17 Lo Hei Yu Sheng Sayings (in English)
You're meant to Lo Hei on Ren Ri (People's Birthday or Everybody's birthday) on 4 February 2025, Tuesday.
By Sean Tan -
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It isn’t exactly Chinese New Year until you’ve partaken in one too many Lo Heis. Lo Hei (捞起) is a Chinese New Year tradition in Singapore and Malaysia, involving the communal tossing of a raw fish salad called Yu Sheng (鱼生).
The term “Lo Hei” means “tossing up” or “stirring up” in Cantonese and symbolises prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. Participants gather around the dish, mix the ingredients, and toss them high in the air with chopsticks while shouting auspicious phrases.
What is Yu Sheng?
Yu Sheng is a quintessential dish when it comes to celebrating the conviviality of reunions and the Lunar New Year, with no better way to get all of your well-wishes out (and receive plenty in return) as ingredients are added while reciting their corresponding phrases.
Yu Sheng literally refers to a raw fish and vegetable platter that's only sold during the Lunar New Year period, and is a unique and local tradition practiced by Singaporeans. What’s interesting to note is that the Chinese Singaporeans have also begun inviting their friends and colleagues from other walks of life to partake of this food tradition.
Therefore, you can order and buy a Yu Sheng platter, but only hold the Lo Hei at a family or friends gathering.
Lou Hei Date 2025
Conventionally, you're meant to Lo Hei on Ren Ri (translated from Chinese to mean People's Birthday or Everybody's birthday). Ren Ri falls on the seventh day of Chinese New Year, which makes it 4 February 2025, Tuesday.
17 Lo Hei Sayings in English
Lo Hei is the act of tossing the Yu Sheng to bring in good luck and wealth. But it’s more than just shouting “Huat Ah!”.
So if you are interested to organize your own Lo Hei at home for the reunion dinner, here are 17 Mandarin Chinese phrases to say when you add the ingredients into your Yu Sheng and while tossing it.
We recommend to do it in the sequence below. Good luck and Gong Xi Fa Cai!
1. 年年有余
Pronounced: Nián nián yǒu yú
Meaning: Prosperity every year!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Add raw fish slices
2. 大吉大利
Pronounced: Dà Jí Dà Lì
Meaning: Good luck and prosperity!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Add dried orange peels
3. 招财进宝
Pronounced: Zhāo Cái Jìn Bǎo
Meaning: Incoming wealth!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Add the pepper and seasoning powders
4. 一本万利
Pronounced: Yī Běn Wàn Lì
Meaning: May you make a thousand-fold profit from your investment!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Pour the oil
5. 财源广进
Pronounced: Cái Yuán Guǎng Jìn
Meaning: May money pour in from all directions!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Continue drizzling oil
6. 鸿运当头
Pronounced: Hóng Yùn Dāng Tóu
Meaning: May opportunity strike you!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Throw in the carrots
7. 步步高升
Pronounced: Bù Bù Gāo Shēng
Meaning: May you rise higher with each step!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss in the shredded white radish
8. 风生水起
Pronounced: Fēng Shēng Shuǐ Qǐ
Meaning: May you have success and promotion at work!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss in the shredded cabbage
9. 青春常驻
Pronounced: Qīng Chūn Yǒng Zhù
Meaning: Stay young forever!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss in the shredded green radish
10. 金银满屋
Pronounced: Jīn Yín Mǎn Wū
Meaning: May your house be full of gold and silver!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Sprinkle chopped peanuts
11. 生意兴隆
Pronounced: Shēng Yì Xīng Lóng
Meaning: Prosperity for your business!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Sprinkle the sesame seeds over
12. 满地黄金
Pronounced: Mǎn Dì Huáng Jīn
Meaning: May your floor be splashed full of gold!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Sprinkle the crackers (golden pillows)
13. 甜甜蜜蜜
Pronounced: Tián Tián Mì Mì
Meaning: May your life be sweet!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Pour in the plum sauce
From here on, pour in whatever excess ingredient you have. We're moving into the communal tossing. Everyone, as they toss the Yu Sheng to greater heights, should echo these words together:
14. 万事如意
Pronounced: Wàn Shì Rú Yì
Meaning: May everything be good and smooth!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss the Yu Sheng
15. 身体健康
Pronounced: Shēn Tǐ Jiàn Kāng
Meaning: May your body stay strong and healthy!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss the Yu Sheng
16. 恭喜发财
Pronounced: Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái
Meaning: Wishing everyone great wealth!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Toss the Yu Sheng
17. 发啊
Pronounced: Fā à (in Chinese), but usually said Huàt à (in Hokkien)
Meaning: Get rich and get lucky!
Lo Hei Ingredient: Towards the end of the Yu Sheng tossing (repeat and shout this out the loudest!).
Part of this article first appeared in The Singapore Women's Weekly, The Peak.