前言
對每一個中國人而言,那份對春節團圓的渴望以及重視程度是無法用語言形容的,這種團聚的幸福會溫暖很多人的心,而年夜飯,則是春節期間中國人最為看重的家庭宴會。
英文報導
Spring Festival is a time for family reunion.
The New Year Feast is "a must" banquet with all the family members getting together. The food eaten on the New Year's Eve banquet varies according to regions.
In southern China, it is customary to eat "nian gao" (New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour) because as a homophone, "nian gao" means "higher and higher every year".
In the north, a traditional dish for the feast is "Jiao zi" or dumplings shaped like a crescent moon, which means farewell to old year and welcome to the New Year.
譯文
春節是合家團聚的時刻。
年夜飯是一次所有家庭成員聚在一起,「必不可少」的宴會。
除夕宴會上吃的食物根據不同的地區各不相同。
在中國南方,人們習慣吃「年糕」(糯米粉製成的新年糕點),因為作為一個諧音字,年糕意味著「步步高升」。
在北方,年夜飯的傳統是吃「餃子」,形似月牙兒,寓意著辭舊迎新。
文中的New Year Feast就是「年夜飯」的意思,其中feast是名詞,意為「宴會;酒席」,強調共享歡樂的氣氛,有時可與banquet換用。如:festival feast(節日宴會),give a feast(舉行宴會,也可說成hold a feast)。
banquet指正式招待某人或慶祝某事件而舉行的「盛大宴會」,場面豪華,多為美酒珍餚,如:A victory banquet was served in the royal dining room.(慶功宴在皇家餐廳舉行。)