“小暑”是中国传统二十四节气中的第十一个节气，夏天的第五个节气，表示季夏时节的正式开始。暑，表示炎热的意思，小暑为小热，意指天气开始炎热，但还没到最热。这种气候，在中国大部分地区基本符合。
“小暑”节气的英文翻译为：
Minor Heat
或：
Slight Heat
我们来看看如何用英文描述小暑这一节气，学会用英文讲述节气的故事，传播中国文化。
The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Xiǎoshǔ (pīnyīn), literally "Minor Heat" in English, is the 11th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 105° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 120°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 105°, which in the Gregorian calendar is around July 7. This year, it falls on July 7.传统农历将一年划分为24个节气。小暑，拼音为Xiǎoshǔ，英文为Minor Heat，是一年中第11个节气。它始于太阳到达黄经105°，结束于太阳到达黄经120°。它更常指的是太阳正处于黄经105°的日子，在公历中，通常在7月7日左右。今年是在7月7日。Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads. They are: first pentad, second pentad and last pentad. Pentads in Xiaoshu include:每个节气可分为三候：初候、次候和末候。小暑的三候为：First pentad 初候:
温风至
Warm wind comesSecond pentad 次候:
蟋蟀居宇
Cricket lives in the wallLast pentad 末候:
鹰始鸷
Eagle begins to learn huntingMinor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive.It is a season of storms, thunder and hail, and in some years there might be droughts. One of the prevailing farming activities during Minor Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief.这个季节多发暴风雨、雷鸣和冰雹，在某些年份可能会有干旱。小暑最主要的农事活动之一就是防汛抗旱。It is the season for fresh fruit, including all kinds of melons. When summer heat hits, people lose their appetites. Sweet fruits, expecially watermelons, definitely become a seasonal favorite.这个季节新鲜水果上市，包括各种瓜类。当夏季酷热来袭，人们会失去食欲。甜美的水果，尤其是西瓜，当然就成为了这个季节的最爱。It is also a season for the lotus. The lotus flower fully blossoms, while its roots are fresh and tender. Poetic Chinese not only appreciate the beauty of the lotus, but also make its root into delicious dishes. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the lotus root can clear the lungs and relieve heat, so dishes cooked with lotus roots are highly recommended by doctors.这也是荷花的季节。荷花盛开，而莲藕（它的根）新鲜水嫩。富有诗意的中国人不仅欣赏荷花的美，而且把它的根做成美味的菜肴。中医认为莲藕能清肺解热，所以用莲藕烹调的菜肴是医生极力推荐的。In the past, having fresh grains was one of the main traditions among the folks in China. People ground the new rice and wheat into flour and make various kinds of cakes and noodles, which can be shared by neighbors and villagers to express their wish for a good harvest. The pronunciation of having fresh grains in Chinese resembles the sound of surviving hardship, which means going through hardship.在过去，民间有小暑“食新”的习俗。人们把新的大米和小麦磨成面粉，做成各种糕点和面条，供邻居和村民分享，以表达他们对丰收的祝愿。“食新”的发音在中文中同“食辛”，意味着吃掉一年的辛苦。During the Minor Heat period, with the longest amount of sunlight and the strongest sunlight radiation, many families hang their clothes and bedding out in the sun to prevent mildew.小暑期间，日照时间最长，太阳辐射最强，许多家庭把衣服和被褥晾晒在阳光下，以防霉变。Now it's your time to open your mouth and practice!Have fun learning English!
