Chinese New Year quiz questions for the Year of the Snake

Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in Chinese culture. In 2025, it falls on 29th January, welcoming the Year of the Snake. Here are five questions to bring some festival knowledge to your quiz.

The questions

1How many animals are in the Chinese zodiac cycle?

Answer:12(click to reveal)

The animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each year rotates through the cycle.

2What colour dominates Chinese New Year decorations, symbolising good fortune and joy?

Answer:Red(click to reveal)

Red envelopes (hongbao) containing money are given as gifts, red lanterns hang everywhere, and red paper decorations adorn doorways. The colour is believed to ward off evil spirits.

3Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 days. What festival marks the final night, featuring lanterns and often the year's first full moon?

Answer:The Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie)(click to reveal)

Families display lanterns, solve riddles written on them, and eat sweet rice balls called tangyuan.

4According to legend, which mythical creature did the Chinese New Year traditions originally develop to scare away?

Answer:Nian (a monster or beast)(click to reveal)

The story goes that Nian would come out on New Year's Eve to eat villagers and livestock. People discovered it feared loud noises, fire, and the colour red, hence the firecrackers, bonfires and red decorations.

5What action is traditionally avoided on Chinese New Year's Day because it might "sweep away" good luck?

Answer:Sweeping or cleaning the house(click to reveal)

Cleaning is done before New Year's Eve to sweep away bad luck, but on the day itself, people avoid it to keep good fortune inside.

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Gong xi fa cai! These questions make a nice addition to a general knowledge round during the Lunar New Year period.