Auspicious Prosperity This Chinese New Year with SYNOVA Mandarin Orange Cake

Celebrate Chinese New Year with SYNOVA Mandarin Orange Cake, inspired by the auspicious symbolism of oranges—perfect for offerings, gifting, and sharing meaningful wishes of luck and prosperity.

When it comes to gifts exchanged during Chinese New Year, the first thing that often comes to mind is the red envelope, or ang pao. However, when it comes to fruits used both for ancestral offerings and for gifting to elders before they return the gesture (dae-yi), there is no doubt that oranges take center stage.

Why are oranges so closely associated with Chinese New Year? This question has been explained many times, but let’s revisit the story once again.

Chinese culture has long embraced the use of symbols, wordplay, and homophones to convey blessings during auspicious occasions. A classic example is the character “福” (fu, meaning good fortune), which is often hung upside down. When someone notices it, they might say “福倒了” (fu dao le), meaning “the character fu is upside down.” The word “倒” (dao, upside down) sounds the same as “到” (dao, to arrive), turning the phrase into an auspicious message: “Good fortune has arrived.”

Now let’s return to oranges. Mandarin oranges are called “橘子” (ju zi) in Mandarin Chinese, which sounds like “吉” (ji), meaning luck or auspiciousness. When large oranges are used for offerings, they are referred to as “大橘” (da ju), which resembles the blessing “大吉大利” (da ji da li), meaning great luck and great prosperity.

Similarly, sweet oranges are called “橙子” (cheng zi), which sounds like “成” (cheng), meaning success. Gifting sweet oranges therefore symbolizes wishes for great success and achievement.

Beyond the type of orange, the number of oranges given also carries symbolic meaning. The most popular number is four, as “four oranges” (si ju) sounds like “事吉” (shi ji), meaning may everything go well. Traditionally, the recipient returns half of the oranges to the giver, which is why oranges are usually given in even numbers. If more than four are given, eight is common returning four and keeping four. This custom is rooted in linguistic symbolism rather than the Arabic numeral 8 or the concept of infinity.

Characteristics of Oranges Used for Offerings or Gifting

• A beautiful golden-orange color
• Smooth, unblemished skin
• Uniform size across all fruits

If finding oranges that meet all these criteria proves difficult, SYNOVA’s Mandarin Orange Cake offers a delightful alternative. Whether used for offerings or as a thoughtful gift for elders, it conveys auspicious wishes just as meaningfully. Choose four pieces, eight pieces, twelve pieces—or even several dozen—and let the numbers speak their blessings.

With its vibrant color, smooth finish, uniform size, and consistently delicious taste in every piece, SYNOVA’s Mandarin Orange Cake brings joy to both the giver and the receiver—making Chinese New Year celebrations even more fulfilling.