Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinese people and to you (mint screen reader). I’m sure this Chinese New Year 2011 was the year of the money! more making money this year.  And sure everyone greet each other “Kung Hei Fat Choi” or “Kiong Hee Huat Tsai,” but did you know the meaning of those greetings? I think not?

Actually, “Kung Hei Fat Choi” or “Kiong Hee Huat Tsai,” both greetings refer to the same set of 4 Chinese characters that literally means “Congratulations and Wishing you Prosperity!”

Apparently, “Kung Hei Fat Choi” has obviously been more popular specially to all Filipino, and printed on banners, advertisements and different forms of media.  But did you know Kung Hei Fat Choi greeting is Cantonese while “Kiong Hee Huat Tsai” greeting is Hokkien.

And  Hokkien langauge is the dialect spoken in Fujian province where most of the Chinese-Filipinos come from.

So from now on start banishing “Kung Hei Fat Choi” from our system and start to practice saying the greeting in Hokkien, “Kiong Hee Huat Tsai,” which is widely understood by Tsino-Pinoy.

To all Filipinos and Filipino-Chinese alike, Happy Chinese New Year, “Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!“