Happy Niu (Cow) Year

The Chinese New Year is fast approaching, and we are seeing signs and decorations everywhere wishing us a Happy Niu Year. Niu, which is pronounced like the English word "new," except with a rising tone and a bit of a nasal sound, means "cow" in Chinese. So when Chinese people say "Happy Niu Year," they are really saying, "Happy Year of the Cow." It's a cute little pun that gets dusted off every twelve years. The sign below is an advertisement for milk and yogurt, so the pun works on a third level here. Around the text of the advertisement are eleven pictures of cows which are made to resemble Chinese paper cutting, a traditional Chinese art.