The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Minor Cold (Chinese: 小寒), the 23rd solar term, begins this year on Jan 5 and ends on Jan 19.
中國傳統的農曆將一年分為24個節氣。小寒（Minor Cold）是一年中第23個節氣，從今年的1月5日開始，到1月19日結束。
During Minor Cold, most areas in China have entered the bitter cold stage of winter. The ground and rivers are frozen. The cold air from the north moves southward continuously.
在小寒期間，中國大部分地區都已進入寒冬時節。土地和河流都被冰凍了起來。北方的冷空氣不斷向南移動。
Although "Minor Cold" means less cold than the following solar term, "Major Cold", there is an old saying in China that goes, "The days of the Sanjiu period are the coldest days." "Sanjiu period" refers to the third nine-day period (the 19th-27th days) after the day of the Winter Solstice, which is in Minor Cold. Actually Minor Cold is normally the coldest period of winter. It is important to keep warm during this period.儘管「小寒」是意思是和下個節氣「大寒」相比不那麼冷，但是中國有一句老話說「數九寒天，冷在三九」。「三九時節」指的是冬至過後第三個九天（第19到27天），而「三九」就在小寒內。事實上小寒通常是冬天最冷的時候。在這期間保暖很重要。