Lunar New Year

Lunar + New Year

Lunar New Year (plural Lunar New Years)

1. An annual holiday of several cultures that marks the beginning of a new year according to a lunar or lunisolar calendar, as opposed to a new year dictated by a solar calendar such as the Julian or Gregorian calendars.

• In the western world, this term is commonly used to refer to the start of a lunar/lunisolar calendar other than the traditional Chinese calendar, such as Babylonian, Hindu, Islamic, and various other Old World systems. When referring to an East Asian culture's new year (such as Chinese, Mongolian, Korean, or Vietnamese), "Chinese New Year" is colloquially used regardless of nationality due to the Chinese being the most commonly known practitioners of a lunar calendar. Exception are the Japanese, who replaced their lunar calendar with the Gregorian following the Meiji Restoration.

• Chinese New Year

• Al Hijrah
• Seollal
• Tet
• Tsagaan Sar