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一、立春的英文表达 立春的英文怎么说？立春是春季的开始，目前有几个英译，都围绕着这个“春之始”的核心概念，只是措词略有出入。汉英词典几乎都采 Beginning of Spring，有一本兼采 Commencement of Spring 。2022年北京冬奥会开幕式的节气倒计时也用了 Beginning of Spring，和汉英词典同调。中国气象局、《中国日报》（China Daily）和中国国际电视台（CGTN）均采 Start of Spring 。传统的知识权威《大英百科全书》（Encyclopaedia Britannica）用的是 Spring Begins，网络时代的参考工具新宠“维基百科”（Wikipedia）用的是 Spring Commences 。 需要留意的是，二十四节气的英文常首字母大写，就如同阳历十二个月的英文一样。 如此看来，立春的英文起码就有5个，Beginning of Spring、Commencement of Spring、Start of Spring、Spring Begins、Spring Commences，并没有定于一的标准答案。 中国24个节气的英译，我认为用英文的名词短语为妥。四时（春、夏、秋、冬）有八节（八个节气），八节由四立（立春、立夏、立秋、立冬）和二分二至（春分、夏至、秋分、冬至）所构成。在节气体系中，八节是基础框架，二分二至更是世界性的，其英文都是名词短语，比如冬至的 Winter Solstice 。为了体系的一致性和节气的名词性（《现代汉语词典》均作名词标注），用名词短语来英译比较合理。 在这样的前提之下，《大英》的 Spring Begins 和“维基”的 Spring Commences 都不是名词短语，不够理想，予以剔除。剩下的三个，Beginning of Spring、Start of Spring、Commencement of Spring，大同小异，都传达了立春的本义。表“开始”的 beginning、start 和 commencement 基本同义，但词频以 beginning 为最高，更为基础常见，当为首选。 国际知名语料库“素描引擎”（Sketch Engine）的搜索结果表明，beginning of spring 出现3747次，start of spring 出现2816次，commencement of spring 只出现寥寥53次，beginning of spring 胜出。 搜索《牛津英语词典》（Oxford English Dictionary，简称OED）发现，beginning of spring 在全文里出现9次，start of spring 出现0次，commencement of spring 出现1次，beginning of spring 再度胜出。 2022年北京冬奥会在2月4日立春开幕，开幕式采用了“24秒”倒计时，象征第24届冬奥会和中国传统的二十四节气。倒计时始于“雨水”，终于“立春”，节目令人惊艳，余韵回荡，影响深远，对于把节气文化推向全世界，起了关键的作用。冬奥会开幕式节气倒计时里的立春，英译就是 Beginning of Spring 。 综合判断，我建议“立春”的英译就采 Beginning of Spring。（源自：曾泰元，上海杉达学院英语系教授兼外语学院院长、台湾东吴大学英文系原系主任、国家语委汉语辞书研究中心兼职研究员、《英语世界》编委。）
二、立春的介绍 立春，是二十四节气之一，又称“打春”。“立”是“开始”的意思，中国以立春为春季的开始，每年2月4日或5日太阳到达黄经315度时为立春，《月令七十二候集解》：“正月节，立，建始也，立夏秋冬同。"东风解冻，蛰虫苏醒，草长莺飞。 Beginning of Spring (Li Chun), one of the 24 solar terms, is also known as Hit Spring. Since Li means the beginning, Li Chun refers to the beginning of spring in China. The Beginning of Spring is on February 4th or 5th every year when the sun reaches 315° of ecliptic longitude. A Collective Interpretation of the Seventy-two Phenological Terms wrote, “As the solar term in the first lunar month, Li means to start (the spring), and means the same in the Beginnings of Summer, Autumn, and Winter." Since then, the breeze of the east wind thaws the snow, hibernating insects are awakened, grasses sprout out of the earth, and the nightingales are back in the air. 立，是“开始”之意；春，代表着温暖、生长。 In Chinese, "Li" means the beginning, and "chun" is spring, a symbol of warmth and growth. 立春是从天文上来划分的，春是温暖，鸟语花香；春是生长，耕耘播种。从立春节气当天，一直到立夏前这段期间，都被称为春天。 The Beginning of Spring is determined (and seasons are divided) based on astronomy. Spring represents warmth, birds twittering, flowers perfuming; spring represents growth, seeds sowed, crops cultivated. The period from the Beginning of Spring to the Beginning of Summer is named spring. 三、立春三候 立春有三候，每五天为一候，各自有对应的代表性的自然现象。 The Beginning of Spring is divided into three five days, each with a corresponding representative natural phenomenon. 一候，东风解冻。 In the first five days, the ground begins to thaw. 立春的第一侯里，东风带来的春天的暖意，冰冻了一个冬天的土地要解冻了。 During the 1st 5 days of the beginning of spring, the east wind brings warmth to the earth and the ground begins to thaw. 二候，蛰虫始振。 In the second five days, insects begin to be active. 天气变暖，土地变得松软，地下蛰伏了一个冬天的小虫子慢慢的苏醒过来。 As the weather warms up, the ground becomes soft, those worms hibernate underground during the winter begin to be active.
