If the year ends in 0 it is Yang Metal.
If the year ends in 1 it is Yin Metal.
If the year ends in 2 it is Yang Water.
If the year ends in 3 it is Yin Water.
If the year ends in 4 it is Yang Wood.
If the year ends in 5 it is Yin Wood.
If the year ends in 6 it is Yang Fire.
If the year ends in 7 it is Yin Fire.
If the year ends in 8 it is Yang Earth.
If the year ends in 9 it is Yin Earth.

Start date for the Chinese New Year Calendar 2010 and other years

The lunar Chinese New Years dates are:
2010 - Feb 14;  2011 - Feb 3;  2012 - Jan 23;  2013 - Feb 10;  2014 - Jan 31

See more on the Chinese New Year

Wishing Tree For Chinese New Year 2010

A man ties his New Year wish to a "wishing tree" at the White Cloud Temple, Beijing, on the day of Chinese New Year.  See image to the right.

A child in traditional costume takes part in the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Dongyue temple, Beijing, China.  The Lunar New Year is be marked with a week-long holiday.

Chinese New Year Masks

Masks in Chinese culture are part and parcel of the world culture of masks....... 面具 Mianju.  Masks first appeared in China during the Shang dynasty over 3,500 years ago. The colourful and exciting celebrations for the Chinese New Year last for many days, and end with the famous lantern festival.

See more on Chinese New Year masks.

Examples of Chinese Script

The development of Chinese characters can be dated back to about 4,500 years as discovered at Yanghe, Shandong Province in recent years. There are about a dozen pottery wine vessels unearthed, which have a character each. Those characters are quite close to the oracle inscriptions carved by the ancients of the Shang Dynasty [16th to 11th century B. C.].

Here is the Chinese name for Guy Thomas

Here below is the Chinese name for William Baker

English Words Borrowed from Chinese

Words taken completely or in part from another language are known as loanwords. In the English language, there are many loanwords that have been borrowed from Chinese languages and dialects.  Here are ten common English words that are borrowed from Chinese.

1. Coolie: While some claim that this term has its origins in Hindi, it's been argued that it could also have origins in the Chinese term for hard work or 苦力 (kǔ lì) which is literally translated as "bitter labour."
2. Gung Ho: The term has its origins in the Chinese word 工合 (gōng hé) that can either mean to work together, or as an adjective to describe someone that is overly excited or too enthusiastic. The term gong he is a shortened word for industrial cooperatives which were created in China in the 1930s. During that time U.S. Marines adopted the term to mean someone with a can-do attitude.
3. Chop Chop: This term is said to originate from the Cantonese dialect for the word 快快 (kuài kuài) which is said to urge someone to hurry up. Kuai means hurry in Chinese. "Chop Chop" appeared in English-language newspapers printed in China by foreign settlers as early as the 1800s.

• See more English words borrowed from Chinese

Shanghai, China 2010: World Expo

World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. Since the Great Exhibition of 1851 was held at Crystal Palace, London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future.

The picture to the right is an Artist's impression of the China Pavilion

Expo2010 will take place in Shanghai, China. Will and Guy would like to share with readers what can be expected at this 2010 exposition.

• It will take place in Shanghai, China.
• While the Chinese New Year in 2010 begins on February 14th, the Expo starts on 1st May 2010 and runs until 31st October 2010.
• 100 million visitors are expected to attend.
• There are already 194 participants signed up to display their exhibits
• theme of Expo 2010 is "Better City, Better Life," representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments.
• This emblem, depicts the image of three people: you, me, him/her holding hands together, symbolizing the big family of mankind.
• See here the Marvellous pavilions which have been, and are being built.  We are pleased to report that they will use solar energy.
• Watch the promotional Expo 2010 video here
• Created from a Chinese character meaning people, the mascot "Haibao" embodies the character of Chinese culture.  See the lovely Haibao character below.

Footnote:
Please write to Will and Guy if you have any information about 'What is Chinese New Year'.

See More About the Chinese New Year Calendar, also Jokes and Funny Stories:

• Chinese New Year 2010   • Chinese New Year Stories   • Chinese New Year jokes   • What New Year

• Chinese New Year 2011   • Chinese New Year 2012   • Chinese traditional foods   • Funny Chinese food

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