过年 guò nián
“to celebrate the Chinese New Year”
verb2021 list level 2Traditional 過年
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
过年 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 349: 过年 guònián — Level 2; official annotation 2 (动). PDF page 88
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 过年
过年 is a verb meaning to spend or celebrate the Chinese New Year period. It commonly appears in time phrases (过年的时候、快过年了) and with place or manner expressions (在哪儿过年、回家过年、全家一起过年). It behaves like a separable verb: 过完年、过了年、过个好年.
例句Example sentences
- 我们全家一起过年。wǒ men quán jiā yì qǐ guò nián.Our whole family celebrates the New Year together.
- 过年的时候，街上特别热闹。guò nián de shí hou, jiē shàng tè bié rè nao.During the New Year holiday the streets are especially lively.
- 今年你打算在哪儿过年？jīn nián nǐ dǎ suàn zài nǎr guò nián?Where do you plan to spend the New Year this year?
易混词Easily confused
过年vs春节
春节 is the noun for the Spring Festival holiday itself, so you say 春节快到了 or 春节期间; 过年 is the verb 'to spend/celebrate it', so you say 回家过年, not 回家春节.