fùhuójié: 复活节 - Easter

• Keywords: Easter in Chinese, Fuhuojie, 复活节, how to say Easter in Mandarin, Christian holidays in China, resurrection festival China, Easter eggs in Chinese, celebrating Easter in China
• Summary: 复活节 (fùhuójié) is the Chinese word for Easter, the most important festival in the Christian faith celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While not a traditional Chinese holiday, it is observed by China's Christian population and has a growing commercial presence in major cities. This entry breaks down the meaning of 复活节, its cultural context in modern China, and how to use the term in practical conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fù huó jié
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Proper Noun, but vocabulary useful around the HSK 5/6 level)
• Concise Definition: Easter; the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
• In a Nutshell: 复活节 is a direct and literal translation of the concept of Easter. It combines the words for “resurrect” and “festival,” creating “Resurrection Festival.” It is an imported term and concept, primarily understood and celebrated by Chinese Christians or in commercial settings catering to Western culture. For the majority of Chinese people, it is a foreign holiday they are aware of but do not celebrate.

• 复 (fù): This character means “to return,” “to repeat,” or “again.” It signifies the restoration of a previous state.
• 活 (huó): This character means “to live,” “alive,” or “life.”
• 节 (jié): This character means “festival,” “holiday,” or a segment/joint (like in bamboo). It's the standard character used for nearly all holidays.

The characters combine logically: `复活 (fùhuó)` means “to live again” or “resurrect.” Adding `节 (jié)` turns the concept of resurrection into a holiday: “Resurrection Festival,” a perfect name for Easter.

• An Imported Holiday: Unlike Spring Festival (`春节`) or Mid-Autumn Festival (`中秋节`), 复活节 has no roots in traditional Chinese culture or history. Its significance in China is tied directly to the presence of Christianity.
• Religious vs. Secular Observance: The primary significance of 复活节 is for the tens of millions of Christians in China. For them, it is a deeply religious time for church services, prayer, and community gatherings, just as it is for Christians worldwide. In the wider, secular society, its presence is minimal compared to Christmas (`圣诞节`), which has been widely adopted as a commercial and cultural event.
• Comparison to Qingming Festival: A fascinating cultural comparison can be made with the `清明节 (Qīngmíngjié)`, or Tomb-Sweeping Day. Both holidays occur in the spring and are related to life and death. However, `清明节` focuses on honoring ancestors and the deceased through remembrance and rituals at their gravesites (a retrospective focus). In contrast, `复活节` celebrates a singular, miraculous event of resurrection and new life (a forward-looking, theological focus). This highlights a key difference between traditional Chinese ancestor veneration and Christian belief.

• In Christian Communities: Among believers, it's used just like in the West. People will greet each other with “复活节快乐！” (Fùhuójié kuàilè! - Happy Easter!) and discuss church services or family plans.
• Commercial Context: In large, cosmopolitan cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, you will see the term used in marketing. International hotels will advertise a “复活节早午餐” (Fùhuójié zǎowǔcān - Easter Brunch), and bakeries might sell chocolate eggs or bunny-themed pastries.
• Education: The term is commonly taught in English language classes as part of learning about Western culture. Chinese students learn about Easter traditions like painting eggs and the Easter Bunny.
• Social Media: Younger, internationally-minded Chinese netizens might post about 复活节, often using emojis of bunnies (兔子) and chicks (小鸡). The term for an Easter egg, `彩蛋 (cǎidàn)`, is also widely used online to mean a hidden feature in a movie, game, or software.

