Halloween

Halloween is coming up soon on 31st of October this year! People in China call it 万圣节(wànshèngjié), where people use 南瓜(nánguā) pumpkins to carve all kinds of funny faces and shapes to ward off evil spirits. Many colleges in China hold parties in which students wear 面具(miànjù) masks and clothes that they design for themselves to frighten others.
People in China have their own "Halloween" called 中元节(zhōngyuánjié) Mid-July Festival or 饿鬼节(èguĭjié) The Hungry Ghost Festival, which originates from Chinese Taoism. It falls on the fifteenth of every July in lunar calendar. On the day of the festival, people float river lanterns to remember those who have died. They use boards and colorful paper to make all kinds of lanterns, with candles burning in the middle.

万圣节(wànshèngjié) Halloween
The Chinese phrase 万圣节(wànshèngjié) comes from the liberal translation of the English phrase Halloween. 万(wàn) means ten thousand literally and here it means very. 圣(shèng) means holy or sacred and 节(jié) means festival.

生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary:   
南瓜(nánguā): n pumpkin   
面具(miànjù): n masks   
饿(è): adj hungry   
鬼(guĭ): n ghost