Golden Week in China: What This Holiday Is and Why It Is Important to Know About It

How to Say “Golden Week” in Chinese

黄金周
huángjīn zhōu
Golden Week

Let’s break the word down:

黄金
huángjīn
gold

周
zhōu
week

So literally, 黄金周 means “golden week.”

中国有黄金周。
Zhōngguó yǒu huángjīn zhōu.
China has Golden Week.

黄金周的时候，很多人去旅行。
Huángjīn zhōu de shíhou, hěn duō rén qù lǚxíng.
During Golden Week, many people travel.

Which Holiday Is Golden Week Connected With?

The October Golden Week is connected with 国庆节 Guóqìng Jié — China’s National Day.

国庆节
Guóqìng Jié
China’s National Day

Let’s break the word down:

国
guó
country / state

庆
qìng
to celebrate

节
jié
holiday / festival

国庆节 can literally be understood as “the country’s celebration” or “national holiday.”

十月一日是中国的国庆节。
Shí yuè yī rì shì Zhōngguó de Guóqìng Jié.
October 1 is China’s National Day.

国庆节是中国的重要节日。
Guóqìng Jié shì Zhōngguó de zhòngyào jiérì.
National Day is an important holiday in China.

Why Is the Week Called “Golden”?

The word “golden” here is not just a beautiful name. For China, this is a very active period: people travel a lot, buy tickets, book hotels, go to shopping malls, restaurants, museums, and tourist attractions.

For the economy and tourism, it really is a “golden” time.

During Golden Week, domestic tourism in China usually grows significantly. For example, during Golden Week in 2025, which included both National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, around 888 million trips were made in China, and spending in culture and tourism reached about 809 billion yuan.

What Do Chinese People Do During Golden Week?

During 黄金周 huángjīn zhōu, many Chinese people rest and travel.

The most common options are:

旅行
lǚxíng
to travel

回家
huí jiā
to go home / return home

看家人
kàn jiārén
to visit family

逛街
guàng jiē
to go shopping / walk around the streets

看电影
kàn diànyǐng
to watch a movie

去饭店
qù fàndiàn
to go to a restaurant

很多人回家看家人。
Hěn duō rén huí jiā kàn jiārén.
Many people go home to see their family.

我们国庆节去旅行。
Wǒmen Guóqìng Jié qù lǚxíng.
We are going traveling for National Day.

他们黄金周去上海。
Tāmen huángjīn zhōu qù Shànghǎi.
They are going to Shanghai for Golden Week.

Why Are There So Many People Everywhere at This Time?

China is a very large country, and when a huge number of people have days off at the same time, tourist places quickly become crowded.

During Golden Week, there are especially many people:

So if you are planning a trip to China, it is important to take 黄金周 into account in advance.

黄金周的时候，人很多。
Huángjīn zhōu de shíhou, rén hěn duō.
During Golden Week, there are a lot of people.

火车票很难买。
Huǒchē piào hěn nán mǎi.
Train tickets are hard to buy.

酒店很贵。
Jiǔdiàn hěn guì.
Hotels are expensive.

Is It Worth Going to China During Golden Week?

There is no single correct answer. It depends on the purpose of your trip.

If you want to see the festive atmosphere, decorated streets, many people, active city life, and feel the scale of Chinese holidays, then 国庆节 can be an interesting time to travel.

But if you want a calm trip, less crowded museums, cheaper hotels, and fewer queues, it is better to choose other dates.

During Golden Week, there are often:

我不想黄金周去旅行。
wǒ bù xiǎng huángjīn zhōu qù lǚxíng.
I don’t want to travel during Golden Week.

How to Ask About Golden Week in Chinese

Here are a few useful phrases.

黄金周是什么？
Huángjīn zhōu shì shénme?
What is Golden Week?

国庆节是什么时候？
Guóqìng Jié shì shénme shíhou?
When is China’s National Day?

黄金周你去哪儿？
Huángjīn zhōu nǐ qù nǎr?
Where are you going for Golden Week?

你国庆节有什么计划？
Nǐ Guóqìng Jié yǒu shénme jìhuà?
What plans do you have for National Day?

你想去旅行吗？
Nǐ xiǎng qù lǚxíng ma?
Do you want to travel?

你回家吗？
Nǐ huí jiā ma?
Are you going home?

Useful Vocabulary on the Topic

黄金周
huángjīn zhōu
Golden Week

国庆节
Guóqìng Jié
China’s National Day

假期
jiàqī
holiday / vacation / days off

放假
fàngjià
to have time off / to go on holiday

旅行
lǚxíng
to travel

游客
yóukè
tourist

火车票
huǒchē piào
train ticket

飞机票
fēijī piào
plane ticket

酒店
jiǔdiàn
hotel

人很多
rén hěn duō
there are many people / crowded

排队
pái duì
to queue / to stand in line

计划
jìhuà
plan

黄金周 huángjīn zhōu is Golden Week in China: a long public holiday when many people rest and travel.

The most famous Golden Week is connected with 国庆节 Guóqìng Jié — China’s National Day, which is celebrated on October 1. In 2026, the official National Day holiday lasts from October 1 to October 7.

For Chinese learners, this is a great topic because it helps you learn important vocabulary and better understand modern life in China: holidays, travel, family trips, transport, and leisure culture.