shǒusuì: 守岁 - To Stay Up on New Year's Eve (New Year's Vigil)

• Keywords: shousui, shǒu suì, 守岁, Chinese New Year's Eve, CNY traditions, staying up late for Chinese New Year, guarding the year, New Year's vigil, Spring Festival traditions, what is shousui
• Summary: Shousui (守岁) is the cherished Chinese tradition of staying up late on Chinese New Year's Eve. Families gather to “guard the year” (守岁), seeing the old year out and welcoming the new one in. This practice, rooted in ancient folklore, is a cornerstone of Spring Festival celebrations, filled with family time, special foods, and watching the famous Spring Festival Gala (春晚). Learning about shousui offers a deep insight into the importance of family and renewal in Chinese culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shǒu suì
• Part of Speech: Verb phrase (Verb-Object)
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To stay up late or all night on Chinese New Year's Eve.
• In a Nutshell: “Shousui” is the act of the whole family staying awake together through the night of Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕, Chúxī). It's not just about staying up; it's a festive, communal “vigil” to bid farewell to the past year's hardships and to welcome a new year of good fortune and health. It's a warm, cozy activity often accompanied by snacks, games, and TV.

• 守 (shǒu): To guard, protect, or keep watch. Think of a guard (守卫, shǒuwèi) standing at a post.
• 岁 (suì): Year, specifically a year of age or the passage of a year. It's the character used in “How old are you?” (你几岁了?, Nǐ jǐ suì le?).
• Together, 守岁 (shǒusuì) literally means “to guard the year.” This beautiful imagery captures the essence of the tradition: protecting the family as one year transitions into the next, ensuring a safe and prosperous passage.

The tradition of 守岁 is deeply embedded in Chinese folklore. The most famous story involves a fearsome monster named 年 (Nián), who would emerge on the last night of the year to terrorize villages. People discovered that the monster was afraid of the color red, loud noises, and bright lights. So, they would paste red paper on their doors, light lanterns, set off firecrackers, and stay awake all night to keep watch and scare the beast away. While the belief in the monster has faded, the tradition of 守岁 remains a central part of the New Year celebration. Its modern significance has evolved to focus on:

• Family Unity: It's one of the most important times for family bonding. After the massive reunion dinner (年夜饭, niányèfàn), families settle in to spend quality time together, strengthening familial ties.
• Filial Piety: There is a traditional belief that children who 守岁 for their parents can add years to their parents' lives. This infuses the act with a sense of respect and love for one's elders.
• Renewal: Staying up all night symbolizes clearing out all the old, bad things from the previous year and starting the new one with a fresh, clean slate, full of hope and good luck.

Comparison to Western Culture: The closest Western equivalent is staying up until midnight on December 31st to watch the ball drop. However, the feeling is quite different. The Western tradition is often a public party or a social event with friends, culminating in a single moment (midnight). In contrast, 守岁 is fundamentally a family activity that lasts the entire evening and night. It's less about a countdown and more about a sustained, cozy, and meaningful “vigil” at home.

In modern China, 守岁 is a universally understood and practiced tradition. Here's how it plays out:

• Watching the Gala: The vast majority of families will 守岁 while watching the CCTV New Year's Gala (春节联欢晚会 or 春晚), a massive variety show that has been a New Year's Eve staple since the 1980s.
• Snacks and Games: Tables are often laden with snacks like melon seeds (瓜子), candies, and fruits for people to nibble on throughout the night. Many families also play card games or Mahjong (麻将).
• Social Media: People often post pictures of their family gatherings on WeChat Moments with captions like “和家人一起守岁” (Having shousui with my family).
• Connotation: The term carries an extremely positive, warm, and festive connotation. It's almost always used in the context of Chinese New Year and family.

