“夏至”是中国传统二十四节气中的第十个节气，但却是最早被确定的一个节气。夏至是夏季的第三个节气。古时又称“夏节”、“夏至节”。“日北至，日长之至，日影短至，故曰夏至。至者，极也。”夏至之名由此而来。夏至这天，太阳直射地面的位置到达一年的最北端，几乎直射北回归线（北纬23°26'），北半球的白昼达到最长，且越往北昼越长。
“夏至”节气的英文翻译为：
Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice不只是中国的节气，很多国家都会庆祝。
我们来看看如何用英文描述夏至这一节气，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. Xiàzhì (pīnyīn), literally "Summer Solstice" in English, is the 10th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 90° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 105°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 90°, which in the Gregorian calendar is usually around June 21. This year, it falls on June 21.传统农历将一年划分为24个节气。拼音为Xiàzhì，英文为Summer Solstice，是一年中第10个节气。它始于太阳到达黄经90°，结束于太阳到达黄经105°。它更常指的是太阳正处于黄经90°的日子，在公历中，通常在6月21日左右。今年是在6月21日。Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads. They are: first pentad, second pentad and last pentad. Pentads in Xiazhi include:每个节气可分为三候：初候、次候和末候。芒种的三候为：First pentad 初候:
鹿角解
Deer shed their hornsSecond pentad 次候:
蝉始鸣
Cicadas begin to singLast pentad 末候:
半夏生
The mid summer herb is producedAt this time, much of the northern hemisphere receives the most hours of daylight, but it does not bring the hottest temperatures which will come only 20 to 30 days later.此时，北半球大部分地区的日照时间最长，但不会带来最热的气温，最热的气温只会在20到30天后出现。On the Summer Solstice itself, daylight lasts the longest for the whole year in the northern hemisphere. After this day, daylight hours get shorter and shorter and temperatures become higher in the northern hemisphere.在夏至这一天，北半球全年的白天最长。这一天过后，北半球的白天越来越短，气温也越来越高。After the summer solstice, the ground is heated strongly and the air convection is strong. Thunderstorms are often formed from afternoon to evening. This kind of hot thunderstorm comes and goes suddenly, and the rainfall range is small.夏至以后地面受热强烈，空气对流旺盛，午后至傍晚常易形成雷阵雨。这种热雷雨骤来疾去，降雨范围小。Summer Solstice was an important festival in ancient China. As early as the Han Dynasty, when the Mid-autumn Festival and the Double Ninth Festival were not as important as they are today, the Summer Solstice was already celebrated. Before the Qing Dynasty, people even had a one-day holiday on Summer Solstice. According to Song Dynasty records, officials could have three days off during the Summer Solstice.夏至在中国古代是一个重要的节日。早在汉代时，中秋节和重阳节还没有今天那么重要，人们就已经庆祝夏至了。清朝以前，人们甚至在夏至放假一天。据宋代记载，夏至期间官员可休假三天。To celebrate Summer Solstice, women gave colored fans and sachets to each other. Fans could help them cool down and the sachets could drive away mosquitoes and make them smell sweet.为了庆祝夏至，妇女们互相赠送彩扇和香包。扇子可以帮助它们降温，香囊可以驱走蚊子，让它们闻起来很香。There is a saying in some northern provinces which goes, "eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice and eat noodles on Summer Solstice." People in many areas eat chilled noodles on this day, while other people around China have traditions of eat different special food.北方一些省份有句俗话叫“冬至饺子夏至面”，许多地方的人在这一天吃凉面，而其他地方的人则有吃不同特色食物的传统。Now it's your time to open your mouth and practice!Have fun learning English!