• Example 1:
  • 复活节快乐！
  • Pinyin: Fùhuójié kuàilè!
  • English: Happy Easter!
  • Analysis: This is the most common and direct greeting used during the holiday, equivalent to “Merry Christmas!”
• Example 2:
  • 你复活节有什么计划吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ Fùhuójié yǒu shénme jìhuà ma?
  • English: Do you have any plans for Easter?
  • Analysis: A standard conversational question used among friends or colleagues who might celebrate the holiday.
• Example 3:
  • 复活节是为了纪念耶稣的复活。
  • Pinyin: Fùhuójié shì wèile jìniàn Yēsū de fùhuó.
  • English: Easter is to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the core religious meaning of the holiday. `纪念 (jìniàn)` means “to commemorate.”
• Example 4:
  • 很多西方国家都会庆祝复活节。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō xīfāng guójiā dōu huì qìngzhù Fùhuójié.
  • English: Many Western countries celebrate Easter.
  • Analysis: A sentence that puts the holiday in its cultural context, acknowledging it as a primarily Western tradition.
• Example 5:
  • 我们教堂在复活节星期天有特别的礼拜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jiàotáng zài Fùhuójié xīngqītiān yǒu tèbié de lǐbài.
  • English: Our church has a special service on Easter Sunday.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates usage within a religious context. `教堂 (jiàotáng)` is church, and `礼拜 (lǐbài)` is a worship service.
• Example 6:
  • 孩子们正在画复活节彩蛋。
  • Pinyin: Háizi men zhèngzài huà Fùhuójié cǎidàn.
  • English: The children are painting Easter eggs.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a common secular activity associated with the holiday. `彩蛋 (cǎidàn)` means “colored eggs.”
• Example 7:
  • 这家酒店提供复活节特别早午餐。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā jiǔdiàn tígōng Fùhuójié tèbié zǎowǔcān.
  • English: This hotel is offering a special Easter brunch.
  • Analysis: An example of the term used in a commercial or marketing context.
• Example 8:
  • 你听说过复活节兔子的故事吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ tīngshuō guò Fùhuójié tùzi de gùshi ma?
  • English: Have you ever heard the story of the Easter Bunny?
  • Analysis: This shows how to talk about other symbols associated with the holiday. `兔子 (tùzi)` is rabbit/bunny.
• Example 9:
  • 复活节的日期每年都不一样。
  • Pinyin: Fùhuójié de rìqī měi nián dōu bù yīyàng.
  • English: The date of Easter is different every year.
  • Analysis: A factual statement about the holiday that learners might find useful. `日期 (rìqī)` means date.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然我不信教，但我喜欢复活节的巧克力。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ bù xìnjiào, dàn wǒ xǐhuān Fùhuójié de qiǎokèlì.
  • English: Although I'm not religious, I like Easter chocolate.
  • Analysis: This reflects a common secular perspective on enjoying the commercial aspects of a religious holiday.

• Mistake: Confusing with Traditional Chinese Holidays: A common error is for learners to assume 复活节 has the same cultural weight as a native holiday like `清明节 (Qīngmíngjié)`. Do not assume the average person on the street in China is celebrating or even knows when Easter is. It is not a public holiday.
• Nuance: Niche Recognition: Unlike Christmas, which is almost universally recognized (if not celebrated), 复活节 is far more niche. Mentioning it in a general conversation might require you to explain what it is.
• “False Friend” with `彩蛋 (cǎidàn)`: The word for Easter egg, `彩蛋`, has a hugely popular second meaning in modern Chinese: an “Easter egg” in a movie, video game, or piece of software (i.e., a hidden joke or feature). In many online contexts, `彩蛋` is far more likely to refer to a hidden movie scene than a painted egg.

• 耶稣 (Yēsū): Jesus. The central figure whose resurrection is celebrated.
• 基督教 (Jīdūjiào): Christianity. The religion from which the holiday originates.
• 圣诞节 (Shèngdànjié): Christmas. The other major Christian holiday, which has a much larger commercial and cultural footprint in China.
• 复活 (fùhuó): Resurrection. The verb and core concept from which the holiday gets its name.
• 彩蛋 (cǎidàn): Colored egg / Easter egg. Also widely used to mean a hidden feature in media.
• 复活节兔子 (Fùhuójié tùzi): Easter Bunny. The mythical creature and symbol of the holiday.
• 教堂 (jiàotáng): Church. The building where religious services for Easter are held.
• 圣经 (Shèngjīng): The Bible. The holy book that tells the story of Easter.
• 十字架 (shízìjià): The Cross / Crucifix. A primary symbol of Christianity related to the Easter story.
• 清明节 (Qīngmíngjié): Tomb-Sweeping Day. A traditional Chinese festival in the spring that involves honoring ancestors, providing a key cultural contrast to Easter.