How to say “merry Christmas” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
Four fourth tones in a row. Each one falls sharply, but reset your pitch high before every syllable so they don't blur into one long descending shout. 圣诞节 (shèngdànjié) is the name of the holiday itself.
In a sentence
Shèngdàn kuàilè, xīnnián kuàilè!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "merry Christmas" in Chinese?+
"merry Christmas" in Mandarin Chinese is 圣诞快乐, pronounced shèngdàn kuàilè. Four fourth tones in a row. Each one falls sharply, but reset your pitch high before every syllable so they don't blur into one long descending shout. 圣诞节 (shèngdànjié) is the name of the holiday itself.
What does 圣诞快乐 mean literally?+
圣诞快乐 breaks down as 圣诞 (shèngdàn) = Christmas (lit. holy birth), 快乐 (kuàilè) = happy / joyful. Together it means "merry Christmas".
How do I get the tones right in shèngdàn kuàilè?+
Four fourth tones in a row. Each one falls sharply, but reset your pitch high before every syllable so they don't blur into one long descending shout. 圣诞节 (shèngdànjié) is the name of the holiday itself.
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