Chinese Calendar - Lunar Months

Lunar Months

The Chinese zodiac (see also Twelve Animals section) is only used in naming years—it is not used in the actual calculation of the calendar. In fact, the Chinese have a very different constellation system.

In modern China, the lunar months are typically simply numbered, following the standard practice with the solar months. However, the old names for the first (正月, Zhēngyuè or 元月, Yuányuè, both meaning "first month") and last ( 臘月, 腊月, Làyuè) months are still used as well.

Among the many variant series for naming months is the following, which mostly uses flower names.

Chinese Lunar Months
Traditional Chinese name	Simplified Chinese name	Pinyin	Translation	Other names
芍月	—	sháoyuè	peony month	端月、元月、初月、嘉月、开岁、新正、隅月、孟月、始春、元春、陬月
杏月	—	xìngyuè	apricot month	丽月、花月、柳月、仲春、酣春、艳春、芳春、如月、早春
桃月	—	táoyuè	peach month	桃月、蚕月、莺月、暮月、鹂月、季春、炳月、三春、阳春、暮春、绸月
梅月	—	méiyuè	plum month	梅月、麦月、清和、初夏、桐夏、余月、桃月、孟夏、纯月
榴月	—	liúyuè	pomegranate month	榴月、蒲月、仲夏、飘香、皋月、郁月
荷月	—	héyuè	lotus month	荷月、玉绳、且月、伏月、季夏、焦月、署月、精阳、溽暑、季暑
蘭月	兰月	lányuè	orchid month	瓜月、巧月、砧月、兰秋、新秋、银磺、飞星、相月、霜月、孟秋、桐月
桂月	—	guìyuè	osmanthus month	莹月、虹月、吟秋、鸦月、壮月、桂月、仲秋、中秋、壮月
菊月	—	júyuè	chrysanthemum month	菊月、苔月、琼月、霜序、三秋、霜秋、季秋、暮商、朽月、玄月
良月	—	liángyuè	good month	露月、良月、孟冬、霜华、阳月
冬月	—	dōngyuè	winter month	仲冬、寒艳、畅月、蒹月、葭月、龙潜月、辜月、葭月
臘月	腊月	làyuè	preserved meat month	腊月、冰月、严月、除月、残霜天、星回、嘉平、季冬、嘉平、穷节