‘Zhēng dàn’ literally means ‘the first day of the first month’—‘zhēng’ is the special pronunciation of 正 when referring to the first lunar month, and ‘dàn’ means ‘dawn’ or ‘daybreak’, symbolizing the beginning of a new day and, by extension, the start of the lunar year. This term is a formal, literary, and traditional way to refer to Chinese New Year’s Day—the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar—and appears frequently in classical texts, official announcements, poetry, and ceremonial contexts.

While modern spoken Mandarin usually says ‘Chūnjié’ (Spring Festival) for everyday reference to the holiday, ‘zhēng dàn’ retains strong cultural weight in formal writing, historical documents, opera (e.g., the ‘zhèngdàn’ role type), and regional celebrations. It emphasizes renewal, auspicious beginnings, and ancestral reverence—not just festivity but solemn cultural continuity.