50 Chinese New Year Trivia Questions (Fun Facts for 2024)
Chinese New Year trivia questions will test your knowledge and teach you fascinating new things. Explore fun facts about the lunar animals, yummy food, and interesting family traditions.
Find out what your animal is and if you match the characteristics at the end of the article!
Zodiac Animal Trivia
First, this trivia quiz covers the Chinese zodiac signs.
1. How many lunar animals (zodiac signs) are there?
2. What determines your zodiac sign?
3. What was last year’s animal (2023)?
A) Tiger
B) Monkey
C) Rabbit
4. What is this year’s animal?
A) Dog
B) Dragon
C) Ox
5. What are the characteristics of people born this year, based on their zodiac animal?
A) Charismatic, intelligent, confident
B) Optimistic, energetic, and likable
C) Honest, amiable, kind, cautious, prudent
6. What will next year’s animal be, in 2025?
Picture Quiz Chinese New Year Food
Use the pictures to name the lucky foods that are traditionally eaten at Chinese New Year
Winter can be hard. Grab the free Frozen trivia pdf to make it more fun!
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Easy Chinese New Year Trivia Questions
11. True or False: Chinese New Year is the longest Chinese holiday.
True.
12. When does the Chinese New Year start in 2024?
Feb 10th
13. How many days does Chinese New Year last?
15 (though because it starts the night before, it can also be said it’s 16)
14. What marks when the Chinese New Year starts for the year?
The lunar moon (the second new moon after the winter solstice)
15. What other name is Chinese New Year often called by?
The Spring Festival
16. What color do families decorate their living spaces in for the New Year?
Red – it wards off the bad and brings on the good
17. Typically during Chinese New Year, what do children receive as a gift?
Money!
18. What do adults put the money in, before giving it to kids?
A red envelope
19. It is believed that if you are born in a certain year, you will have some of the ____________ of your zodiac animal.
characteristics
20. The Chinese calendar goes in a cycle of how many years? (Hint: One year per animal)
12 years
21. According to tradition, the more dumplings you eat during the Chinese New Year, the more _______ you will have in the year ahead.
Wealth and prosperity
22. At midnight, what do people and cities set off to celebrate?
Fireworks
23. According to legend, fireworks started because one boy ventured out of his home to fight off a __________ named Nian with firecrackers.
A) A monster
B) A snake
C) A dragon
Answer: A)
24. A zodiac year doesn’t start on January 1st. When does it start?
At the Chinese New Year (The dates usually range sometime between January 21 and February 20)
25. True or False: The Chinese New Year is only celebrated in China.
False. It is celebrated in many other countries too, including North and South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and Vietnam.
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Multiple Choice Chinese New Year Trivia
26. Originally, Chinese New Year was a day to pray to the gods for what?
A) A good planting and harvest season.
B) Sunlight
C) Children
27. The Chinese New Year is very superstitious. Once the holiday starts, there’s no….
A) Showering
B) Sweeping
C) Throwing out the garbage
D) All of the above
28. Luckily, there’s a day before the New Year begins dedicated to cleaning. It is intended to…
A) Put the kids to work
B) Wash and sweep the bad luck away
C) Ready the home for the Dragon Boat Festival
29. The first full moon of the (lunar) year is the Shangyuan Festival. It’s also known as…
A) The Lantern Festival
B) Dragon Boat Festival
C) Golden Week
30.
31. These type of dances are very popular around this time.
A) Lion and dragon dances
B) Horse and tiger dances
C) Pig dances
32. Each zodiac year is associated with one of five elements: water, earth, fire, metal, and….
A) Wind
B) Ice
C) Glass
D) Wood
33. Which of these animals is a Chinese zodiac?
A) Donkey
B) Bear
C) Lion
D) Dog
34. Which of these animals is NOT a Chinese zodiac?
A) Rat
B) Wolf
C) Pig
D) Horse
35. What phrase is popular in China to say “Happy New Year”?
A) “Xīnnián hǎo” (or the more formal “Xīnnián kuàilè”)
B) Xièxiè (Shieh-shieh)
C) Zǎo (Zhow)
36. According to legend, how were the 12 zodiac animals first decided?
A) A game
B) A race
C) A strength competition
D) A war
37. What is NOT taboo to do during the Chinese New Year holiday?
A) Stay up late
B) Swear
C) Break things
D) Say unlucky words
38. The Chinese New Year is a festival that is celebrated by how many people each year?
A) Over 2 billion people
B) Over 1 billion people
C) Over 100 million people
D) Over 500 million people
39. Because of the number of people who travel to see family, what is this travel time called?
A) The Stampede
B) The Fall Movement
C) The Great Migration
40. For how many days does this intense travel period last?
A) 16 days
B) 40 days
C) 50 days
D) 20 days
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41. When giving kids money, it’s basic etiquette to…
A) Choose new bills
B) Open the red envelopes while the person is present
Answer: A) Choose new bills (etiquette is that you don’t open the red envelopes until you have parted ways (source))
42. The amount of money that adults give to kids can be any number except…
4 (the number four resembles the word meaning death)
43. Which country or territory celebrates Chinese New Year with ‘tteokguk’ (rice cake soup)?
A) China
B) Vietnam
C) Malaysia
D) South Korea
44. Which country or territory celebrates Chinese New Year with ‘jiǎo zi’ (a type of dumpling)?
A) China
B) the Philippines
C) Brunei
D) Indonesia
45. Which country or territory celebrates Chinese New Year with ‘bánh chưng’ (Glutinous rice, mung bean, pork)?
A) China
B) Cambodia
C) Vietnam
D) Myanmar
46. Which country does NOT do Chinese New Year as a public holiday?
A) North Korea
B) Vietnam
C) Japan
D) Singapore
47. True or False: The Chinese New Year’s Eve Gala (variety show) was watched by over one billion people in 2018.
True.
48. True or false: Your zodiac year is good luck.
False. Your year is actually the unluckiest for you.
49. What is said to help you bring good luck during your zodiac year?
Wearing red!
Related: How to Plan Your Next Year
50. What zodiac sign are you? Do the characteristics match?
| Animal | Years | Characteristics |
| Rat | …1984, 1996, 2008, 2020… | witty, well-rounded, fun, adventurous |
| Ox | …1985, 1997, 2009, 2021… | hardworking, honest, dependable |
| Tiger | …1986, 1998, 2010, 2022… | tempestuous yet calm, warm-hearted yet fearsome, brave |
| Rabbit | …1987, 1999, 2011, 2023… | calm, gentle, and peaceful |
| Dragon | …1988, 2000, 2012, 2024… | charismatic, intelligent, confident, powerful |
| Snake | …1989, 2001, 2013, 2025… | intuitive, competent, courageous, imaginative |
| Horse | …1990, 2002, 2014, 2026… | high-spirited, active, kind, and energetic |
| Goat | …1991, 2003, 2015, 2027… | peace-loving, kind, and popular |
| Monkey | …1992, 2004, 2016, 2028… | witty, well rounded, fun, adventurous |
| Rooster | …1993, 2005, 2017, 2029… | resourceful, observant, hard-working, talented |
| Dog | …1982, 1994, 2006, 2030… | honest, amiable, kind, cautious, prudent, loyal |
| Pig | …1983, 1995, 2007… | laid-back, caring, generous, and kind |
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