三候，鱼陟负冰。 In the third five days, fish swim under the shards of ice. 第三个五天，河里的冰开始融化，鱼儿在碎冰下开始游来游去。 During the 3rd 5 days, the ice in the river begins to melt and the fish begin to swim under the shards of ice. 立春期间依次绽放的花分别是一候迎春、二候樱桃、三候望春。 The flowers that bloom in sequence during the Beginning of Spring are winter jasmine, sour cherry blossom, and purple magnolia. 四、立春的历史传说 立春在春秋时期（公元前770-476年）就已经是一个节气了，当时有八个节气。24个节气术语在西汉时期（公元前206年-公元24年）首次在书籍中使用，当时立春被定为春节。1913年，农历正月初一被定为春节。 As a solar term, Start of Spring had already entered people's lives in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). At that time, there were eight solar terms. According to some experts, the 24 solar terms were used for the first time in books during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), when the Start of Spring was set as the Spring Festival. In 1913, the first day of the first month of the lunar year was mandated as the Spring Festival. 为了迎接立春，古代帝王将相要在立春将至之际斋戒数日，然后在这一天盛装举行盛大的祭拜春神仪式，祈求来年有个好收成。庆祝活动当然不局限于帝王将相。像“打春”这样的传统在民间非常流行。牛耕在中国已有近3000年的历史，因此民间有用彩色木棍轻打纸或土制成的耕牛的“打春牛”习俗。这是为了驱走耕牛冬日的懒散，鼓励农民为春耕做准备。 To welcome Lichun, ancient emperors and officials fast for days as the solar term approaches, then dress up and hold grand rituals on this day to worship the God of the Spring praying for a good harvest in the coming year. Festivities surely are not only for the ruling ones. Common traditions such as “spanking the spring” are popular among the folks. As oxen have helped Chinese farmers for nearly 3,000 years, people have the custom to show respect to cattle by “stirring” a head of paper or clay-made cattle with colored wooded sticks. This is meant to drive out the cattle’s winter laziness and encourage farmers to prepare for spring plowing. 在中国，据说在立春、春分和秋分的时候，鸡蛋可以立起来。人们认为，如果有人能在立春的时候把鸡蛋立起来，他们将来就会交到好运。 In China, it is said that an egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring, Spring Equinox day and Autumn Equinox day. It is believed that if someone can make an egg stand on the Start of Spring day, they will have good luck in the future. 五、立春的习俗 1. 咬春Biting the spring 立春这一日，中国许多地方的人们会吃萝卜、春饼或春卷等时令饮食。 During the Beginning of Spring, in many parts of China, people eat carrots, spring pancakes or spring rolls that are made with spring vegetables. 这一习俗被称为“咬春”。在立春时吃一些春天的新鲜蔬菜，既为防病，也有迎接新春的意味。 This eating custom is known as "biting the spring". Eating fresh spring vegetables is a good way to keep healthy and welcome spring. 2. 迎春 Welcoming Spring 古人相当重视立春，有迎春之仪。 The ancient Chinese attached great importance to the Beginning of Spring. 在古代，上至朝廷下至民间，都要在立春时举行一系列祭祀活动，祭拜春神“句芒”。句芒也是草木之神，又称“青帝”。 On that day, people and the government would hold ceremonies and make offerings to "Goumang", who is also known as the "Green Emperor" and revered as the god of spring and plants. 因此，汉朝百官在迎祭句芒之时会穿上青衣，戴上青色的头巾。 In the Han Dynasty, government officials would wear green clothes and head-coverings when they worshipped Goumang. 民间会将丝织品剪成燕子形状，佩戴出门迎春。 Common people would wear a swallow made of silk on their chests as they welcomed spring. 中国人拜春、祭春神的习俗可以追溯到三千年前。立春时人们拜祭的是主管农事的春神句（gōu）芒。清朝时，拜春已经是民间非常重要的节庆活动。明清时期京城的官员都要到位于东郊的东直门外五里的春场去迎春。 People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of Begining of Spring about 3,000 years ago. They made sacrifices to Gou Mang, the God of Spring, who is in charge of agriculture. By the Qing Dynasty, greeting spring had become an important folk activity. In Beijing, government officials welcomed spring in the wild field near Dongzhimen (the east gate of Beijing). 3. 贴宜春字画 Putting up spring calligraphy and paintings
