December has come and festive vibes are in the air. 2021 is almost over and a fresh atmosphere of beginning dominates the preparations for the coming year. 年末 (nián mò, end of the year), is a good time for self-reflection, and thinking about a better future self.

新的一年新的开始，人人要看看自己走的道路，对自己许下很多完美的祝愿。然后打算每一天怎么过，每一步怎么前行。

Xīn de yī nián xīn de kāi shǐ, rén rén yào kàn kàn zì jǐ zǒu de dào lù, duì zì jǐ xǔ xià hěn duō wán měi de zhù yuàn. Rán hòu dǎ suàn měi yī tiān zěn me guò, měi yī bù zěn me qián xíng.

A new year is a new beginning, and everyone examines their own path, wishing themselves the best wishes. And then planning how to live each day, how to move forward with each step.

The word that appears in the text above – 祝愿 (zhù yuàn) means to wish. It’s a daily verb to wish someone anything from small to big: speedy recovery, success in a test, and so on. For example:

• 高考考试祝你取得好成绩！

Gāo kǎo kǎo shì zhù nǐ qǔ dé hǎo chéng jī!

I wish you’ll get a good score in the gaokao!

• 奶奶80岁生日祝愿她身体健康。

Nǎi nai 80 suì sheng rì zhù yuàn tā shēn tǐ jiàn kāng.

On her 80^th birthday we wish grandma good health.

• 我衷心地祝愿你一切顺利。

Wǒ zhōng xīn dì zhù yuàn nǐ yī qiè shun lì.

I sincerely wish you all the best.

At the beginning of a new year we wish other and ourselves more:

• 在新的一年里我对自己祝愿健康、幸福、事业兴旺。

Zài xīn de yī nián lǐ wǒ duì zì jǐ zhù yuàn jiàn kāng, xìng fú, shì yè xīng wàng.

In the new year, I wish myself health, happiness, and prosperity.

 

To achieve all our wishes many make New Year Resolutions (新年计划 xīn nián jì huà). Promises to oneself of what to do and not do, for a happier and healthier living, marking the 年初 (nián chū, the beginning of the year) as a fresh start. The verbs to use with the noun 新年计划 are: 做 (zuò), 制定 (zhì dìng), and 订定 (dìng dìng). For example:

• 一年之初，许多成年人会订定新年计划。

Yī nián zhī chū, xǔ duō chéng nián rén huì dìng dìng xīn nián jì huà.

At the beginning of the year, many adults make New Year resolutions.

• 你应该制定一份可实施的新年计划。

Nǐ yīng gāi zhì dìng yī fèn kě shí shī de xīn nián jì huà.

You should make an implementable New Year resolution.

• 年初做的新年计划多数人都没办法坚持到年底。

Nián chū zuò de xīn nián jì huà duō shù rén dōu méi bàn fǎ jiān chí dào nián dǐ.

Most people can’t stick to the New Year resolutions they made at the beginning of the year.

 

For examples of New Year Resolutions check out our pervious posts:

Chinese New Year’s Resolution

New Year’s Resolution – Learn Chinese

New Year’s Resolution – Learn Chinese

 

好好学习，天天向上！

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