介绍： Draco Malfoy becomes unlikely Chinese New Year mascot in China
From: BBC
An unlikely Chinese New Year mascot has popped up in China this year - Draco Malfoy.
Tom Felton is best known for his role in the Harry Potter series, but now, the actor is also making an appearance in some Chinese houses, with e-commerc...

介绍： Draco Malfoy becomes unlikely Chinese New Year mascot in China
From: BBC
An unlikely Chinese New Year mascot has popped up in China this year - Draco Malfoy.
Tom Felton is best known for his role in the Harry Potter series, but now, the actor is also making an appearance in some Chinese houses, with e-commerce sites selling festive decor prominently featuring his face.
His sudden popularity is thanks to his Chinese translation of his name Malfoy, Ma-er-fu. It contains the words for horse and fortune, ringing especially auspicious for the upcoming Year of the Horse.
Harry Potter is hugely popular in China, with hundreds of millions of books sold. A re-release of the series' first film in 2020 grossed more than 90 million yuan ($13.6m; £9.4m) in three days.
Ahead of Chinese New Year this month, Chinese households typically decorate their doors with couplets - a set of auspicious writings heralding health and prosperity in the new year.
Others decorate their houses with fuzi - red square papers printed with the Chinese word for prosperity.
The fuzi are commonly hung upside down to symbolise luck arriving in the household, as the Chinese word for upside down has the same pronunciation as the word for arrival.
On Chinese social media, pictures show some users sticking couplets or upside down pictures of Malfoy's signature smirk.
Merchants on e-commerce site Taobao are also seizing on the trend, coming up with stickers and magnets featuring the Harry Potter character.
Others began sharing photos of the character, saying: "Share this image for good fortune".
"[It's an] oriental new year with magical elements," one user on social media site Weibo commented.
"Felix Felicis!" said one comment, a reference to a potion in the series that makes the drinker lucky for a period of time.
The Malfoy themed Chinese New Year decor has even caught the eye of actor Felton, who reshared an Instagram story about his character becoming a "symbol of Chinese New Year in China".
His acknowledgement sparked even more excitement on Chinese social media, with many fans praising him with the hashtag "Malfoy himself is 100% hilarious".
The wizard franchise enjoys a fervent and huge fanbase in China - and Warner Bros Discovery has announced plans to open the largest Making Of Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai in 2027.
mascot /ˈmæskɒt/ n. 吉祥物
📗例句：Draco Malfoy became an unlikely mascot for Chinese New Year.
（德拉科·马尔福成了中国春节一个出人意料的吉祥物。）
🥝搭配：corporate mascot 企业吉祥物
auspicious /ɔːˈspɪʃəs/ adj. 吉祥的，吉利的
📗例句：The name‘Malfoy’ is considered auspicious for the Year of the Horse.
（“马尔福”这个名字被认为对马年来说很吉祥。）
🥝搭配：an auspicious start 吉利的开端
herald /ˈherəld/ v. 预示…的到来；宣布
📗例句：Spring couplets are used to herald health and prosperity.
（春联被用来预示着健康与繁荣。）
🥝搭配：herald a new era 宣告一个新时代的到来
smirk /smɜːrk/ n./v. 得意地笑；傻笑
📗例句：Pictures show his signature smirk on holiday decorations.
（图片显示节日装饰上有他标志性的得意笑容。）
🥝搭配：a knowing smirk 会心的一笑
seize on /siːz ɒn/ phrasal v. 抓住，利用（机会等）
📗例句：Merchants quickly seized on the trend to sell related products.
（商家迅速抓住这个趋势来售卖相关产品。）
🥝搭配：seize on an idea 抓住一个想法
fervent /ˈfɜːrvənt/ adj. 热烈的，热情的
📗例句：Harry Potter has a fervent fanbase in China.
（《哈利·波特》在中国有非常热情的粉丝群体。）
🥝搭配：a fervent supporter 热情的支持者
franchise /ˈfræntʃaɪz/ n. （电影、图书等）系列作品
📗例句：The wizard franchise plans to open a studio tour in Shanghai.
（这个魔法系列作品计划在上海开设一个影城之旅。）
🥝搭配：a successful movie franchise 成功的电影系列