Chinese New Year (CNY) or Spring Festival or Lunar New Year has a rich history behind it. Celebrated in January or February each year, China goes on holiday, unlike the rest of the world, for seven days.
Fruits hold special significance during CNY, which is celebrated in several Asian countries including Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Here we've rounded up the top lucky fruits that are most often gifted and used as decorations at Chinese New Year.
Oranges（桔子，jú zǐ） — Abundance and Happiness（繁荣幸福，fán róng xìng fú）
Oranges are very popular and from weeks before Spring Festival, one would see potted plants with miniature oranges (they are real, and may also be Kumquat trees) blossoming.
The orange looks like the sun and is aligned with the yang (positive) principle, thus being a highly auspicious symbol of abundance and happiness.
Potted shrubs are ideal for indoor decorations during Chinese New Year, and are available in all flower markets. They represent 'the lucky tree bearing fruits'（吉祥果树，jí xiáng guǒ shù）.
It is traditional to place mandarin oranges（柑桔，gān jú） along with a red envelope next to children's pillows in every Chinese household to bring them good fortune. These are also placed in the family's rice container to bring good blessings（良好的祝愿，liáng hǎo de zhù yuàn） to the family as well as for gifting.
Pomelos（柚子，yòu zǐ） — Good Luck and Family Unity（好运团圆，hǎo yùn tuán yuán）
This is an important fruit whether it's green or yellow (ripened). Pomelos are used in cooking when in season, which is right before new year. They are also acknowledged to bring good luck to the household.
It is common practice to decorate the home with a single or a pair of pomelos. A pair is better because as they say — 'all good things come in twos'（好事成双，hǎo shì chéng shuāng）. This fruit is also symbolic of family unity.
Grapes（葡萄，pú táo）, Plums（李子，lǐ zǐ）, Jujube (红枣，hóng zǎo) and Kumquats（金桔，jīn jú） — Good Luck and Prosperity（好运兴旺，hǎo yùn xīng wàng）
This group of fruits is symbolic of good luck, wealth, fortune, gold, prosperity and fertility. These serve as holy offerings（供品，gòng pǐn） in Buddhist temples and are also used in cooking, not to mention gifting among relatives.
Key Words & Phrases
吉利的：auspicious
shù zì bā zài hàn yǔ lǐ shì gè jí lì de shù zì
数字八在汉语里是个吉利的数字。
The number 8 is an auspicious number in Chinese.
当季、应季：in season
xī guā shàng shì de jì jié kuài dào le
西瓜上市的季节快到了。
Watermelons will soon be in season.
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