How much do you know about Lunar New Year?

On February 1, Chinese people and those of Chinese descent celebrate one of their most important holidays: Lunar New Year. Do you know where the holiday comes from and how it's celebrated? Go ahead and test your knowledge!

1

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The Lunar New Year date is determined by the phases of the moon. Technically, the holiday begins during the second new moon after the winter solstice. What is a new moon?

A full moon

A crescent moon

A phase of the moon where the moon is invisible from Earth

A half moon

2

Pete Marovich/For The Washington Post

According to one legend, Lunar New Year celebrations began as a way to scare away a beast named Nian, who visits cities and villages each spring and attacks people. Nian is afraid of a few things, though. What are they?

Loud noises and the color red

Water and bees

The color yellow and the music of flutes

The taste of dumplings and the smell of fried chicken

3

Ng Han Guan/AP

Which of these foods is not traditionally eaten during Lunar New Year?

Fish

Cheese

Dumplings

Sticky rice

4

Katherine Frey/ The Washington Post

As part of Lunar New Year, red envelopes are traditionally given by elders to young people. What is inside of the envelopes?

Money

Grains of rice

Photos

Poems

5

Shakh Aivazov/AP

Lunar New Year parades typically include a lion dance. What happens in a lion dance?

A circus ringmaster herds lions down a street.

Dancers perform kung fu movements inside a lion costume.

A man and a woman waltz while wearing lionlike headgear.

A community performs a large line dance to remind people not to lie during the new year.

6

Phillippe Lopez/ Agence France-Presse/ Getty Images

Fireworks and new year celebrations go together like peanut butter and jelly. But fireworks during the Lunar New Year come from a tradition of lighting bamboo stalks on fire. What were the bamboo sticks used for?

To light the path for ancestors to greet them.

For celebration and decoration.

The "boom" they produced when heated was thought to ward off evil spirits.

To let celebrators know where the Lunar New Year festivities are happening.

7

Roslan Rahman/ Agence France-Presse/ Getty Images

Doing which one of these actions is considered good luck during Lunar New Year?

Cutting your hair

Washing your hair

Wearing red

Buying shoes

8

Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/ Reuters

A dish containing long noodles is traditional during Lunar New Year. What does it represent?

A long life

A money in your future

Happiness

A good year

9

Ng Han Guan/ Associated Press

The Chinese zodiac system assigns each year to one of 12 animals. This year is the Year of the Tiger. What animal represented 2021?

Monkey

Sheep

Snake

Ox

10

Ng Han Guan/ Associated Press

Which of these animals is not one of the animals that represent a year in the Chinese zodiac system?

Cat

Dog

Rooster

Horse

11

Yuichi Yamazaki/ Getty Images

Lunar New Year is celebrated during multiple days called a Spring Festival. How long is the Spring Festival?

3 days

10 days

15 days

28 days