What is Chinese paper cutting?
Chinese paper cuts (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. 箩颈ǎ苍 zhǐ) are used to decorate (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. zhuāng shì) windows during the Chinese New Year (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. Chūn Jié).
They are usually red (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. hóng sè de) because the colour red symbolises happiness (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. kuài lè) and good luck (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. hǎo yùn).
How do you make Chinese paper cuts?
You will need:
- a sheet of A4 thin card (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. kǎ piàn)
- a pair of safety scissors (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. 箩颈ǎ苍 dāo)
- coloured pens (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. shuǐ cǎi bǐ) or pencils (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. qiān bǐ)
Instructions:
Print out (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. dǎ yìn) the template onto an A4 sheet of thin card.
Colour in the template - try adding in some red.
Carefully cut (Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. 箩颈ǎ苍) along the dotted lines.
If you don't have a printer, why not try cutting your own shape?
Image caption, Step 1
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Click below to download the instructions and template
Key Mandarin words
| Mandarin | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Chūn Jié | Chinese New Year |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hǎo yùn | good luck |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hóng sè de | red |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hóu zi | monkey |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | 箩颈ǎ苍 zhǐ | paper cuts |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | kuài lè | happiness |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | lǎo shǔ | rat |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | 濒ó苍驳 | dragon |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | 尘ǎ | horse |
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