Chinese

		to congratulate, respectfully wishing one joy	to become rich, to make money
trad. (恭喜發財)		恭喜	發財
simp. (恭喜发财)		恭喜	发财
Literally: “congratulations for becoming rich”.

Phrase

恭喜發財

1. Happy New Year (congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year)
   • 恭喜發財，紅包拿來！ [MSC, trad.]
     恭喜发财，红包拿来！ [MSC, simp.]

     Gōngxǐfācái, hóngbāo ná lái! [Pinyin]

     (a cheeky request for a red packet of lucky money)

   • 恭喜發財，利市𢭃來！ [Guangzhou Cantonese, trad.]
     恭喜发财，利市𢭃来！ [Guangzhou Cantonese, simp.]

     Gung¹ hei² faat³ coi⁴, lai⁶ si⁶ dau⁶ loi⁴! [Jyutping]

     (a cheeky request for a red packet of lucky money)

   • 他喜歡於大年初一打電話給一家酒樓，因為他明知道接電話的小姐拿起聽筒後說的第一句話必是「恭喜發財」，周石先生連忙回應「多謝多謝」，然後馬上收線；純粹為了取個好意頭，不為幫襯。 [MSC, trad.]
     他喜欢于大年初一打电话给一家酒楼，因为他明知道接电话的小姐拿起听筒后说的第一句话必是“恭喜发财”，周石先生连忙回应“多谢多谢”，然后马上收线；纯粹为了取个好意头，不为帮衬。 [MSC, simp.]
     From: 馬家輝，《我們──關於這個時代的一些喜悅與憂傷》 (Ma Jiahui, "Us - Some Happiness and Sadness about This Era")

     Tā xǐhuān yú dànián chū yī dǎ diànhuà gěi yī jiā jiǔlóu, yīnwèi tā míng zhīdào jiē diànhuà de xiǎojiě ná qǐ tīngtǒng hòu shuō de dì yī jù huà bì shì "gōngxǐfācái", Zhōu Shí xiānshēng liánmáng huíyìng "duōxiè duōxiè", ránhòu mǎshàng shōuxiàn; chúncuì wèi le qǔ ge hǎo yìtóu, bù wèi bāngchèn. [Pinyin]

     He liked to call a restaurant on every New Year's Day (of the lunar calendar), as he knew clearly the lady there answering the phone would inevitably greet him with "Kung Hei Fat Choi". Upon hearing this he (Zhou Shi) would promptly reply by saying "Thank you, thank you" and then just hang up. His reason for doing this was just to get an auspicious start of the new year, not an act of patronisation."

Descendants

Vietnamese

Phrase

恭喜發財

1. Hán tự form of cung hỉ phát tài, “May you have a prosperous New Year!”