"Gung hay fat choy," which is written as 恭喜发财, is Cantonese for "May you come into good fortune." This phrase is the most widely-used and popular way of wishing someone a happy Chinese New Year.
About Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays, and is known as the Spring Festival in China. There's no set date for Chinese New Year - it all depends on the lunisolar calendar (based on the moon phase and time of the solar year). In 2013, Chinese New Year will fall on the 10th of February, and will be the Zodiac Year of the Snake.
Spelling Variations of "Gung Hay Fat Choy"
As "Gung hay fat choy" is a transliteration of the Chinese characters 恭喜发财, there is no definitive way of spelling it. Other variations include: