Dragon Boat Festival in Chinese 端午节
Duānwǔjié
Dragon Boat Festival in Chinese is 端午节 (duān wǔ jié).
Also searched for as: duanwu, dragon boat, zongzi.
Race the dragon boats. 15 essential Dragon Boat Festival words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The Dragon Boat Festival in Chinese is 端午节 (duān wǔ jié), held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, which falls in late May or June. Its best-known customs are 赛龙舟 (sài lóng zhōu), dragon boat racing, and eating 粽子 (zòng zi), sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, and it's traditionally linked to the poet 屈原 (Qū Yuán). These words help you follow festival chat, from wrapping zongzi with the family to arguing over the best filling.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 端午节 | Duān wǔ jié | Dragon Boat Festival |
| 龙舟 | lóng zhōu | dragon boat |
| 赛龙舟 | sài lóng zhōu | dragon boat racing |
| 粽子 | zòng zi | zongzi (sticky rice parcel) |
| 包粽子 | bāo zòng zi | to wrap zongzi |
| 甜粽子 | tián zòng zi | sweet zongzi |
| 咸粽子 | xián zòng zi | savoury zongzi |
| 屈原 | Qū Yuán | Qu Yuan (ancient poet) |
| 纪念 | jì niàn | to commemorate |
| 诗人 | shī rén | poet |
| 划 | huá | to row |
| 鼓 | gǔ | drum |
| 香包 | xiāng bāo | scented sachet |
| 端午安康 | duān wǔ ān kāng | have a safe and healthy Dragon Boat Festival |
| 放假 | fàng jià | to have a day off |
Usage tips
- The traditional greeting is 端午安康 (duān wǔ ān kāng), wishing peace and good health; some people feel 端午节快乐 is out of place because the festival commemorates a death, though younger people often say 端午快乐 (duān wǔ kuài lè) anyway.
- Natives say 包粽子 (bāo zòng zi), literally "wrap zongzi", rather than 做粽子 (zuò zòng zi); similarly, rowing a dragon boat is 划龙舟 (huá lóng zhōu), while 赛龙舟 is the race itself.
- Sweet versus savoury is a classic debate: northern China tends to prefer 甜粽子 (tián zòng zi) with red bean or dates, while the south and many Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaysia favour 咸粽子 (xián zòng zi) with pork and salted egg yolk.
Common mistakes
- Saying 粽子 as zōng zi or zǒng zi → it's zòng zi, with a fourth tone on 粽.
- Mixing up 划 (huá), to row, and 画 (huà), to draw: 划船 (huá chuán) is to row a boat, but 画船 (huà chuán) means to draw one.
Mini dialogue
- A端午节放假你有什么计划？Duān wǔ jié fàng jià nǐ yǒu shén me jì huà?Any plans for the Dragon Boat Festival holiday?
- B我们去河边看赛龙舟吧！Wǒ men qù hé biān kàn sài lóng zhōu ba!Let's go and watch the dragon boat races by the river!
- A好啊。你家包粽子吗？Hǎo a. Nǐ jiā bāo zòng zi ma?Sure. Does your family make zongzi?
- B包，我奶奶包的咸粽子特别好吃。Bāo, wǒ nǎi nai bāo de xián zòng zi tè bié hǎo chī.Yes, my grandma's savoury zongzi are delicious.
- A我是北方人，我更喜欢甜粽子。Wǒ shì běi fāng rén, wǒ gèng xǐ huan tián zòng zi.I'm from the north, so I prefer sweet ones.
- B那我们都带一点儿吧。端午安康！Nà wǒ men dōu dài yī diǎnr ba. Duān wǔ ān kāng!Then let's both bring some. Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
Example sentences
- 端午节在农历五月初五。The Dragon Boat Festival is on the 5th of the 5th lunar month.
- 河上有很多龙舟。There are lots of dragon boats on the river.
- 我们去看赛龙舟吧。Let's go and watch the dragon boat races.
- 端午节吃粽子。You eat zongzi at the Dragon Boat Festival.
- 奶奶教我包粽子。Grandma is teaching me to wrap zongzi.
- 北方人喜欢吃甜粽子。Northerners like sweet zongzi.
- 南方人爱吃咸粽子。Southerners love savoury zongzi.
- 端午节是为了纪念屈原。The festival commemorates Qu Yuan.
- 我们纪念这位诗人。We remember this poet.
- 屈原是一位伟大的诗人。Qu Yuan was a great poet.
- 大家一起用力划！Everyone row hard together!
- 龙舟上有人打鼓。Someone beats a drum on the dragon boat.
- 孩子们戴香包。Children wear scented sachets.
- 祝大家端午安康！Wishing everyone a healthy Dragon Boat Festival!
- 端午节放三天假。We get three days off for Dragon Boat.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Dragon Boat Festival speaking island has 8 everyday questions about Dragon Boat Festival to prepare your own answers to.