BBC Home
Explore the BBC



Last Updated: Thursday January 13 2011 11:31 GMT

Chinese New Year quiz

Chinese New Year Quiz

It's the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar, so let's see how much you know about it!

Dancers celebrate

1.) Question 1

Chinese New Year is also known as the...

Lantern decorations
  1. Winter Festival
  2. Spring Festival
  3. Sun Festival

2.) Question 2

Why does the date of the Chinese New Year always change?

New Year dancers
  1. It depends on when the weekend is.
  2. It depends on the weather.
  3. It depends on when the new moon appears.

3.) Question 3

The Chinese calendar is made up of a cycle of * years.

  1. 12
  2. 22
  3. 25

4.) Question 4

Which of these animals is a year in the Chinese calendar named after?

Lion masks
  1. Camel
  2. Rabbit
  3. Meerkat

5.) Question 5

Which of these is part of Chinese New Year celebrations?

Red lanterns
  1. Easter eggs
  2. Lantern festival
  3. Christmas trees


  1. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. It's the main festival of the Chinese year, but it's not a religious event.
  2. Chinese New Year is the day when the first new moon appears between January 21st and February 21st. As the date of the new moon changes each year, so does the date of Chinese New Year.
  3. The Chinese calendar is different from that used in the UK. It is made up of a cycle of 12 years, each being named after an animal.
  4. Each year of the Chinese calendar is named after one of these 12 animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
  5. There are lots of traditions and celebrations for Chinese New Year. One of these is the lantern festival when people decorate and hang lanterns.

Your Score

0 - 1 : Why not try again?

2 - 3 : Good try!

4 - 5 : Fantastic!