大家今年除夕吃了哪幾道菜？其實很多年菜都有吉利的意涵喔！有的象徵大富大貴，有的象徵長命百歲...。但是，該怎麼跟外國人介紹這些年菜呢？歪頭一想，欸，這些年菜的英文我根本說不出來！沒關係，今天希平方就帶你用五分鐘學會用英文介紹各種年菜！
年節吉祥菜餚
◎whole fish 一整條魚
外國朋友：I heard that people eat fish during Chinese New Year. Why is that?
（我聽說大家在過年的時候都會吃魚。為什麼呢？）
你：Because the word “fish” sounds like “surplus” in Chinese. We say “nian nian you yu,” which means “to have surplus every year.” Having the head and tail of the fish symbolizes a good beginning and a good ending for the coming year, so people always have a whole fish for their New Year’s Eve dinner.（因為中文的「魚」這個字聽起來和「餘」很像。我們會說「年年有餘」，意思就代表「每年都有剩餘」。吃魚頭和魚尾象徵新的一年會有好的開始和結束，所以大家在年夜飯桌上都會有整條魚。）
（因為中文的「魚」這個字聽起來和「餘」很像。我們會說「年年有餘」，意思就代表「每年都有剩餘」。吃魚頭和魚尾象徵新的一年會有好的開始和結束，所以大家在年夜飯桌上都會有整條魚。）
◎dumplings 餃子
你：We also eat dumplings during Chinese New Year because they represent wealth due to their close resemblance to gold ingots, which were a form of currency in China. The more dumplings you eat, the more money you’ll earn.
（我們也會在過年的時候吃餃子，因為餃子象徵財富，餃子的外形很像金元寶，金元寶以前是中國的一種貨幣。你吃越多餃子，你就會賺越多錢。）
外國朋友：Wow! I'll surely eat a lot of dumplings during Chinese New Year. I want to become rich!
（哇！我一定要在過年期間吃一堆餃子。我想要變有錢！）
◎nian gao (year cake / glutinous rice cake) 年糕
你：You’ve got to try “nian gao,” which means “glutinous rice cake.” “Nian gao” sounds like the words “year” and “tall” in Chinese, meaning “getting higher year by year.” So eating “nian gao” symbolizes growth, whether it be in career, income, health, or even height.
（你一定要試試看「年糕」，年糕就是一種糯米製成的糕類。「年糕」這兩個字聽起來像「年高」，代表意思是「一年比一年高」。所以吃年糕象徵成長，不管是事業、收入、健康或甚至身高上的成長。）
外國朋友："I've also heard the idiom "nian nian gao sheng," which, I think, is also one of the good meanings "nian gao" symbolizes?
（我也有聽過「年年高升」這個成語，我猜也是「年糕」代表的吉祥涵義囉？）
你：That’s right!（沒錯！）
◎tang yuan (sweet rice dumplings / sweet rice balls) 湯圓
你：“Tang yuan” is also a kind food we eat during Chinese New Year.
（「湯圓也是我們在過年時會吃的食物。）
外國朋友：Oh! I've tried those before. I think people eat sweet rice balls on the Lantern Festival, too. Those are so good. I especially love those with black sesame paste.
（喔！我以前吃過。我想大家也會在元宵節吃湯圓。湯圓超好吃的。我特別喜歡吃黑芝麻內餡的。）
你：Yes, we eat “tang yuan” on the Spring Lantern Festival. The dish symbolizes family reunion, just like the Chinese idiom “tuan tuan yuan yuan.”
（是的，我們在元宵節會吃湯圓。這道菜象徵家庭團聚，就像我們中文俗語說的「團團圓圓」。）
◎festive fruits (tangerines and oranges) 節慶水果（橘子和柳橙）
你：Having fruits is also an important part of Chinese New Year. We eat tangerines and oranges.
（吃水果也是農曆新年重要的一部份。我們會吃橘子會柳橙。）
外國朋友：Is it because of their round shape and golden color?
（是因為它們圓形的形狀還有黃澄澄的顏色嗎？）
你：You’re right! The round shape of tangerines and oranges also represents unity and family reunion. Also, the word “orange” is a homophone for “success” in Chinese; the word for “tangerines” sounds similar to that for “good luck.”
（沒有錯！橘子和柳橙圓形的形狀也代表了團結及與家人團聚。除此之外，「橙」和「成」在中文是同音字；「橘」的發音也和「吉」相似。）
看完以上的小對話，這五種吉祥年菜的說法，你都學起來了嗎？下次如果要和外國朋友介紹年菜，別忘了還要介紹這幾道菜背後代表的吉祥意義，才會更讓人印象深刻喔！
本文經授權轉載自希平方－看YouTube學英語（原標題：過年吃什麼？五分鐘學會用英文介紹過年吉祥食物！）
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