• Example 1:
  • 中国人过年有守岁的习俗。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó rén guònián yǒu shǒusuì de xísú.
  • English: Chinese people have the custom of staying up on New Year's Eve.
  • Analysis: This sentence states a general cultural fact. It's a great way to explain the concept to someone unfamiliar with it. `习俗 (xísú)` means “custom” or “tradition.”
• Example 2:
  • 今年你回家和父母一起守岁吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīnnián nǐ huí jiā hé fùmǔ yīqǐ shǒusuì ma?
  • English: Are you going home to stay up on New Year's Eve with your parents this year?
  • Analysis: A very common question among friends and colleagues in the weeks leading up to the Spring Festival. It highlights the connection between 守岁 and being with family.
• Example 3:
  • 我们一边看春晚，一边守岁，很热闹。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yībiān kàn Chūnwǎn, yībiān shǒusuì, hěn rènào.
  • English: We're watching the Spring Festival Gala while we stay up for New Year's, it's very lively.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the typical modern 守岁 activity. The `一边…一边…` (yībiān…yībiān…) structure is used for doing two things simultaneously. `热闹 (rènào)` means “lively” or “bustling with noise and excitement.”
• Example 4:
  • 吃完年夜饭，大家就开始守岁了。
  • Pinyin: Chī wán niányèfàn, dàjiā jiù kāishǐ shǒusuì le.
  • English: After finishing the New Year's Eve dinner, everyone began the New Year's vigil.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the sequence of events on New Year's Eve. The reunion dinner (年夜饭) is the precursor to the main event of 守岁.
• Example 5:
  • 孩子们都想守岁，但是十二点不到就都睡着了。
  • Pinyin: Háizimen dōu xiǎng shǒusuì, dànshì shí'èr diǎn bù dào jiù dōu shuìzháo le.
  • English: The children all want to stay up, but they all fell asleep before twelve o'clock.
  • Analysis: A relatable and common scenario in families with young children, showing the challenge and excitement of the tradition for kids.
• Example 6:
  • 奶奶说，守岁能为长辈带来健康和长寿。
  • Pinyin: Nǎinai shuō, shǒusuì néng wèi zhǎngbèi dàilái jiànkāng hé chángshòu.
  • English: Grandma says that staying up on New Year's Eve can bring health and longevity to the elders.
  • Analysis: This touches on the cultural belief and filial piety aspect associated with 守岁. `长辈 (zhǎngbèi)` means elders.
• Example 7:
  • 为了守岁，妈妈准备了很多瓜子和糖果。
  • Pinyin: Wèile shǒusuì, māma zhǔnbèi le hěnduō guāzǐ hé tángguǒ.
  • English: In order to stay up for New Year's, Mom prepared a lot of melon seeds and candies.
  • Analysis: This highlights the material preparations for the tradition, focusing on the snacks that are an integral part of the experience.
• Example 8:
  • 这是我第一次在中国过年，也是第一次体验守岁。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì zài Zhōngguó guònián, yěshì dì yī cì tǐyàn shǒusuì.
  • English: This is my first time celebrating Chinese New Year in China, and also my first time experiencing shousui.
  • Analysis: A perfect sentence for a learner or foreigner to use, expressing their personal experience with the tradition. `体验 (tǐyàn)` means “to experience (firsthand).”
• Example 9:
  • 虽然现在很多人用手机抢红包来守岁，但最重要的还是一家人在一起。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán xiànzài hěnduō rén yòng shǒujī qiǎng hóngbāo lái shǒusuì, dànshì zuì zhòngyào de háishì yījiā rén zài yīqǐ.
  • English: Although many people now “snatch red envelopes” on their phones to pass the time during shousui, the most important thing is still the family being together.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how the tradition is adapting to modern technology (抢红包 - snatching virtual red envelopes on apps like WeChat) while reinforcing its core value of family unity.
• Example 10:
  • 我年纪大了，已经不能守岁到天亮了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ niánjì dà le, yǐjīng bùnéng shǒusuì dào tiānliàng le.
  • English: I'm getting old, I can no longer stay up until dawn for New Year's.
  • Analysis: This shows a practical limitation and a slightly wistful use of the term. `到天亮 (dào tiānliàng)` means “until dawn,” which was the traditional goal of 守岁.

• Specificity is Key: 守岁 is only used for the act of staying up on Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕). You cannot use it for any other night. To talk about pulling an all-nighter for work or study, you must use the general term 熬夜 (áoyè).
  • Incorrect: 我为了考试守岁了一整晚。(Wǒ wèile kǎoshì shǒusuì le yī zhěng wǎn.) - I stayed up all night for my exam.
  • Correct: 我为了考试熬夜了一整晚。(Wǒ wèile kǎoshì áoyè le yī zhěng wǎn.)
• “New Year's Vigil” vs. 守岁: While “vigil” is a close translation, it can sound overly solemn or even religious in English. Remember that 守岁 is a festive, lively, and joyful family activity, not a somber one. The “guarding” is symbolic and cultural, not literal.

• 除夕 (Chúxī) - Chinese New Year's Eve. This is the specific day on which 守岁 takes place.
• 春节 (Chūnjié) - The Spring Festival; Chinese New Year. The two-week holiday period that starts with 守岁.
• 年夜饭 (niányèfàn) - The New Year's Eve reunion dinner. The big family feast that happens right before 守岁 begins.
• 春晚 (Chūnwǎn) - The Spring Festival Gala. The nationally televised variety show that is the primary entertainment for most families during 守岁.
• 压岁钱 (yāsuìqián) - Red envelope money given to children. Traditionally given after midnight during 守岁 to ward off evil spirits (the “suì” here is a pun on 祟, an evil spirit).
• 熬夜 (áoyè) - To pull an all-nighter; to stay up late. This is the general, non-cultural term. 守岁 is a very specific type of 熬夜.
• 拜年 (bàinián) - To pay a New Year's visit. This is what you do on the first few days of the New Year, after you have finished 守岁.
• 年 (Nián) - The name of the mythical beast that 守岁 was originally meant to guard against. Also the common word for “year.”