More than a meal: Meaning behind CNY food

IN a couple of days, the ‘Horse’ will gallop in to usher in a new Lunar Year as the ‘Snake’ quietly slithers out.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the ‘Spring Festival’, is more than a simple turning of the calendar.

It is a joyful welcome to the coming spring, and a moment of thanksgiving for both the blessings and the trials of the year gone by.

Rooted in an agrarian past, traditional Chinese society was shaped by the rhythms of planting and harvest.

The Lunar New Year marked the end of the winter fallow – a pause between harvest and the next planting season.

The abundance of food served during the festivities was, therefore, no accident.

The celebration begins on New Year’s Eve with the reunion dinner, when family members, wherever they may be, try their best to return home.

Every dish served that night – and throughout the days of celebration that follow – carries symbolic meaning, expressing hopes and wishes for the year ahead.

Food symbolism is a cornerstone of Chinese New Year customs.

Many of these meanings arise from homophones – words that sound like auspicious phrases – while others draw from colour, shape, resemblance and the idea of wholeness.

Even leftovers on the table are intentional, symbolising surplus rather than waste.

Chinese families intentionally cook excess rice, their staple food, on New Year’s Eve so that there will be excess rice from the previous year.

In today’s modern, urbanised Chinese society, these agrarian origins may seem distant, but the symbolic language of the New Year’s feast remains powerfully resonant.

Thanksgiving is no longer only for a good harvest, but also for professional achievements, personal milestones and family well-being.

Each dish becomes a cultural vessel, carrying forward ancient values of gratitude, resilience and communal hope.

Below is a guide to some of the most auspicious foods and fruits traditionally served during Chinese New Year.

Fish (鱼, yú) is indispensable. Its name sounds like ‘surplus’ (余, yú), giving rise to the blessing ‘nian nian you yu’ : “May you have abundance year after year.”

The fish is served whole, head and tail intact, symbolising a good beginning and a good ending.

Chicken (鸡, jī) represents prosperity and family reunion, and is also served whole to signify togetherness.

In some dialects, the word sounds similar to ‘good luck’ (吉, jí).

Shrimp (虾, xiā), particularly in the Cantonese culture, symbolises joy, as its pronunciation resembles laughter.

Abalone (鲍鱼, bào yú) suggests wealth and security, while its round shape evokes ancient coins.

Oysters (蚝, háo) sound like ‘good things’ (好, hǎo) in Cantonese, and are associated with thriving businesses.

Vegetables, too, carry layered meanings.

Chinese Leeks (蒜苗/韭菜,suànmiáo/jiǔcài), and leeks/garlic sprouts (蒜, suàn) sound like ‘to calculate’ (算,suàn), wishing for clever financial planning.

Spring Onions (葱, cōng) sound like ‘smart’ (聪, cōng).

Sea moss (发菜,fàcài) looks like black hair. Its name is a homophone for ‘prosperity’ (发财, fācái). It is often cooked in a dish called ‘Prosperity Oyster Stew’.

Lotus root (莲藕, lián’ǒu) – its many holes symbolise an unobstructed path forward, and the linked sections represent enduring connections.

Bamboo shoots (笋,sǔn), the sound is like the word for ‘to sprout’ (笋,sǔn) – wishing for new opportunities and rapid advancement.

‘Fa Cai’ (black moss), as mentioned, its name sounds like ‘prosperity’, making it a popular ingredient for wealth.

Staples such as long noodles symbolise longevity, and are eaten uncut in a single continuous strand: long noodles (长寿面, chángshòu miàn) – they should be.

Dumplings (饺子, jiǎozi) – shaped like ‘yuanbao’ (ancient gold ingots), they symbolise wealth.

The act of folding them is called 捏福 (niē fú), or ‘pinching good fortune’.

A coin is sometimes hidden inside for extra luck.

Spring rolls resemble gold bars, while ‘nian gao’ (glutinous rice cake, known as ‘kuih bakul’ in Malay) symbolises progress and rising fortunes year after year.

Fruits are chosen for their names, colours and shapes.

Oranges and tangerines symbolise luck and success, their golden hue evoking wealth.

Pomelo represents abundance and family unity; persimmons convey the wish that everything will go smoothly; while grapes and pomegranates symbolise fertility and plentiful blessings.

Apples, associated with peace, are a wish for safety and harmony.

No celebration is complete without sweets and snacks.

The eight-compartment candy tray offers a variety of treats – each carrying wishes for health, happiness and strong family bonds.

Peanuts and melon seeds, endlessly cracked and shared, represent longevity, wealth and the simple joy of togetherness.

By serving these foods, families actively take part in a culinary ritual – inviting prosperity, health and happiness into their homes for the New Year.