立春之时在门壁上张贴迎春祝吉的字画，这种习俗自唐代就有，表达了人们迎春纳福的美好愿望。 The custom of posting calligraphy and paintings on doors and walls at the Beginning of Spring first appeared in the Tang Dynasty. People do so to welcome spring and pray for good luck. 4. 糊春牛Making a Spring Ox 陕西的习俗是要在立春之前就开始做春牛。当地政府会雇佣一些熟练的工匠，召集他们用竹条做出牛的骨架、用木头做成牛的腿。然后他们就会糊上纸、刷上颜色。瞧，一头“牛”就这样做好了!据说如果多用红色和黄色的纸，那年就会有个好收成;如果糊上了黑色的纸，那年的收成就会不好。当纸牛做好了之后，会有一个“做牛点睛”的仪式。在那之后，人们会给它修个祭坛，敬拜它。 This custom in Shaanxi is practiced right before the Start of Spring. The local government hires some skilled artisans and gathers them to build the frame of an ox out of bamboo strips and the legs with wood. Then they paste some paper and paint onto it—and, voila! The image of an ox is complete. It is said that if more red and yellow paper is used, then there will be a good harvest that year; if black paper is pasted, then the year will be poor. When the paper ox is ready, there is a ritual to paint the eyes. After that, people will set up an altar for it and worship it. 5. 放风筝Flying a kite 春天是放风筝的最佳时节。放风筝这项传统民俗活动在中国已有超两千年的历史。它可以帮助人们强身健体，预防疾病，有助于促进血液循环，加速新陈代谢。 Spring is the best season for kite-flying. A traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one's health and prevent diseases. It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism. 6. 立鸡蛋Erecting the egg 在中国，传说在立春、春分和秋分的时候，鸡蛋可以被立起。人们认为，如果有人能在立春的时候把鸡蛋立起来，他在未来就会交到好运。 In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring, Spring Equinox day and Autumn Equinox day. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on the first day of Start of Spring, he will have good luck in the future. 7. 赏梅Appreciating plum blossoms 绽放在冬末的梅，是春天的信号。立春观梅，更感几分春意之近。梅花在梅花因其不畏严寒的特性而备受推崇。在中国，梅、兰、竹、菊被誉为“花中四君子”。 The plum blossom, as it fights against the cold, is the most highly regarded. In China, the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are praised as the four gentlemen of Chinese flowers. 六、与“春”相关的英语素材 1. Spring fever “Spring fever”字面意思看，像是“春天感冒”。其实Spring fever和感冒并没有关系。 先来看英文解释“a lazy or restless feeling often associated with the onset of spring”，翻译过来就是“春天到来时懒惰或焦躁不安的情绪。有些地方也翻译为“春困”。 例句：My students have spring fever and don’t want to do their homework now that it’s warmer outside. 2. Spring into action “Spring into action”一般翻译为“立即行动”。下面我们看一下英文解释： To begin doing something or become active suddenly and very quickly. 英文解释给我们传达出了主动（active）的含义，而且是突然地、迅速地。也就是说这种立即行动是一种突然的自主行为。由此可以看出，我们直接看英文解释更能理解其真正的含义。 举例：Firefighters need to be able to spring into action at a moment's notice. 3. A spring in one's step A spring in one’s step 一般翻译为“轻快的步伐”。下面我们看一下英文解释： A cheerful attitude, positive mood and enthusiasm 从这个英文解释中可以看出，是因为心情很好，所以脚步非常轻快。这个短语中的spring可以理解成“弹簧”，步伐里有弹簧，走起路来当然很轻快。 例句：My children walked with a spring in their step after I told them we would get ice cream on the way home. 七、立春诗词 1. 咏柳 [唐]贺知章 碧玉妆成一树高，万条垂下绿丝绦。 不知细叶谁裁出，二月春风似剪刀。 The Willow Tree The slender tree is dressed in emerald all about; Thousands of branches droop like fringes made of jade. But do you know by whom these slim leaves are cut out? The wind of early spring is sharp as scissor blade. (许渊冲 译) 2. 春晓 [唐]孟浩然 春眠不觉晓，处处闻啼鸟。 夜来风雨声，花落知多少。 Spring Morning This spring morning in bed I’m lying, Not to awake till the birds are crying. After one night of wind and showers, How many are the fallen flowers? (许渊冲 译) 3. 春思 [唐]李白 燕草如碧丝，秦桑低绿枝。 当君怀归日，是妾断肠时。 春风不相识，何事入罗帏？ A Faithful Wife Longing for Her Husband in Spring With Northern grass like green silk thread,Western mulberries bend their head. When you think of home on your part， Already broken is my heart. Vernal wind, intruder unseen， O how dare you part my bed-screen！ (许渊冲 译) 4. 春日 [宋]朱熹 胜日寻芳泗水滨，无边光景一时新。 等闲识得东风面，万紫千红总是春。 A Spring Day I seek for spring by riverside on a fine day. O what refreshing sight does the boundless view bring! I find the face of east wind in an easy way: Myriads of reds and violets only reveal spring. (许渊冲 译) 八、立春小贴士 春天到来，大自然开始恢复生机。和庄稼一样，从这天起人体也开始新的一轮复苏。应该经常打开窗户，促进空气流通，加强室外锻炼，增强免疫力。 When spring comes, the natural world is revitalizing and all things are flourishing. Same to the crops, human bodies also start a new round of growth from this day. People should open the windows more frequently to allow the air to circulate and take more physical exercises to enhance their immunity. 来源 | 综合自网络 版权归原作者所有，如涉及版权问题，请及时与我们进行联系。 |
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