节日快乐
jié rì kuài lè
Festival wishes · trad. 節日快樂
节日快乐 (jiérì kuàilè) is a common and versatile phrase to wish someone a "happy festival" or "happy holiday" in Mandarin Chinese. It can be used for general celebrations or as a template for specific festival greetings.
When to use it
Neutral and polite. While 节日快乐 is general, it's more common to use the specific festival name followed by 快乐 (kuàilè) for major holidays, e.g., 新年快乐 (Happy New Year). To reply, simply say 谢谢 (xièxie, "thank you") or return the wish with 节日快乐.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "jee-err-ruh kwai-luh." The first syllable of 快乐 (kuàilè) is a falling tone, and the second is often said lightly (neutral tone).
Other ways to say it
- 新年快乐xīn nián kuài lèHappy New Year
- 圣诞快乐shèng dàn kuài lèMerry Christmas
- 中秋快乐zhōng qiū kuài lèHappy Mid-Autumn Festival
Examples
祝你节日快乐！
zhù nǐ jié rì kuài lè ！
Wishing you a happy festival!
节日快乐！我们一起庆祝吧。
jié rì kuài lè ！ wǒ men yì qǐ qìng zhù ba 。
Happy holidays! Let's celebrate together.
希望你和家人节日快乐。
xī wàng nǐ hé jiā rén jié rì kuài lè 。
Hope you and your family have a happy holiday.
Pro tip: While 节日快乐 is correct, native speakers usually prefer to use the specific festival name, such as 春节快乐 (Happy Spring Festival) or 国庆快乐 (Happy National Day), for a more direct and personal greeting.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
Want to speak Chinese for real?
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →