今天是二十四節(jié)氣中的冬至（Winter Solstice），是中華民族的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日。冬至在太陽到達黃經(jīng)270°時開始，時于每年公歷12月22日左右。

冬至過節(jié)源于漢代，盛于唐宋，相沿至今?！肚寮武洝飞踔劣小岸链笕缒辍敝f。這表明古人對冬至十分重視。

那么，你知道冬至的英文該怎么說嗎？Ancient china did pay great attention to this holiday, regarding it as a big event.

There was the saying that" Winter solstice holiday is greater than the spring festival".

冬至是中國傳統(tǒng)二十四節(jié)氣（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第二十二個節(jié)氣，英文表達為Winter Solstice。

“Solstice”這個詞我們不太看到，因為它的意思很特別，表示“the time of either the longest day in the year(about June 22) or the shortest day in the year (about December 22)”。

一年中最長的一天（大約6月22日）或是一年中最短的一天（大約12月22日）。 這么看來，這個詞的用武之地似乎局限性很大了。

基本上也就用在“Winter Solstice”（冬至）以及“Summer Solstice”（夏至）之處。From then on, the days become longer and the nights become shorter.

The Winter Solstice also marks the arrival of the coldest season in the year. 自此以后，白晝的時間變得越來越長而夜晚則會越來越短。

冬至也標(biāo)志著一年中最寒冷的季節(jié)的到來。據(jù)歷史學(xué)者介紹，3000多年前，周朝以“日影”最長的一天作為新一年的開始。

從這個意義上說，冬至就是曾經(jīng)的年。所以中國有句古話說：“冬至大如年”。

As early as Zhou Dynasty, people worshipped the gods on the day of the Winter Solstice, which was also the first day of the new year.

The Winter Solstice became a winter festival in Han Dynasty. The celebratory activities were officially organized. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest.

早在周朝時期，人們會在冬至當(dāng)日，也就是當(dāng)時新年的第一天祭拜神靈。漢朝時，冬至成為了冬天的節(jié)日，朝廷會舉行正式的慶祝活動。

這一天，百官和庶民都會停工歇息。在隨后的朝代，如唐、宋、元朝，冬至這天要進行祭神祭祖。

至明清時期，冬至依舊長盛不衰，民間又有“肥冬瘦年”之說，可見這一節(jié)氣的重要。

After this day, many places in China go through the coldest period, which is called in Chinese, “Shu Jiu”.

In total, there are nine periods with nine days for each. In the first and second nine days, people keep their hands in pockets;

in the third and fourth nine days, people can walk on ice; in the fifth and sixth nice days, people can see willows along the river bank;

in the seventh and eighth nine days, the swallow comes back and in the ninth nine days, the yak starts working.

從冬至以后，中國的絕大部分地區(qū)都會經(jīng)歷最寒冷的時期，中國人叫它”數(shù)九“。這一共有九個時期，每個時期分別有九天。

在”一九“和”二九“，手放口袋就能避寒；”三九“和”四九“，路上會結(jié)冰；”五九“和”六九“，可以看到河岸邊柳樹抽芽了

在”七九“和”八九“，燕子回歸，在最后的”九九“，牛開始犁地。