年的故事

很hěn久jiǔ以前yǐ qián，每měi到dào冬天dōng tiān，怪guài兽shòu「年nián」就jiù出来chū lái吃chī人rén。人们rén men很hěn害怕hài pà。

Long ago the monster Nian came out every winter to eat people, and everyone was afraid.

有yǒu一yì年nián，一yí个gè老人lǎo rén来lái了le。他tā在zài门mén上shàng贴tiē红hóng纸zhǐ，在zài院yuàn里lǐ烧shāo竹子zhú zi，竹子zhú zi噼pī啪pā响xiǎng。

One year an old man came. He pasted red paper on the doors and burned bamboo in the yard so it crackled and banged.

「年nián」最zuì怕pà红色hóng sè和hé响声xiǎng shēng，吓xià得de跑pǎo了le。人们rén men高兴gāo xìng地de互相hù xiāng说shuō「过年guò nián好hǎo」。

Nian feared red and loud noise most of all, and fled. The people happily wished each other a good new year.

从此cóng cǐ过年guò nián要yào贴tiē红hóng对联duì lián、放fàng鞭炮biān pào、穿chuān红hóng衣服yī fu，这zhè就是jiù shì「过年guò nián」。

That is why New Year means red couplets, firecrackers and red clothes - that is guonian, passing the year of Nian.