Chinese New Year 2022: the Year of the Tiger

When is Chinese New Year 2022?

Chinese New Year 2022 falls on Tuesday, February 1st and it marks the beginning of the Year of the Tiger.

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival (春节), is the biggest and most notable festival in China. It marks the start of a New Year and symbolizes new beginnings and fresh starts.

Officially, the public holiday runs for 7 days. For Chinese New Year 2022, it’s from January 31st to February 6th. Unofficially, celebrations last up to 16 days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month). In 2022, it’s from January 31st to February 15th.

The most important dates of Chinese New Year 2022 are:

What is the Chinese New Year 2022 Animal?

Chinese New Year 2022 animal is tiger, which means 2022 is the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. By the way, Chinese New Year 2023 animal will be rabbit.

The recent and incoming years of the Tiger are 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, and 2034. If you were born in one of these years, you were probably born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Tiger.

People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be courageous, forthright, ambitious, confident, emotional, sensitive, and with a sense of justice. You also have the ability to be a strong leader.

There are 12 Chinese new year animals signs on the Chinese zodiac. Aside from the Tiger, the other Chinese new year animals are Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, and Ox. You can check out our Chinese zodiac page to find your own zodiac animal sign.

When is Chinese New Year?

You may wonder why Chinese New Year is always on a different date each year. Because the date of Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Lunar Calender rather than the Gregorian calendar.

Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, is the first day of the second new Moon after the Winter Solstice, usually falling between January 21 and February 20.

How Long is Chinese New Year 2022?

Traditionally, Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year for 16 days. It starts from Chinese New Year’s Eve and ends with the rise of the first full Moon of the lunar calendar two weeks later which also happens to be the Lantern Festival. Celebrations of Chinese New Year 2022 is from January 31st to February 15th.

But China’s public holiday for Chinese New Year is 7 days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the 6th day of the first lunar month. So, in 2022, that is from January 31st to February 6th.

Different from mainland China, public holiday for Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and Macao is 3 days.

How to Wish Someone a Happy Chinese New Year 2022?

1. 新年好

Instead of saying 你好 (nǐ hǎo), Chinese people usually greet one another saying “xīn nián hǎo” during Chinese New Year. It’s the most commonly used Chinese New Year greeting in Mandarin, meaning “good new year” essentially.

2. 新年快乐

You may also hear Chinese people say “xīn nián kuài lè” to wish someone a happy Chinese New Year. It’s a more formal greeting than “xīn nián hǎo”. This greeting literally means “New Year happiness”. You can also use it during the regular Jan 1st New Year.

3. 恭喜发财

“Gong hei fat choy” is the most common Chinese New Year greeting in Cantonese, which means wishing you happiness and prosperity. This greeting is commonly spoken in Hong Kong, parts of southern China, and wherever the Cantonese dialect is spoken, such as Chinatowns.

Chinese New Year Greetings for 2022 Tiger Year

As the Chinese New Year animal 2022 is tiger, It would also be great to use the Chinese character 虎 (hǔ) greet people. Here are some of the most popular greetings for the year of the Tiger 2022.

1. 虎年大吉

2. 虎虎生威

3. 生龙活虎

When is the next Chinese New Year 2023?

Chinese New Year 2023 will fall on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 and it will mark the start of the Year of the Rabbit.

Chinese New Year Calender & Dates from 2022 to 2032

The table below showcases when Chinese New Year is from 2021 to 2032 and what the Chinese New Year animal signs are for each year respectively.

Popular Chinese New Year Tour

★ 14-day Lunar New Year tour to Guizhou with various cultural activities and grand celebration

Further Reading about Chinese New Year