Christmas in Chinese

Some families celebrate Christmas. Others simply enjoy the lights and the songs, and some don’t celebrate at all. Either way, that’s fine. Christmas words are useful in every case, because children meet them in shops, at school and in books.

So start small. First, pick four or five words your child can see or touch and say them every day for a week. Then add a few more. That is enough.

How Do You Say Christmas in Chinese?

The holiday is called 圣诞节 (shèngdànjié). Here, 圣诞 means “holy birth,” and 节 means “festival.” The greeting is shorter, though: just add 快乐 (kuàilè), “happy.”

Both 圣诞快乐 and 圣诞节快乐 are correct, but most people use the shorter one. Meanwhile, 平安夜 literally means “peaceful night.” People say 平安夜快乐 on Christmas Eve, although it is less common than 圣诞快乐. If you use traditional characters, Christmas is written 聖誕節 and Merry Christmas is 聖誕快樂.

Christmas Words for Kids, With Pinyin

Here are 33 words in five small groups. You don’t need all of them. Choose the group that matches what your child sees at home or in class.

Key holiday words

Christmas characters

Decorations and gifts

Winter and snow

Christmas treats

Notice the small word pieces that repeat. For example, 雪 is in 雪人, 雪花 and 雪橇, and 圣诞 is in 圣诞树, 圣诞袜 and 圣诞老人. Older children enjoy spotting these, while younger children just enjoy the pictures.

10 Easy Christmas Phrases for Kids

Single words are a good start. Next, short sentences help children use them. Say each phrase out loud with a real gift, a real cookie or a real tree nearby. That way, meani

Two patterns are worth repeating. The first is 我们一起…吧 (wǒmen yìqǐ … ba), which means “Let’s … together.” For example, you can swap in other actions, such as 我们一起唱歌吧 (wǒmen yìqǐ chànggē ba), “Let’s sing together.” The second is 祝你… (zhù nǐ …), “I wish you ….” You can find it in our We Wish You a Merry Christmas in Chinese guide.

And if you’re writing a card, our 12 Merry Christmas wishes in Chinese are ready to copy.

Christmas words and measure words

Christmas is also a gentle time to meet measure words. However, don’t explain a rule. Instead, just say these small phrases together a few times.

• 一棵圣诞树 (yì kē shèngdànshù): one Christmas tree
• 一份礼物 (yí fèn lǐwù): one gift
• 一颗星星 (yì kē xīngxing): one star
• 一个雪人 (yí ge xuěrén): one snowman
• 一块饼干 (yí kuài bǐnggān): one cookie

Over time, the patterns build with repetition. For the bigger picture, see our guide to Chinese measure words.

7 Christmas Activities in Chinese for Kids

Each activity takes 5 to 15 minutes and needs very little preparation. So choose one or two, because you don’t need to do them all.

1. Christmas I Spy

Ages 3–6. Materials: a few Christmas objects or picture cards.

First, put a few objects or pictures in view, such as a star, a bell, a gift and a tree. Say 我看见… (wǒ kànjiàn …), “I see …,” and name one item. Your child points to it. Then swap: your child names an item and you point. Start with three items, and then add more over several days.

2. Santa Says

Ages 4–9. No materials needed.

This is like “Simon Says.” Children only move when you begin with 圣诞老人说 (shèngdàn lǎorén shuō), “Santa says.”

• 跳 (tiào): jump
• 拍手 (pāishǒu): clap
• 坐下 (zuòxià): sit down
• 站起来 (zhàn qǐlái): stand up
• 摇铃铛 (yáo língdang): shake the bell

Once children know the game, let one of them be Santa and give the commands.

3. Mystery Gift Bag

Ages 4–10. Materials: a bag and four to six small Christmas items.

First, hide the items in the bag. Next, a child reaches in and feels one item without looking. Then ask 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?), “What is this?” The child guesses: 这是…(Zhè shì …), “This is ….” Finally, reveal the item and say the Chinese word together. A real surprise also makes the word easier to remember.

4. Decorate the Tree With Words

Ages 5–12. Materials: a paper tree, word cards or paper ornaments, tape.

First, draw or tape up a big paper tree. Then children make ornaments, write or copy one Chinese word on each, and add a small picture. As they hang each one, they say a full sentence: 圣诞树上有星星 (Shèngdànshù shàng yǒu xīngxing), “There is a star on the Christmas tree.” Next time, swap in other words: 铃铛, 礼物, 蜡烛.

5. Christmas Countdown

Ages 5–12. Materials: 24 paper strips or a simple calendar.

Each day, count down together in Chinese. Say 圣诞节还有十天 (Shèngdànjié hái yǒu shí tiān), “There are ten days until Christmas,” and learn one new word that day. In this way, children practice numbers, and the countdown gives them a reason to speak every day. Need a number refresher? See Chinese Numbers for Kids.

6. Cards for Faraway Family

Ages 6–14. Materials: folded paper, crayons or markers.

Children draw a Christmas picture and copy one short message, such as 圣诞快乐 or 祝你新年快乐. Send it to a grandparent or a friend, or film a short video of your child saying the greeting. A real reader gives children a real reason to write and speak. In the Christmas Chinese Learning Pack, you can find 3 designs to choose from.

7. Build a Christmas Figure

Ages 4–10. Materials: paper, scissors, glue.

Cut out simple paper pieces for a snowman, Santa, an elf, a reindeer and a tree. Children put each figure together, then label it in Chinese: 雪人, 圣诞老人, 圣诞精灵, 驯鹿, 圣诞树. When they’re done, the finished figures make cheerful wall decorations.

A Simple Christmas Chinese Plan for December

If you like a loose plan, spread the learning over four weeks. Ten minutes a few times a week is plenty.

If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off. Consistency matters more than finishing everything.

Christmas in Chinese-Speaking Places

Christmas is not a traditional Chinese festival, and people mark it in different ways. In mainland China it is not a public holiday, but many people enjoy decorations, music, shopping and meals with friends, and schools often hold small parties. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Christmas Day is a public holiday, and many families put up trees and exchange gifts. Chinese families living abroad, in turn, do all kinds of things: some celebrate fully, some mix Christmas with Chinese traditions, and some don’t celebrate.

Here is one fun custom. In some communities, especially in mainland China in recent years, people give apples on Christmas Eve. 苹果 (píngguǒ) sounds a little like 平安 (píng’ān), which means “peace and safety,” so the apple becomes a wish for peace. Not everyone does this, but children love hearing this kind of wordplay.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Christmas Learning

• Jingle Bells in Chinese: vocabulary, activities and lesson plans built around the song
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas in Chinese: a second song and the 祝你… wish pattern
• 12 Merry Christmas Wishes and Messages in Chinese: ideas for cards
• It’s Snowing: A Chinese Nursery Rhyme for Winter: a short rhyme for winter months
• Chinese Tones for Kids: easy tone games, since songs can blur the tones

Printable Christmas Chinese Learning Resources

Would you like ready-to-use materials for Christmas Mandarin lessons? The Christmas Chinese Learning Pack brings together eight printable activities: 24 Christmas flashcards, color by number, symmetry drawing, a color-and-write word book, coloring pages, Christmas cards, a memory game and a Christmas figure craft. A short guide shows you how to use each part.

Choose the pack for a variety of Christmas activities. Choose the flashcards above when recognizing and matching words is your main goal.

圣诞快乐！(Shèngdàn kuàilè!)

If you find this article useful, share it