A Day More Exciting Than Your Birthday

What day do children look forward to all year in China? If you think it’s their birthday, think again!
Tuesday, June 1st 2021 is when International Children’s Day is this year. If you ask any Child in China, they will often tell you that Children’s Day is a time when they go to the movies for free, eat whatever they want, and play outside. Didn’t you love to do these things as a kid too? It’s a special day for them and a day where adults let them enjoy their childhood to the fullest.
In China, Children’s Day is for primary and middle school students until they are 14 years old. Celebrations vary but many schools would have student performances and class parties while other schools would opt to celebrate with field trips to the museum or the “公园 (gōng yuán) park”.

The students only attend school for half a day, which is usually spent doing fun activities while it’s not uncommon for their parents to take the day off to spend extra time with them. Chinese parents usually take their children out to have fun, eat good food of the children’s choosing and at some point in the day the children would receive a “礼物 (lǐ wù) gift”, as a part of an unforgettable day.

You will often hear parents exclaiming “儿童节快乐! (ér tóng jié kuài lè!) Happy Children’s Day!”

HSK 3 quiz

Commercialized 商业化 (Shāng yè huà)
Businesses offer promotions or discounts during the holiday such as free movies or admission to certain amusement parks. This can leave a good impression on the youth and start a consumer habit young. Although it has been commercialized, many businesses genuinely want to celebrate in the spirit of letting children enjoy their youth.

Example sentences
Beginner

Xiàn  zài  de  diàn  yǐng  dōu  tài  shāng  yè  huà  le!
现     在   的    电     影      都    太    商    业    化    了!
Today ‘ s movies are just too commercial

Intermediate

Tǐ    yù   yùn   dòng   jìn    jǐ   nián  gèng  jiā  shāng  yè  huà  le.
体    育    运     动     近     几    年      更    加   商    业     化    了。
Sports have become much more commercialized in recent years.

Advanced

Dàn  zhōng  guó  sì  hū  yǐ  jīng  zhǔn  bèi  hǎo  zài  mǒu  gè  zhàn  lüè  bù  mén  de  yí  xì  liè  xīn  xīng  jì  shù   hé   xiān   jìn   jì  shù  shàng  dà shǒu  bǐ  tóu  zī,  tóng  shí  zài  yán  fā  hé  shāng  yè  huà  wán  chéng  hòu  bǎo  liú  yí  dìng  gǔ  quán.
但    中    国    似    乎    已    经    准   备    好     在    某    个   战    略    部    门    的    一   系 列    新    兴    技    术   和   先   进    技   术    上    大   手    笔    投    资, 同   时    在    研    发   和    商    业   化     完     成     后     保     留    一     定    股    权。
But China appears poised to boost investment significantly in a range of new and advanced technologies in strategic sectors, while retaining equity stakes as they are developed and commercialized.

HSK 3 quiz

Some people will always be a child at heart and never wanted to grow up in the first place. Thus, Children’s Day has also become popular among young adults. In an effort to reminisce about all things nostalgic and reclaim memories of carefree times you will also see twenty-somethings treating themselves to snacks or an evening with friends singing karaoke and celebrating a day dedicated to their youth. It’s a nice time to revert to having fun and being a kid again and not think about all of the responsibilities of being a grown-up.
Grow up 长大 (Zhǎng dà)

Example sentences
Beginner

Zhè  hái  zi    zài    huān  lè  zhōng  chéng  zhǎng.
这    孩    子   在     欢      乐      中      成      长。
The child grew up in happy times .

Bié  zhǎng  dà,    shì  xiàn   jǐng.
别       长     大,  是     陷     阱。
Don’t grow up. It’s a trap!

Tā   shì  zài  dé   guó  zhǎng  dà  de.
他    是   在   德    国     长     大   的。
He grew up in Germany.

Intermediate

Wǒ  zhēn  de  méi   xīn   qíng   děng   nǐ   zhǎng   dà.
我     真     的   没    心      情      等      你       长     大。
I’m really not in the mood to wait for you to grow up.

Zhè   shì   tā   men   yǒu   shēng   yǐ   lái   dì   yī   cì   kàn   dào   zì   jǐ   de   hái   zi   zài   ān   quán   de    huán    jìng   zhōng  chéng  zhǎng.
这    是     他      们     有       生   以    来    第  一  次  看     到    自    己   的   孩   子   在   安   全    的       环      境        中        成        长。
For the first time in their lives they get to watch their children grow up in an environment of safety and security.

Whether you have children, or if you are still a child at heart yourself, you can join in on the festivities of Children’s day as a day to remember simpler times and experience a little unadulterated joy before you have to get back to your adult responsibilities in the morning.

You May Want to Learn More :

“Don’t Say Happy Dragon Boat Festival!”
“World Book Day”
”Post-Covid Life in China”

HSK 1 quiz

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