新年快乐(xīn nián kuài lè) - Happy New Year in Mandarin

新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) means Happy New Year, built from 新年 (xīn nián, "new year") plus 快乐 (kuài lè, "happy"). It is used for both 1 January and, more prominently, Chinese New Year (农历新年, nóng lì xīn nián, the Lunar New Year), which is the bigger celebration by far in most Mandarin-speaking communities.

It follows the same "noun plus 快乐" pattern as other calendar greetings: 生日快乐 (shēng rì kuài lè, "happy birthday"), 圣诞快乐 (shèng dàn kuài lè, "merry Christmas"). Learn the pattern once and every festival greeting becomes guessable.

At Chinese New Year specifically, 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) is often paired with set-phrase good wishes like 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái, "wishing you wealth and prosperity"), especially in family settings where red envelopes of money are exchanged.