Hello Vivid, In pinyin of Chinese Mandarin ( that is the Chinese you seem to be learning) it is : Gōngxǐ fācái which as a new year greeting means " May you have a prosperous new year!" In Cantonese it is rather : Gung hei faat coi and in Hakka: Gong hei fat choi which loosely translates to : "Congratulations and be prosperous". Often mistakenly assumed to be synonymous with "Happy new year", its usage dates back several centuries. While the first two words of this phrase had a much longer historical significance (legend has it that the congratulatory messages were traded for surviving the ravaging beast of Nian, although in practical terms it may also involve surviving the harsh winter conditions), the last two words were added later as ideas of capitalism and consumerism became more significant in Chinese societies around the world. The saying is now commonly heard in English speaking communities for greetings during Chinese New Year in parts of the world where there is a sizable Chinese-speaking community, including overseas Chinese communities that have been resident for several generations, relatively recent immigrants from Greater China, and those who are transit migrants (particularly students). 新年快乐 xin nian kuaile is also commonly used by Chinese in the west and some parts of northern China as a greeting for the Chinese new year and is translated from the western "Happy new year".

Hi again: This question was raised as 'for Learning Chinese Mandarin', if you had pay attention not just to the title. So I don't think it's unnecessary for the asker from Australia to know that such expression is acutally NOT Mandarin.

All the answers above are correct answers to the Chinese. But it is incorrect to the non-chinese speakers. For example: What is your name in Chinese I am Joseph, the answer is not what the question was asked. Your name in Chinese is 木匠. Because the asker is interesting your chinese name, not your English name. The question asked "what is Gong Hay Fat Choy", he/she just want to know the meaning of it and when to use it, he/she was not interested of what is the equivalence to other dialect(s), such as Hakka. I go along with Mr. Wozitoya's answer, and I also agree with Joseph木匠 in part: " when a friend of yours beginning a new business and such." as Mr. Wozitoya said, it is literally translated as congratulation for getting rich.

Gong Hay Fat Choy, literally translated as congratulation for getting rich, it has nothing to do with the new year. Traditionally, Chinese always greet each other with Gong Hay Fat Choy during Chinese new year. Thus, it has become a Chinese slang. It is only used in Chinese New Year. If you greet someone with Gong Hay Fat Choy outside the Chinese New Year period. You are telling them that you are the learner of Chinese. ( nothing wrong, just misused the slang) If you rely on the above teacher's explainations, you do click on the above picture or name to check on their profile. You will be amazed. Anyway, it has been deleted.

Hi By the way, Gong Hay Fat Choy is Cantonese actually. It's too commonly used so I think most Mandarin speaking Chinese can understand that, for example, me. The Mandarin version of it will be 'gong xi fa cai' as Cherry said above. It's mostly used during the Chinese new year, namely the Spring Festival, that's because it's the season when such four-character wishes, which feel kind of refined and elegant are said to one another. But it's not exclusively, you can say it anytime you like, as when a friend of yours beginning a new business and such. Hope it helps.