Hanzi Sheets
How to write 新年好 — "Happy New Year (Greeting)" in Chinese
新年好 (xīn nián hǎo) is how you say "happy new year (greeting)" in Chinese. It is the warm, spoken cousin of 新年快乐 — the version kids shout out in person. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
新年好 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 新 | xīn | new |
| 年 | nián | year |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well |
| 新年好 | xīn nián hǎo | happy new year (greeting) |
Using 新年好
新年好 means “good new year”: 新 (new), 年 (year), 好 (good). It is the greet-someone-in-person version of the New Year wish. During Spring Festival visits children say it to grandparents with a small bow — the classic 拜年 moment — and it is printed inside countless red-and-gold greeting cards.
The phrase works for both January 1 and Chinese New Year, and it is written identically in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so nothing needs converting. When someone greets your child with 新年好, the natural reply is simply to say 新年好 back with a smile.
Pre-filled with 新年好 in a tian grid with stroke-order strips. Add more words, pick a size, print.
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FAQ
What is the difference between 新年好 and 新年快乐?
Both mean Happy New Year. 新年好 is shorter and feels like a direct hello — kids say it when visiting relatives. 新年快乐 (“new year happiness”) is the fuller wish used in cards, messages and toasts.
Is 新年好 used for Chinese New Year or January 1?
Both. It is most at home during Spring Festival visits, but nobody will blink if a child says it on January 1.
Is 新年好 written differently in Traditional Chinese?
No. 新, 年 and 好 are the same in both scripts, so the phrase needs no conversion at all.