Another important new year other than Songkran and 1st January that is celebrated in Thailand is Chinese new year.

Chinese new year

In Thai Chinese new year is called ตรุจจีน (dtrùt jeen). ตรุจจีน takes place between 21 January and 20 February every year.

Due to big Thai-population and Chinese strong influence in Thailand, ตรุจจีน is celebrated in many provinces in Thailand.

Usually, the Thais that have Chinese ancestors celebrate Chinese new year but Chinese new year doesn’t mean a lot for Non-Chinese Thai.

How to wish someone a happy Chinese new year in the Thai language

There are different ways to wish a happy Chinese new year in Thai.

• Happy Chinese new year
  สุขสันวันตรุจจีน
  sùk săn wan dtrùt jeen
  
  
• May you get everything you wish for
  ขอให้สมปรารถนาในทุกเรื่อง
  kŏr hâi sŏm bpràat-tà-năa nai túk rèuang
  
  
• May all your dreams come true
  ขอให้สิ่งที่ฝันไว้เป็นจริง
  kŏr hâi sìng têe făn wái bpen jing
  
  
• May you be lucky and rich all year long
  ขอให้โชคดี ร่ำรวยตลอดปี
  kŏr hâi chôhk dee · râm ruay dtà-lòt bpee

The two last and most important phrases that you will hear Thais say during Chinese new year (even if they don’t know what they mean) are the following phrases. They come straight from the Chinese language.

These phrases appear in theme songs, in shopping malls, in posters, etc. They are pronounced in แต่จิ๋ว (chaozhou dialect) because most of the Chinese-Thai are chaozhou origin.

• Wish you good luck, wealth, and prosperity.
  新政如意 新年发财
  ซินเจียอยู่อี่ ซินนี้ฮวดใช้
  sí ná-jia yòo èe · sí ná-née hûat chái
  
  
• Lucky and prosperous
  兴 兴 兴
  เฮง เฮง เฮง
  hayng · hayng · hayng

Chinese new year vocabulary in Thai

Let’s learn some vocabulary that you might come across during Chinese new year.

• Firecrackers
  ประทัด
  bprà-tát
  
  
• Lantern
  โคมไฟ
  kohm fai
  
  
• Red envelope (or red packet)
  อั่งเปา
  àng-bpao
  
  
• Dragon dance
  แห่มังกร
  hàe mang-gon
  
  
• Lion dance
  เชิดสิงโต
  chêrt sĭng-dtoh

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Happy Chinese new year to everyone!