“小暑”是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第十一个节气。“小暑”时节天气已步入炎热的阶段，但并未达到极热状态，因而其英文表达为Minor Heat。
Minor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive. “小暑”标志着一年当中最炎热的时段渐渐逼近，但最酷热的时候还未到来。
唐代诗人元稹在《小暑六月节》中写道：“倏忽温风至，因循小暑来。”小暑，是天气转热的开始，却不是最热时节。
盛夏既至，北方多雷雨天气，南方炙热多干旱。空气潮湿、闷热，“三伏天”也在此拉开序幕。
Rain and thunderstorms are common during this period in northern China, while drought conditions are caused by the sizzling heat in some areas in the south. The warmest and dampest period of the year, called sanfu by Chinese people, starts from the time of Minor Heat.
小暑有三候： 一候温风至； 二候蟋蟀居宇； 三候鹰始鸷。 在温风中，蟋蟀离开田野，寻找一处庭院墙角来避暑。 老鹰也因炎热在高空清凉处盘旋。
An ancient Chinese saying goes that when the wind comes with a heatwave, crickets and a few other insects leave the fields and crawl to cooler yards. Eagles fly high in the sky since there's no better way to stay cool than to soar where the temperature is cooler.
民间有“小暑大暑，上蒸下煮”之说，小暑后入伏天，所谓“热在三伏”，一年中气温最高且又潮湿、闷热的时节已然来临。
小暑期间，阳光充沛，日照时间最长、强度最大。古时，文人雅士常拿出压箱底的书籍、字画晾晒，而民间则将久未穿过的衣物、被子等晾晒于烈日下，除螨防潮，也称为“晒红绿”。
小暑期间，防汛抗旱工作是重要农事活动。
One of the prevailing farming activities during Minor Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief. stay on top of：掌握，知道 flood control and drought relief：防汛抗旱
那么如何优雅地度过漫漫夏日？
赏莲花朵朵开
“小暑大暑正清和，荷花香风透凉阁。”
盛夏时节，公园池塘中盛放的莲花身姿袅娜，像清风一般，拨开湿闷的暑气，直抵人心房。
In Minor Heat, high temperatures are good for the growth of the lotus flower. From Minor Heat to the Double Ninth Festival, the lotus flower is in full bloom, and always simple but elegant. 小暑时的高温很适合莲花的生长。从小暑到重阳节，莲花一直处于全盛花期，朴素而高雅。 Double Ninth Festival：重阳
萤萤星光筑美梦
如果你生活在乡间，或许可以在树林中、田野里看到萤火虫的身影。它们的点点星光，会为你编织一个夏夜的美梦。
Minor Heat is the season when fireflies become lively. Zhu Shuzhen, a woman of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), once described in her famous poem Summer Fireflies a happy scene of children playing with fireflies in the woods at night. 小暑是萤火虫活跃的时节。南宋女诗人朱淑真在她著名的诗歌《夏萤》中，描绘了一幅孩童于林间夜戏萤火虫的美景。
晒伏
小暑期间，日照充足，许多家庭趁机把衣柜里的衣服被褥拿到户外晾晒，祛湿防霉，这就是所说的“晒伏”。
During the Minor Heat period, with the longest amount of sunlight and the strongest sunlight radiation, many families hang their clothes out in the sun to prevent mildew. 小暑期间，光照时间最长，辐射也处于最强状态，许多家庭会把衣物拿去晒太阳，防止发霉。
吃饺子
饺子是典型的家庭美食，我们冬至吃，春节也吃……现在告诉大家，小暑也要吃饺子，惊喜不惊喜？
When the "dog day" comes, people tend to lose their appetites, and dumplings can refresh people's feelings toward food. 当“三伏天”到来的时候，人们通常没什么胃口，而饺子可以唤起食欲。 dog day：三伏天（指一年中最热的时段） 注：三伏天，出现在小暑与处暑节气之间，是一年中气温最高且潮湿、闷热的日子。
凉凉的西瓜，必须要吃一块
夏日顶配有仨：空调、WIFI、西瓜。小暑期间，正值各种瓜果丰收上市，天南地北，大家都成了“吃瓜群众”。
One custom in Nanjing, Jiangsu province has to do with enjoying small melons on the day of Minor Heat and having big melons on the day of Major Heat. Small and big melons normally refer to cantaloupes and watermelons. 江苏省南京市有“小暑当天吃小甜瓜，大暑当天吃大甜瓜”的习俗。“小甜瓜”和“大甜瓜”通常指哈密瓜和西瓜。
来源：译学点滴
设计：薛利文
编辑：鲁蒙海
审核：海 新
终审：张 扬
热门跟贴