元宵節又稱為「上元節」，按中國民間的傳統，這天，人們要點起彩燈萬盞以示慶賀。出門賞月、燃燈放焰、喜猜燈謎、共吃元宵，合家團聚、其樂融融。
而吃團圓飯、猜燈謎、觀花燈、放煙花等習俗更是元宵節必不可少的節目。轉眼又到了這一天，可是你真的了解元宵節嗎？這次讓你360度全部方位了解元宵節！
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significance
The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. It is the first full moon of the new year, symbolizing unity and perfection.
元宵節在農曆第一個月的十五號，它是新的一年的第一次滿月，象徵著團圓和美。
origin
the Han Dynasty(206BC-220AD), Buddhism flourished all over China. One emperor heard that Buddhism monks would watch sarira , or remains from the cremation of Buddha's body , and light laterns toworship buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light laterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day.
東漢時期，提倡佛教，聽說佛教有正月十五日僧人觀舍利，點燈敬佛的做法，就命令這一天夜晚在皇宮和寺廟裡點燈敬佛，令士族和庶民都掛燈。
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Later, the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded form the Central Plains to the whole China.
以後這種佛教禮儀節日逐漸演變為民間盛大的節日。元宵節經歷了由宮廷到民間，由中原到全國的發展過程。
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下面就向大家介紹一些元宵節常用詞語的英文說法。先來幾個關鍵詞：
The Lantern Festival 元宵節
Lantern 燈籠
The 15th day of the lunar calendar 正月十五
dumpling 湯圓
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湯圓在英語裡也是dumpling。
Dumplings：餃子、包子、湯圓......總之，外面有皮包著，裡面有餡兒的中式點心都能統稱dumpling
湯圓也可以這樣說：Sticky rice dumplings或soup dumplings
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yuanxiao
People will eat yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, on the Lantern Festival, so it is aslo called the 「Yuanxiao Festival」, Yuanxiao also has another name, tangyuan. It is small dumpling balls made ofglutionous rice with rose petals, sesame, bean paste, walnut meat, dried fruit, sugar and edible oil as filling. Tangyuan can be boiled, fried or steamed. It tastes sweet and has the meaning ofreunion. So people eat them to denote union, harmony and happiness for the family.
民間過元宵節都會吃元宵。元宵由糯米製成，或實心，或帶餡，餡有豆沙、白糖、山楂、各類果料等。食用時煮、炸、蒸皆可。起初，人們把這種食物叫作「浮圓子」，後來又叫湯糰或湯圓，這些名稱與「團圓」字音相近，取團圓之意，象徵全家人團團圓圓和睦幸福。
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元宵是北方的叫法，它是以餡為基礎製作的。大致過程是先是拌餡料，和勻後攤成大圓薄片，晾涼後再切成比桌球小的立方塊。然後把餡塊放入像大篩子似的機器里，倒上江米粉，「篩」起來了。隨著餡料在互相撞擊中變成球狀，江米也沾到餡料表面形成了元宵。做成的元宵江米粉層很薄、表面是乾的，下鍋煮時江米粉才吸收水份變糊。
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湯圓是南方的叫法，它的做法類似包餃子。先把糯米粉加水和成團)，然後把做餡的各種原料拌勻放在大碗裡備用(不須像做元宵那樣切成小塊)。湯糰餡含水量比元宵多，這是兩者的區別之一。包湯糰的過程也像餃子，但不用擀麵杖。濕糯米粉粘性極強，只好用手揪一小團濕面，擠壓成圓片形狀。用筷子(或薄竹片狀的工具)挑一團餡放在糯米片上，再用雙手邊轉邊收口做成湯糰。做得好的湯糰表面光滑發亮。
custom
In the daytime of the Festival, performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged. Onthe night, except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival.
元宵節的白天會有舞龍舞獅、劃旱船、扭秧歌、踩高蹺。而在晚上，除了各種大型燈會，燦爛的焰火也是一幅美麗的畫卷。很多家庭在春節時會留下一部分煙花等著元宵節放。
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Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really intoxicated by the imposing fireworks and bright moonin the sky.
有的地方甚至會組織焰火晚會。當新年的第一輪圓月升上夜空時，人們都會因燃放的煙火和空中的明月而興奮。
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在元宵節期間，人們舉行各種民俗活動，賞月、觀花燈、猜燈謎、放煙花、舞龍燈、舞獅子、跑旱船、踩高蹺、扭秧歌，其樂融融。元宵節也成為中國諸多傳統節日當中最熱鬧的一個，可以稱為中國的「狂歡節」。
Guessing lantern riddles
"Guessing lantern riddles"is an essential part of the Festival.
猜燈謎也是元宵節活動的一個基本組成部分。
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Lantern owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. If visitors have solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check theiranswer. If they are right, they will get a little gift.
燈籠的所有者將謎語寫在一張紙條上，然後將紙條展示在燈籠上。如果賞燈者猜出謎語，就將紙條取出，然後找燈籠所有者確認答案。答對的話，他們就可以領取一份小禮品。
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猜燈謎的英文是solve riddles on the lanterns 。猜謎"還可以說成solve a puzzle或find the answer to a puzzle。
元宵祝福
接下來，最最最實用的英語來了！過元宵節怎麼能沒有祝福語呢？我們一起來學幾句祝福語，這一次用英語來做元宵節祝福！
1. 元宵節之際，祝你心中有首快樂的歌，新年快樂!
Wishing you a merry song in your heart at Lantern Festival and blessings all year long!
2. 在元宵節來臨之際，祝你平安，快樂，幸福。萬事圓!
Wishing you peace, joy and happiness and everything all the best through Lantern !
3. 致以熱烈的祝賀和良好的祝福，元宵節快樂!
Warm greetings and best wishes for Lantern Festival!
4. 快樂的元宵之際，謹致我的想念與祝福。
Thinking of you and wish you a Happy Lantern Festival.
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5. 元宵節轉眼又到，快樂也到!我們向你及你的親人們致以最美好的聖誕祝福，願你在接下來的日子裡事業興旺，幸福美滿!
It seems that Lantern Festival is here once again, and it is time again to bring in happiness. We wish the merriest of Lantern Festival to you and your loved ones, and we wish you happiness andprosperity in the days ahead!
6. 願你元宵節幸福無盡。
May Lantern Festival be filled with happiness for you.
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