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!”
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.
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
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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