Vietnamese New Year Greeting You Must Know

Planning a trip to Vietnam during Tết? Don’t just pack your bags—pack the right words. In this guide, you’ll discover the most meaningful and widely used Vietnamese New Year greetings that will help you connect with locals, honor traditions, and celebrate Tết like you truly belong. Whether you're curious about how to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese or want to master traditional Tet wishes, this is the only phrasebook you’ll need.

1. What Is Tết? A Quick Dive into the Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Tết Nguyên Đán is the most important celebration in Vietnam, rooted in centuries of agricultural traditions. The term “Tết” comes from the Sino-Vietnamese “Tiết,” meaning seasonal festival. It marks the first day of the lunar calendar, and spans 7–10 days of homecomings, spiritual rituals, and joyful family reunions.

Key Traditions You’ll Witness

• Family Reunions: Over 70% of Vietnamese travel home for Tết, often making it the largest domestic migration period of the year.
• Ancestor Worship: Most households set up an altar and offer fruits, flowers, and incense — a custom travelers often observe with fascination.
• House Cleaning (Dọn Dẹp): Days before Tết, families sweep away “bad luck” from the previous year and decorate with fresh flowers like hoa mai or đào.
• Xông Đất (First Footer): The first visitor of the new year is believed to determine a family’s fortune — that’s why some people even pre-select who will enter first.
• Lì xì: Red envelopes filled with money, given to children and elders with Tet wishes for luck and longevity.

2025–2027 Tet Calendar

How Tết Differs from Western New Year

While January 1st is largely about celebration, Tết is spiritual. It’s not just a party — it’s a time to cleanse the past, honor one’s ancestors, and wish deeply for a prosperous future. Unlike Western traditions, Tết doesn’t involve countdowns or champagne — it involves symbolism, offerings, and meaningful Tết greetings.

2. Vietnamese New Year Greeting Basics You Must Know

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới – Happy New Year in Vietnamese

• Pronunciation: /ʈʂuk mɨŋ nam moj/
• Meaning: Literally “wish happy new year”
• When to use: Universally appropriate — say it to anyone, from taxi drivers to tour guides to hotel staff.

Other Common Tet Greetings You Should Know

• Cung chúc Tân Xuân – Best wishes for the new spring
• Vạn sự như ý – May all things go as you wish
• An khang thịnh vượng – Wishing you security, good health, and prosperity
• Tấn tài tấn lộc – May you gain wealth and fortune
• Sức khỏe dồi dào – Wishing you abundant health

Each of these traditional Tet greetings carries not only beauty but purpose — and the right one can touch hearts in unexpected ways.

3. Greetings by Relationship: Say the Right Thing to the Right Person

You can’t use the same Vietnamese New Year greeting for everyone. In Vietnamese culture, how you greet someone is closely tied to who they are. Let’s break it down:

For Elders & Parents

• Chúc ông bà sức khỏe dồi dào, sống lâu trăm tuổi.
  (Wishing grandparents abundant health and a long life.)
• Tăng phúc tăng thọ.
  (Increased blessings and longevity.)

These lunar new year greetings Vietnamese emphasize respect, health, and stability.

For Children

• Hay ăn chóng lớn!
  (Eat well, grow fast!)
• Học hành tấn tới!
  (Advance in your studies!)

These are playful and bring smiles — ideal for giving with lì xì.

For Friends and Peers

• Năm mới vui vẻ, ít drama, nhiều tiền!
  (Happy new year — less drama, more money!)
• Luôn mạnh khỏe và hạnh phúc!
  (Wishing you health and happiness always!)

Perfect for casual conversations, social media, or travel buddies.

For Business Partners & Colleagues

• Làm ăn phát đạt, tiền vô như nước.
  (May your business thrive and money flow in like water.)
• Thăng quan tiến chức.
  (May you get promoted quickly.)

These Vietnamese Tet greetings carry professional courtesy and optimism — essential for networking.

4. Cultural Tips: Dos and Don’ts When Giving Tết Greetings

What to Do:

• Smile and bow slightly when greeting elders.
• Say your greeting early in the day — mornings of the first three days are ideal.
• When giving lì xì, always use two hands and pair it with a Tet greeting.

What to Avoid:

• Never say negative words like “die,” “cry,” or “bad luck.”
• Don’t wish someone “Happy New Year” before their home is cleaned or altar is set — it’s considered premature.
• Avoid skipping over elders — always greet the eldest person first. 

Who Speaks First?

Traditionally, the younger person greets the elder first. As a foreign visitor, if you initiate the Vietnamese New Year greeting, it’s a mark of great respect — and it’s guaranteed to win hearts.

5. Fun Add-Ons: Must-Know Tet Vocabulary for Travelers

Essential Tet Vocabulary:

• Lì xì: Lucky money in red envelopes, usually given to children or elders with Tet wishes.
• Mâm ngũ quả: The “five-fruit tray” displayed on family altars, symbolizing abundance and respect for ancestors.
• Xông đất: The very first visitor to a home after midnight. Their character is believed to shape the host’s luck for the year.
• Hoa mai (yellow apricot blossom) and hoa đào (peach blossom): The most iconic New Year flowers in Vietnam.
• Thịt kho trứng: A braised pork and egg dish commonly served in southern households during Tết.
• Tảo mộ: The pre-Tết ritual of visiting and cleaning ancestors’ graves.

These terms often appear in Vietnamese New Year greetings or are part of rituals you’ll witness if you visit Vietnam Culture during the first three days of the lunar year.

Reading Tet Banners and Signs:

You’ll see red scrolls with golden calligraphy everywhere. Some common messages include:

• Tấn tài tấn lộc (Wishing wealth and fortune)
• Vạn sự như ý (May all things go as you wish)
• Cung chúc Tân Xuân (Best wishes for the new spring)
• Chúc Mừng Năm Mới (Happy New Year in Vietnamese)

Being able to decode these tết greetings adds meaning to every street corner.

Writing a Greeting for Postcards or Messages:

Want to surprise a local friend or host family with a card? Here’s a quick formula:

“Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Kính chúc bạn và gia đình một năm mới an khang, thịnh vượng, vạn sự như ý.”
Translation: “Happy New Year! I respectfully wish you and your family a prosperous, healthy, and fulfilling new year.”

Include one or two of these Vietnamese lunar new year wishes and you’ll leave a lasting impression!

6. Conclusion

As you’ve seen, a simple Vietnamese New Year greeting isn’t just a polite gesture — it’s a bridge to tradition, emotion, and human connection.

Whether it’s “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới”, a joyful “Cung chúc Tân Xuân”, or a heartfelt wish of “An khang thịnh vượng”, each phrase carries centuries of cultural meaning. These aren’t just Tet greetings — they’re verbal blessings rooted in love, legacy, and belief.

So next time you find yourself in Vietnam during Tết, don’t hesitate. Speak up. Wish someone a happy new year in Vietnamese. You might not say it perfectly — but trust me, the effort will echo louder than the words themselves.