恭喜發財

Originated in post-Opium War Guangzhou Cantonese, now a general Chinese phrase.

恭喜發財

1. Happy New Year (congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year)

   恭喜發財，紅包拿來！ [MSC, trad.]
   恭喜发财，红包拿来！ [MSC, simp.]

   Gōngxǐ fācái, hóngbāo ná lái! [Pinyin]

   (a cheeky request for a red packet of lucky money)

   恭喜發財，利市𢭃來！ [Guangzhou Cantonese, trad.]
   恭喜发财，利市𢭃来！ [Guangzhou Cantonese, simp.]

   gung¹ hei² faat³ coi⁴, lai⁶ si⁶ dau⁶ loi⁴! [Jyutping]

   (a cheeky request for a red packet of lucky money)

   • 他喜歡於大年初一打電話給一家酒樓，因為他明知道接電話的小姐拿起聽筒後說的第一句話必是「恭喜發財」，周石先生連忙回應「多謝多謝」，然後馬上收線；純粹為了取個好意頭，不為幫襯。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     他喜欢于大年初一打电话给一家酒楼，因为他明知道接电话的小姐拿起听筒后说的第一句话必是“恭喜发财”，周石先生连忙回应“多谢多谢”，然后马上收线；纯粹为了取个好意头，不为帮衬。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 馬家輝 (Ma Ka Fai), 《我們──關於這個時代的一些喜悅與憂傷》 (Us - Some Happiness and Sadness about This Era), page 62

     taa¹ hei² fun¹ jyu¹ daai⁶ nin⁴ co¹ jat¹ daa² din⁶ waa^6-2 kap¹ jat¹ gaa¹ zau² lau⁴, jan¹ wai⁶ taa¹ ming⁴ zi¹ dou³ zip³ din⁶ waa^6-2 dik¹ siu² ze² naa⁴ hei² teng¹ tung² hau⁶ syut³ dik¹ dai⁶ jat¹ geoi³ waa⁶ bit¹ si⁶ “gung¹ hei² faat³ coi⁴”, zau¹ sek⁶ sin¹ saang¹ lin⁴ mong⁴ wui⁴ jing³ “do¹ ze⁶ do¹ ze⁶”, jin⁴ hau⁶ maa⁵ soeng⁶ sau¹ sin³; seon⁴ seoi⁶ wai⁶ liu⁵ ceoi² go³ hou² ji³ tau⁴, bat¹ wai⁶ bong¹ can³. [Jyutping]

     He liked to call a restaurant on every New Year's Day (of the lunar calendar), as he knew clearly the lady there answering the phone would inevitably greet him with "Kung Hei Fat Choi". Upon hearing this he (Zhou Shi) would promptly reply by saying "Thank you, thank you" and then just hang up. His reason for doing this was just to get an auspicious start of the new year, not an act of patronisation."

Others:

• → English: Kung Hei Fat Choi, Gong Xi Fa Cai, Kiong Hee Huat Chai
• → Indonesian: Kiong Hi Huat Cai
• → Tagalog: Kung Hey Fat Tsoy, Kiong Hee Huat Tsai

恭喜發財

1. chữ Hán form of cung hỉ phát tài (“May you have a prosperous New Year!”).