節日快樂
zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6
節日快樂 (zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6) is the Cantonese way to say happy holidays.
節日快樂 is a generic greeting used when a specific holiday is not mentioned or when you are addressing a group of people who might be celebrating different holidays.
Meaning: holiday greeting (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 節日, meaning holiday or festival and 快樂, meaning happy.
How do you pronounce it?
zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6
Did you know?
- During the Lunar New Year, rather than using 'happy holidays', people almost exclusively use 恭喜發財, which focuses on wealth rather than the holiday itself.
- While 節日快樂 is grammatically correct, if you are greeting an elder, it is much more respectful to use the verb 祝 (to wish) before the phrase, making it 祝您節日快樂.
- The character 樂 in 快樂 can also be pronounced lok6, meaning music, which highlights the deep cultural connection between 'joy' and 'festive music' in Cantonese celebrations.
Examples in context
- 祝節日快樂，張先生Happy holidays, Mr. Zhang
- 祝你節日快樂。zuk1 nei5 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6.I wish you happy holidays.
- 大家節日快樂！daai6 gaa1 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6!Happy holidays, everyone!
- 祝大家節日快樂，身體健康。zuk1 daai6 gaa1 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6, san1 tai2 gin6 hong1.Wish everyone happy holidays and good health.
Example conversation
Two friends meet during the holiday season.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan子健，好耐冇見，節日快樂！zi2 gin6, hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3, zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6!Zi Jian, long time no see, happy holidays!
- 子健 Tsz Kin嘉欣，你也節日快樂！gaa1 han1, nei5 jaa3 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6!Ka Xin, happy holidays to you too!
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你假期打算點樣過？nei5 gaa3 kei4 da2 syun3 dim2 joeng2 gwo3?How do you plan to spend the holiday?
- 子健 Tsz Kin我想同家人去旅行。ngo5 soeng2 tung4 gaa1 jan4 heoi3 lei5 hang4.I want to go traveling with my family.
