冬至已至，新春不远，眨一眨眼，春天已等候在前边，世间所有事物将随之热情奔放开来，新的希望和收获越来越近了。

　　冬至节气

　　WINTER

　　冬至，又称日短至，它有着双重身份，它是二十四节气中最早被测定的节气，在24节气中排行倒数第3；也是中国的一个重要传统节日，俗称“数九、冬节、亚岁、长至节”等。

　　冬至是四时八节之一，被视为冬季的大节日，在古代民间有“冬至大如年”的讲法。

　　冬至的英文是——Winter Solstice. Winter是冬天，Solstice这个词不太常用，因为它的意思很特别，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)”。

　　总而言之，这个词的用武之地可谓局限性很大，基本上也就用在“Winter Solstice”（冬至）以及“Summer Solstice”（夏至）之处。

　　冬至常用的英文表达有哪些呢？

　　【饺子】：Dumplings , Chinese meat ravioli, Jiaozi；

　　【馄饨】：Wonton, dumplings in soup；

　　【米团】：Rice dumpling；

　　【长线面】：Long noodle ；

　　【冬至祭祖】：Offering a Sacrifice to the Ancestors on the Winter Solstice。

　　冬至九九

　　WINTER

　　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.

　　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；”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。

　　冬至食饺

　　饺子是中国土生土长的独有物种，在英语中并没有100%对应的词汇，所以用“dumpling”来专指饺子，有点牵强。因此，在跟外国朋友介绍饺子的时候，可以说 Chinese dumpling，或者干脆直接用汉语拼音：Jiaozi.

　　在中国北方，人们通常在冬至那天吃饺子，这是一个意味着温暖冬天的习俗。大家庭的成员可以聚在一起包饺子。在中国北方，饺子通常是蘸醋、辣油或酱汁吃的，有时还会加点酱油。

　　Particularly, in Northern China, people generally eat dumpling on the Winter Solstice , a custom signifying a warm winter. Extended family members may gather together to make dumplings. In Northern China, dumplings are commonly eaten with a dipping sauce made of vinegar and chili oil or paste, and occasionally with some soy sauce added in.

　　作为一种家常食品，每个家庭都有自己喜欢的制作方法，使用自己喜欢的馅料，制作的种类和方法因地而异。

　　As a dish prepared at home, each family has its own preferred method of making them, using favorite fillings, with types and methods of preparation varying widely from region to region.

　　饺子常见的馅料有猪肉、羊肉、牛肉、鸡肉、鱼和虾，这些馅料通常与切碎的蔬菜混合在一起。常见的蔬菜馅料包括大白菜、葱、韭菜、芹菜、菠菜、蘑菇、黑木耳、胡萝卜和韭菜。

　　Common dumpling meat fillings include pork, mutton, beef, chicken, fish, and shrimp, which are usually mixed with chopped vegetables. Popular vegetable fillings include napa cabbage, scallion (spring onions), leek, celery, spinach, mushroom, edible black fungus, carrot, and garlic chives.

　　饺子的制作方法多种多样，包括烘烤、煮沸、煎炸、煨制或蒸制，世界上许多菜系都有饺子。

　　Dumplings may be prepared using a variety of methods, including baking, boiling, frying, simmering, or steaming, and are found in many world cuisines.

　　冬至的意义

　　其实，从中国文化方面讲，“冬至”这个日子还可以翻译成“Dongzhi Festival”，中国人为什么比较重视这个节气？

　　The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in.

　　原来是和“阴阳”相关。人们认为，过了这一天，白昼一天比一天长了，是一个节气循环的开始，“阳”气逐渐回升，因此算是个吉利的日子。