年年有余

Pronunciation: nián nián yǒu yú Literal meaning: Every year, a surplus

Origin & Usage

A folk blessing with no single classical source. In older texts the four characters simply describe a household that has money to spare each year, as in the Qing story collection 《跻春台》. Its force as a New Year wish comes from a pun: 余 (surplus) sounds exactly like 鱼 (fish). That is why a whole fish is a standard dish at the New Year's Eve dinner, and why many families deliberately leave some of it uneaten, so that something is 'left over' into the new year. The pun also shaped folk art. New Year woodblock prints often show a chubby child hugging a large carp, sometimes with lotus (莲, a pun on 连 'continuous') to make 连年有余, 'surplus year after year'. You will see the phrase on red paper decorations and hear it when the fish is served. It suits any audience.

Examples

English: "We always leave part of the New Year's Eve fish uneaten, so there is a surplus to carry into the new year."

Chinese: 年夜饭上一定要有一条鱼，寓意年年有余。