The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Winter, (Chinese: 立冬), the 19th solar term of the year, begins this year on Nov 8 and ends on Nov 21.
中國傳統農曆把一年分為了24節氣，立冬是第十九個節氣，從11月8日到11月21日。
Start of Winter is the first solar term of winter, which means winter is coming and crops harvested in autumn should be stored up.
立冬是冬天的第一個節氣，它意味著冬天來了，秋天收穫的莊稼應該儲存起來了。
Beginning of winter or not （立冬是冬天的開始嗎？）
In ancient times, the Chinese people took the Start of Winter to be the beginning of the winter. However in fact, the Start of Winter is not the beginning of winter in terms of meteorology. The climate every year is different, so the beginning of winter could be quite different. And with the vast territory of China, winter of every area doesn’t begin at the same time.
古代，中國人認為立冬是冬天的開始。但是，實際上按照氣象學來說，立冬不是冬天的開始。每年的氣候都是不同的，所以冬天的開始也是很不一樣的。並且中國地域廣闊，每個地區進入冬天也不是在相同的時間。
Welcoming the winter in ancient times（古代怎麼歡迎冬天的到來呢？）
The four beginnings of the seasons were important festivals in ancient times. Before the Start of Winter, the ancient emperor would take a shower and have no more meat. On that day, the emperor would lead his officials to the suburbs and perform the ceremony of "welcoming the winter."
古代，四季的開始都是非常重要的節日。立冬之前，古代皇帝會沐浴並且吃更多的肉。在那天皇帝會帶領群臣來到郊外，舉行迎冬大典。
Eating dumplings （吃餃子）
A legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing saved many people in Henan province from a typhoid epidemic and their ears' from being frost bitten around Start of Winter.
有這樣一個傳說，在東漢末年，醫聖張仲景在河南治療傷寒救了很多人，他們的耳朵在立冬時被凍傷了。
He cooked mutton, hot peppers and herbs to dispel the cold and increase body heat. He wrapped these ingredients into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape. Since then, people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling". Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten".
他做了羊肉，辣椒和草藥來驅寒，增加身體內的熱量。他把這些成分都包在一個麵餅裡，並把他們做成了耳朵的形狀。從那時起，人們就學著製作這種食物，慢慢的就演變成了餃子。今天仍然流行這一句俗語，「冬至不端餃子碗，凍掉耳朵沒人管」。
立冬英語小知識
start of winter
Beginning of Winter
例句：
Round about the beginning of winter he got drunk again.
在立冬前後吧，他又喝醉。
Start of winter is the 19th solar term.
立冬是二十四節氣中的第十九個節氣。
下面開始知識點解析：
start是什麼意思呢？
n. 開始，起點；動身；開動；震驚，震動
v. 出發；開始，著手；發動；創辦；驚起
例：
Then It'started to break into pieces. These pieces started to move apart.
然後它開始分為很多塊。這些分開的板塊開始移動，分開。
He started coughing blood.
他開始咳血了。
His hearing has started to go.
他的聽力開始衰退。
winter是什麼意思呢？
n. 冬天；年歲；衰落期
v. 過冬
adj. 冬天的；越冬的，冬播的
例：
It's winter! We can make a snowman in winter.
冬天了！我們能在冬天堆雪人。
Winter is a time of cough and cold.
冬季是易患咳嗽和感冒的季節。
The squirrel store nuts for the winter.
松鼠貯藏堅果以備過冬。
beginning是什麼意思呢？
n. 開始；根源；起點
v. begin的現在分詞
例：
It is beginning to dew.
在結露水了。
The scrambling begins.
混亂開始了。
The days are beginning to shorten.
白天開始變短了。
歡迎大家點個再看，分享至朋友圈。
Just Do It !
每天進步一點點
採寫：英語世界
編輯：徐芳芳
審核：孫 博 王 野
責編：孫 博