Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the new Year was perhaps
the most elaborate, colorful, and important.
This was a time for the
Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed
through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in
the new year.
Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN to have
made it through the old year, and BAINIAN to congratulate the new year.
众多中国传统节日中，春节或许是最隆重盛大，富有色彩，最重要的节日了。这是一个中国人共同欢度，庆祝过去的一年，辞旧迎新的节日。
春节里常听到的话是：过年，意思是辞去过去的一年；拜年，意思是庆祝新的一年。
but many believe the word Nian, which means "year", was the name of a beast that preyed on people on the eve of a new year.
然而大家大都相信“年”这个词，是一种怪兽的名字，它在每年的除夕夜里出来捕食人。
In one legend, the beast, Nian, had the power to swallow up all the
people in a village in one big bite. Village people were very scared of
Nian.
One day, an old man came to the villagers' rescue, offering to
subdue Nian. The old man asked Nian, "I know you can swallow people, but
can you swallow other beasts of prey instead of people who are by no
means your worthy opponents?"
Nian accepted the old man's challenge and
swallowed the beasts that had harassed the villagers and their farm
animals for years. At the end of the legend, the old man disappeared
riding off on Nian.
In this legend, the old man turned out to be an
immortal god. In the end, Nian is gone and the other beasts of prey are
scared into hiding in the forests. The villagers can once again enjoy
their peaceful life.
传说中，“年”这个怪兽，有能力一口吞掉一个村庄的人。人们都很害怕“年”。
一天，一位老人帮村民们征服了“年”。他对“年”说：“我听说你很有能耐，但你能否把地球上其它的野兽都吃掉，而不是这些根本不是你对手的人类呢？”
“年”接受了老人的挑战，若干年里吃掉了好多害人和捕食农场动物的野兽。传说的结尾，老人骑着怪兽“年”消失了。原来传说中的这个老人是一位神仙。
最后，怪兽“年”被赶走了，其他捕食的野兽也都吓得躲进了森林。村民们又过上了平静的日子。
From then on,the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is
carried on from generation to generation.
The term "Guo Nian", which
means "Survive the Nian" became "Celebrate the Year" and the word "guo"
in Chinese means both "pass over" and "observe".
从那以后，庆祝征服“年”的传统就一代一代传下来了。“过年”（征服怪兽“年”，得以生存）现在演变成“庆祝新年”。
“过”这个词在中文里面既包含“逾越，度过”又包含“庆祝”的意思。
扩展资料：
春节，即农历新年，一年之岁首，传统上的“年节”。俗称新春、新岁、新年、新禧、年禧、大年等，口头上又称度岁、庆岁、过年、过大年。
春节历史悠久，由上古时代岁首祈年祭祀演变而来。万物本乎天、人本乎祖，祈年祭祀、敬天法祖，报本反始也。
春节的起源蕴含着深邃的文化内涵，在传承发展中承载了丰厚的历史文化。在春节期间，全国各地均有举行各种庆贺新春活动，热闹喜庆气氛洋溢；
这些活动均以除旧布新、迎禧接福、拜神祭祖、祈求丰年为主要内容，形式丰富多彩，带有浓郁的各地域特色。
参考资料来源：百度百科-春节
翻译:
关于“春节”的起源，有一种传说是:中国古时候有一种叫“年”的兽。“年”，头长触角，凶猛异常。“年”长年深居海底，每到特定的一天(就是现在的除夕)才爬上岸，吞食牲畜伤害人命。因此，每到除夕这天，村村寨寨的人们扶老携幼逃往深山，以躲避“年”的伤害。有一年除夕，从村外来了个乞讨的老人。乡里一片匆忙恐慌景象，没有人理会他，只有村东头一位老婆婆给了老人些食物，并劝他快上山躲避“年”，那老人把胡子撩起来笑道:“婆婆若让我在家呆一夜，我一定把‘年’赶走。”老婆婆继续劝说，乞讨老人笑而不语。 半夜时分，“年”闯进村。它发现村里气氛与往年不同:村东头老婆婆家，门贴大红纸，屋内烛火通明。“年”浑身一抖，怪叫了一声。将近门口时，院内突然传来“噼里啪啦”的炸响声，“年”浑身战栗，再不敢往前凑了。原来，“年”最怕红色、火光和炸响。这时，婆婆的家门打开，只见院内一位身披红袍的老人在哈哈大笑。“年”大惊失色，狼狈逃蹿了。 第二天是正月初一，避难回来的人们见村里安然无恙，十分惊奇。这时，老婆婆才恍然大悟，赶忙向乡亲们述说了乞讨老人的许诺。这件事很快在周围村里传开了，人们都知道了驱赶“年”的办法。从此每年除夕，家家贴红对联、燃放爆竹;户户烛火通明、守更待岁。初一一大早，还要走亲串友道喜问好。这风俗广泛流传，成了中国民间最隆重的传统节日。本回答被网友采纳
