Chinese New Year 2016: Year of Monkey
Chinese New Year, the Year of the Monkey, begins on 8 February Reuters

Millions of people across the globe will celebrate the Chinese New Year on 8 February. The Chinese zodiac calendar, known as Sheng Xiao, is divided into 12 cycles. Each cycle lasts 12 months and is represented by an animal. This year, it is the Year of the Monkey.

Chinese people greet one another with good wishes when they meet on the New Year. IBTimes UK has compiled top proverbs and greetings to share with your loved ones.

  • May the Year of the Monkey attract all the good wishes this year.
  • Τhis New Year may good luck and prosperity follow yοu wherever you gο, and may Lady Luck scare away any misfortune that was planning tο come yοur way.
  • Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing you prosperity on the Year of the Monkey.
  • I wish you all the luck, health, and fortune and all those you love! Happy Chinese New Year!
  • Wish you success in your career and happiness for your family! Happy Chinese New Year!
  • Hope all your New Year dreams come true! I wish you good health, wealth and luck for the forthcoming year of the Monkey!
  • Get rid of the demons of the year gone by and embrace the positives to lead a fulfilling and pleasurable life ahead. Wish you good fortune on the Chinese New Year!
  • Harmony brings health. May joy and happiness surround you today and always!
  • Happiness, Prosperity, Longevity! (In Mandarin: 福禄寿, pronounced: fú lù shòu)
  • Enjoy good health! (In Mandarin: 身体健康; pronounced: Shēntǐ jiànkāng)

Chinese proverbs

  1. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
  2. When luck visits you, everyone will know where you live.
  3. Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
  4. To attract good fortune, spend a new coin on an old friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend, and lift up the heart of a true friend by writing his name on the wings of a dragon.
  5. Patience is power; with time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk.
  6. Kindness is the best quality of the soul.
  7. Frugality is the mother of prosperity.
  8. Don't curse the darkness – light a candle.
  9. If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
  10. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.