Chinese love using objects to symbolize something else and also love using other words that sound the same as another to

symbolize their wishes. This is known as word play, puns and homonyms. Below are some of the words/symbols that are

used or can be found in lion dancing.

Mandarin pronunciation Consonants: c = English ts (as in "hats") q = English ch (as in "cheat") x = English sh (as in "sheet") z = English ds (as in "fads") zh = English j (as in "Joe"; not like French j!) Vowels: i after h = English r (as in "grr") i after s, c, z = English z (as in "bzzzz") i elsewhere = English ee (as in "beet") ian or yan = English yen (as in ¥) ui = English way (as in "lost his way") u after q, j, x, or y = French u or German ü u elsewhere = English oo (as in "pooh") ü or yu = French u or German ü (place your lips to say oo and try to say ee)
Mandarin/Cantonese	English	Chinese Character(s)/Notes
fu2, fu4/fuk1	happiness, good fortune, blessing	福
fu2/fuk1	kind of bat	蝠
fu4/fuk1	venomous snake, viper	蝮
lu4/luk6	blessing, happiness, prosperity	祿 This type of prosperity is obtain
Liu4, lu4/luk6	number six	六 thru status, honor, advancement
	deer; surname; radical no. 198	鹿 to high office (promotion)
	green; chlorine	綠
shou4/sau6	old age, long life; lifespan	壽
ju2/gwat1	orange, tangerine	橘
cheng/chaang2, chaang4	orange	橙
jin1, jin4/gam1	gold; metals in general; money	金 In Cantonese culture only,
gan1, qian2/gam1	tangerine, loose-skinned orange	柑 gold=tangerine
jin, ju/gam	kumquat	金橘 gold=kumquat
qian, jian3/chin2, chin4	money, currency, coins	錢 Mandarin culture tangerine = money
zhi3/ji2	happiness, blessings, good luck	祉
zhi1/ji1	spider	蜘
zhi1, zhi2, zhi3/ji2	trifoliate orange; hedge thorn	枳
Xi3	Double Happiness	囍Mandarin Only
yu2, ye2/yu4	surplus, excess, remainder, left	餘
yu2,/ yu4	fish	魚
you3, you4 /yau5 yau6	have, own, possess; exist	有
you4, you2 zhu2 /yau2 yau6	pomelo, grapefruit	柚
cai2/choi4	wealth, valuables, riches	財 Wealth obtained thru business,
cai4/choi3	vegetables; dish, order; food	菜 trade or harvest
cai/choi	Pick, catch, grab
qing1, jing1/cheng1, ching1	blue, green, black; young	青 Green=vegetable
qing/ching	Surname	Reference to Manchu dynasty
cai qing/choi cheng	Step On/Stomp On the ching	ching dynasty=green
	Grab the greens
dao4/dou3	go to, arrive, been to	到
	/ to reach/ to arrive/
	upset/turn over/to tip/to pour/to go home/to the contrary/inverted	倒
ping2/ping4	flat, level, even; peaceful	平 ping an-without mishap 平安
ping2/ping4	jug, pitcher, vase, jar, bottle	瓶
pin2, ping2/ping4, pan4	apple	蘋
Jin Yu/Gam yu	Goldfish/ abundance of Gold	金魚 / 餘金
Fa Cai/Fat Choy	Fa Cai Plant/To become Wealthy
bai3, bo2/baak3	hundred	百
bo2, bai3, bo4/ baak3, paak3	cypress, cedar	柏
Jia/Gaap	Crab Shell
	1^st in order (in reference of imperial	examinations)
	Prosperity and status
Wang4/wong6	prosper; prosperous; increase	旺
Li4/lei6	reach, arrive; manage	蒞
Wang li/wong lei	pineapple	黄梨 pineapple=prosperity arrives
Lou4, la4, lao4, luo1/lok6	fall, drop; net income, surplus
Jiao3, yao2/hiu1	lucky, fortunate
La Jiao	chili/hot pepper	Surplus of fortune/luck
jiu3/gau2	long time (ago); time passage, grow late	久
jiu3/gau2	nine	九
lián2/ lin4	join, connect; continuous; even	連
lián2/ lin4	lotus	蓮
li4/lei6	gains, advantage, profit, merit	利
li3/lei5	carp	鯉
Li3/lei5	Plum, surname	李
Li3/lai5	Snakehead (a type of fish)	鱧
Li3/lai5	Abundant, lush, bountiful, plenty
Yi1/yat	One	一
Yi4/yik1	Profit, benefit, advantage	益
Yi4/Yat6	Overflow, brim over, full	溢
Jiu3/gau2	Nine	九
Jiu3/gau2	Long time, long duration of time	久
Xi gua (western melon)	Watermelon	西瓜
Xi3	Double Happiness	囍
Xi1	Happiness	禧
Ba1/Ba1	Banana	芭
Ba1	Eight	八
Fa Cai	To Prosper	發財
Exception to the rule-Ba rhymes with Fa, also banana palm leaf is one of the seven treasures of Buddhism.
CHINESE PHRASES
Nian nian you yu	Year after Year (or Every Year) Have Surplus (or Abundance)
Fu Zai Qian Yan	Good Fortune Before Your Eyes
Xi Zai Qian Yan	Happiness Before Your Eyes
Qian Gun Yu	Money Roll In
Fu (Fuk) Chan (Chaan) She (Se)	Snake Brings Forth Prosperity
Bai Lu	Prosperity One Hundred Times over
Fu Dao	Good Fortune Arrives
Si Ji Ping An	Peace and Fortune in the Four Seasons
	Ping=peace si ji (four seasons)
	Represented by a vase (ping), peony (represents spring, prosperity
	and nobility), Lotus blossom, chrysanthemum and plum blossom
	(Winter)(Remaining three seasons)
Tai Ping Tien Hsia	Peace On Earth
Ba Bao	Eight Treasures (coin, pearl, stone chime, cloud, wine vessel, book, leaf, ling zhi,
	gold and silver ingots, rhinoceros horn, double lozenge (headdress ornament)).
	Any of the eight tied together with red string.
Lian qian	Continuous Flow of Wealth (Coins strung together with red thread)
Chang Ming Fu Gui	A Long Life of Wealth and Abundance
Li yu tiao long men	Carp leaping over the dragon’s gate
899=Ba Jiu Jiu	To prosper for a long, long time

© Copyright 2006 William Y.K. Lee

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