‘国庆’ literally means ‘nation celebration’ — ‘国’ (guó) means ‘country’ or ‘nation’, and ‘庆’ (qìng) means ‘to celebrate’ or ‘celebration’. Together, they form the official term for China’s National Day, observed annually on October 1st to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. It is a major public holiday marked by flag-raising ceremonies, fireworks, parades, and family gatherings.

The term is used formally and informally in both written and spoken contexts — for example, in news reports, government announcements, travel plans, or casual conversation about holidays. While ‘国庆’ specifically refers to China’s National Day, it is not interchangeable with generic terms like ‘national holiday’; it carries strong historical and patriotic connotations. It may appear in compound phrases such as 国庆节 (guóqìng jié, ‘National Day Festival’) or 国庆假期 (guóqìng jiàqī, ‘National Day holiday period’).