Year of the Goat 2027: Chinese New Year Greetings and Card Messages
2027 is the Year of the Goat (Ding Wei), and Chinese New Year falls on 06/02/2027. In Chinese culture the goat is a lucky animal, so many greetings suit this year especially well. They are grouped below by occasion, for visiting, for cards and for hampers.
Why the Goat Is Lucky
The Shuowen Jiezi, a dictionary compiled by Xu Shen in the Eastern Han dynasty, says “羊，祥也”: the goat stands for good fortune. On Western Han bronzes, the word 吉祥 (good fortune) is often written 吉羊, with the character for goat.
Greetings That Suit the Year of the Goat
- 三阳开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài): from the Tai hexagram of the Book of Changes. Its lower three lines are all yang lines, and it is matched with the first month of the lunar year, so the phrase wishes that good fortune begins with the new year. Painters often show it as three goats, because 羊 (goat) sounds like 阳 (yang); in a goat year it is often written 三羊开泰.
- 喜气洋洋 (xǐ qì yáng yáng), full of joy: 洋 sounds like 羊 (goat), so it suits the year well.
- 吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì), good fortune and everything as you wish: the right-hand side of 祥 is 羊.
- 羊年大吉 (yáng nián dà jí), great luck in the Year of the Goat: short and direct, good for cards and red packets.
Source for 三阳开泰: Huang Lixing, “San Yang Kai Tai and the Start of Spring”, rujiazg.com, 11/02/2023
For Elders and Relatives
- 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng): good health.
- 福寿安康 (fú shòu ān kāng): blessings, long life and peace.
- 阖家平安 (hé jiā píng ān): peace and safety for the whole family.
- 新年快乐，万事如意 (xīn nián kuài lè, wàn shì rú yì): Happy New Year, may all go well. The most common greeting, right for any occasion.
For Clients and Business Partners
- 生意兴隆 (shēng yì xīng lóng): may your business flourish.
- 财源广进 (cái yuán guǎng jìn): may wealth come from many sources.
- 大展宏图 (dà zhǎn hóng tú): may your plans grow big this year.
- 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái): the greeting you hear most at Chinese New Year.
For Friends and Colleagues
- 心想事成 (xīn xiǎng shì chéng): may your wishes come true.
- 步步高升 (bù bù gāo shēng): may you rise step by step at work.
- 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú): may you have more than enough every year.
- 羊年行大运 (yáng nián xíng dà yùn): good luck in the Year of the Goat.
What to Write on a Card
One greeting plus the sender’s name is enough for a card. A few examples:
- 恭贺新禧，羊年大吉: Happy New Year and great luck in the Year of the Goat
- 三阳开泰，万事如意: may good fortune begin with the new year, and may all go well
- 祝您和家人身体健康，羊年行大运: good health to you and your family, and good luck in the Year of the Goat
- 感谢您一年来的支持，祝生意兴隆: thank you for your support this year; may your business flourish
For the customs and taboos of Chinese gift-giving: Chinese gift etiquette and taboos
FAQs
Which zodiac year is 2027?
The Year of the Goat (Ding Wei). Day 1 of Chinese New Year is Saturday, 06/02/2027.
Which greetings suit the Year of the Goat best?
三阳开泰, 喜气洋洋 and 羊年大吉. 三阳开泰 comes from the Tai hexagram of the Book of Changes, and in a goat year it is often written 三羊开泰.
What should I write to a client?
生意兴隆, 财源广进 or 大展宏图, plus a line thanking them for their support this year.