Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
元旦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
元旦yuándànNew Year's DayHSK 5, t, 9 strokes, rank #31153, Hard
yuándàn(Yuan2dan4)yuan dan T2
  1. 1New Year's Day
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

元旦yuándàn(Yuan2dan4)

元旦 (yuándàn) refers to New Year's Day, specifically the first day of the Gregorian calendar. It is a time for celebration and family gatherings in China, marking new beginnings and resolutions for the year ahead.

Strokes9Frequency#31153DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In modern Chinese culture, 元旦 is celebrated with fireworks and family reunions, akin to Western New Year's traditions. It represents the start of a new year filled with hopes and aspirations.

Memory Tip

Think of 元 (yuan), which can mean 'origin' or 'beginning,' and 旦 (dan), which resembles a rising sun. Together, they evoke the idea of a fresh start at dawn, symbolizing the first day of the year.

Meanings of 元旦

yuándàn(Yuan2dan4)
1New Year's Day
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 元旦 means.

About 元旦

元旦Simplified
9Strokes
—Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#31153Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 元旦

JasonAmy

Podcast: 元旦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 元旦

Quick Contrast

春节 (Chūnjié) refers to the Spring Festival, which is the Chinese New Year and a more significant holiday, while 元旦 (yuándàn) is specifically New Year's Day on January 1st.

Usage Notes

元旦 is typically used in formal settings, such as in greetings and celebrations. Be careful with tone pronunciation; the first syllable is pronounced with a rising tone (2nd tone) and the second with a falling tone (4th tone). A common mistake is to confuse it with 春节 (Chūnjié), which refers to the Lunar New Year.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 元旦 connects with other time-related vocabulary such as 星期 (xīngqī - week) and 月 (yuè - month). Focus on using it in context, especially in sentences related to holidays and celebrations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 元旦 with other terms for New Year, like 春节 (Chūnjié). It's important to remember that 元旦 specifically refers to January 1st, while 春节 refers to the Lunar New Year celebration, which occurs on a different date.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 元旦

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 元旦 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 元旦 to You

Let me explain 元旦 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 元旦 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 元旦?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 元旦 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component Characters

元yuánunit of money (in PRC: Chinese yuan, in USA: dollar, etc)
HSK 14 strokes儿
View full entry
旦dàndawn
5 strokes日
View full entry

How to say New Year's Day in Chinese

“New Year's Day” in Chinese is元旦yuándàn

元旦 (yuándàn) refers to New Year's Day, specifically the first day of the Gregorian calendar. It is a time for celebration and family gatherings in China, marking new beginnings and resolutions for the year ahead.

When to use 元旦

元旦 is typically used in formal settings, such as in greetings and celebrations. Be careful with tone pronunciation; the first syllable is pronounced with a rising tone (2nd tone) and the second with a falling tone (4th tone). A common mistake is to confuse it with 春节 (Chūnjié), which refers to the Lunar New Year.

元旦 or something close to it

春节 (Chūnjié) refers to the Spring Festival, which is the Chinese New Year and a more significant holiday, while 元旦 (yuándàn) is specifically New Year's Day on January 1st.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 元旦 with other terms for New Year, like 春节 (Chūnjié). It's important to remember that 元旦 specifically refers to January 1st, while 春节 refers to the Lunar New Year celebration, which occurs on a different date.

Write 元旦

元
旦

Practice writing 元旦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 元旦

元旦 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____是全英国的公众假日。

New Year's Day is a public holiday throughout Britain.

Example Sentences for 元旦 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
元旦是全英国的公众假日。

yuán dàn shì quán yīng guó de gōng zhòng jiǎ rì。

New Year's Day is a public holiday throughout Britain.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 元旦?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Cultural Notes for 元旦

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

Unlike the Western focus on December 31st as New Year's Eve, the Chinese celebrate 元旦 on January 1st, but the Lunar New Year (春节) is considered more significant in Chinese culture.

Frequently Asked Questions about 元旦

You can say, '我们在元旦的时候去旅行' (Wǒmen zài yuándàn de shíhòu qù lǚxíng) which means 'We will travel during New Year's Day.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 元旦?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab