冬至杂谈《摘录》

After this day, many places in China go through thecoldest period, which is called in Chinese, “Shu Jiu”. In total, there are nineperiods with nine days for each. In the first and second nine days, people keeptheir hands in pockets; in the third and fourth nine days, people can walk onice; in the fifth and sixth nice days, people can see willows along the riverbank; in the seventh and eighth nine days, the swallow comes back and in theninth nine days, the yak starts working.

从冬至以后，中国的绝大部分地区都会经历最寒冷的时期，中国人叫它”数九“。这一共有九个时期，每个时期分别有九天。在”一九“和”二九“，手放口袋就能避寒了；”三九“和”四九“，路上会结冰；”五九“和”六九“，可以看到河岸边柳树抽芽了；在”七九“和”八九“，燕子回归，在最后的”九九“，牛开始犁地。

• 冬至：Winter Solstice

“solstice”表示“the time of eitherthe longest day in the year (about June 22) or the shortest day in the year(about December 22)”。一年中最长的一天（大约6月22日）或是一年中最短的一天（大约12月22日）。

• 冬至这天有啥传统习俗？

Winter Solstice is a time for the family to get together.One activity that occurs during these get togethers (especially in the southernparts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyuan or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion.

冬至是家族团聚的一天。在这天，中国南方的家庭会包汤圆、吃汤圆，以象征团圆的意思。不过在中国北方，似乎更多的人会吃饺子。比如说会有“冬至到，吃水饺”这样的谚语。