MWW 41: Шинэ

Cyrillic	шинэ
Transcription	šine
IPA	[ʃin]
Layman’s Pronunciation	SHEEN
Meaning	new
In Genghis Khan’s time it was sin-e.

The first word of the week for the new year is шинэ, “new.” Although the year isn’t new anymore, it was new when I chose this to be the first word of the year. Since this is almost the same as the Chinese word for new (新 xīn), I wonder if it’s just coincidence, or if borrowing is at work here. Шинэ figures in many expressions for the new year, and also for Tsagaan Sar, which was the old new year.

Шинэ жил

New Year

Шинэ оны мэнд хүргэе!

Happy New Year! (Let me send new year’s greetings!)

Сайхан шинэлээрэй!

Happy Tsagaan Sar! (Renew well!)

Сайхан шинэлж байна уу?

Are you having a nice Tsagaan Sar? (Are you renewing well?)

Сайхан шинэлсэн үү?

Did you have a nice Tsagaan Sar? (Did you renew well?)