Gong xi fa cai. In Mandarin Chinese, it means wishing you prosperity, or Happy New Year.
The Year of the Ox arrives on Friday, Feb. 12. For East Asians who celebrate the Lunar New Year, including those with roots in China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, it s the biggest holiday of the year, marked by 15 days of celebrations.
Cities with large Asian populations will put on grand celebrations with businesses shutting down for a week or even a full 15-day celebratory period.
According to Asian folklore, people born in the Year of the Ox are strong, reliable, fair and conscientious, inspiring confidence in others. They are also said to be calm, patient, methodical and trustworthy.