“立秋”是二十四節(jié)氣中的第13個節(jié)氣，是秋季第一個節(jié)氣。于每年公歷8月7-9日交節(jié)。此時，北斗七星的斗柄指向西南，太陽到達黃經(jīng)135°。廿四節(jié)氣反映了四時“氣”的變化，立秋是陽氣漸收、陰氣漸長，由陽盛逐漸轉變?yōu)殛幨⒌墓?jié)點。立秋，也意味著降水、濕度等，處于一年中的轉折點，趨于下降或減少；在自然界，萬物開始從繁茂成長趨向蕭索成熟。

“立秋”節(jié)氣的英文翻譯為：

Start of Autumn/Fall

或：

Beginning of Autumn/Fall

我們來看看如何用英文描述立秋這一節(jié)氣，學會用英文講述節(jié)氣的故事，傳播中國文化。The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Lìqiū (pīnyīn), literally "start of autumn") is the 13th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 135° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 150°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 135°, which in the Gregorian calendar is around August 7. This year, it falls on August 7.傳統(tǒng)農(nóng)歷將一年劃分為24個節(jié)氣。大暑，拼音為Lìqiū，英文為start of autumn，是一年中第13個節(jié)氣。它始于太陽到達黃經(jīng)135°，結束于太陽到達黃經(jīng)150°。它更常指的是太陽正處于黃經(jīng)135°的日子，在公歷中，通常在8月7日左右。今年是在8月7日。

Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads. They are: first pentad, second pentad and last pentad. Pentads in Liqiu include:每個節(jié)氣可分為三候：初候、次候和末候。立秋的三候為：First pentad 初候: 

涼風至

Cool wind comesSecond pentad 次候: 

白露降

White dew falls

Last pentad 末候: 

寒蟬鳴

Cold cicadas chirp

Liqiu signifies the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The fruitful season is approaching.立秋象征著夏天結束，秋天來臨。碩果累累的季節(jié)即將來臨。Start of Autumn is the time when Yang Qi gradually recedes and Yin Qi gradually grows. Start of Autumn also means that precipitation and humidity are at the turning point of the year and tend to decline or decrease. In nature, all things begin to mature.

立秋是陽氣漸收、陰氣漸長之時。立秋，也意味著降水、濕度等，處于一年中的轉折點，趨于下降或減少；在自然界，萬物開始趨向成熟。Although Start of Autumn indicates the beginning of autumn, hot weather will not come to an end. The period of hot days after Start of Autumn, usually lasting for 30 days, is called "Autumn Tiger." Because of decreasing precipitation, it is even more sweltering during this period than during Major Heat.雖然立秋意味著秋天的開始，但炎熱的天氣不會結束。立秋后的炎熱時期通常持續(xù)30天，被稱為“秋老虎”。由于降水量減少，這一時期的悶熱程度甚至比大暑時更高。

Start of Autumn is a big solar term for farmers. It is time to gather crops. There is a saying: "If it rains on the day of the Start of Autumn, a good harvest is expected."

立秋對農(nóng)民來說是一個大節(jié)氣。是收割莊稼的時候了。有一句諺語說：“立秋有雨樣樣收?！監(jiān)n the first day of the Start of Autumn, usually people will weigh themselves and compare their weight to what it was at the Start of Summer. If one has lost weight during the summer, then at the beginning of autumn, he or she needs to flesh out by eating many different kinds of delicious food, especially meat, which is called "fleshing out in autumn."

在立秋的第一天，人們通常會稱量自己的體重，并將自己的體重與立夏時的體重進行比較。如果一個人在夏天瘦了，那么在立秋時，他或她需要吃很多不同種類的美味食物，尤其是肉來長胖，俗稱“貼秋膘”。

On the day of the Start of Autumn, there are different customs all over China. In Hangzhou, people eat peaches. In Shandong province, people make dumplings during the Start of Autumn, and they call it "Eating the Autumn". In the south, there is a custom of "eating autumn melons on the Start of Autumn". This period is harvest time for Taiwan longan. People believe that eating longan will help their descendants become senior officials. 

立秋這一天，中國各地有不同的習俗。在杭州，人們在立秋這一天吃桃子。在山東省，人們在立秋時包餃子，他們稱之為“吃秋”。在南方有“立秋啃秋瓜”的習俗。立秋是臺灣龍眼的收獲期。人們相信吃龍眼有助于他們的后代成為高官。

The practice of "Shaiqiu," or "Autumn Basking," is a folk tradition unique to farmers in certain mountainous areas. On the Start of Autumn day, locals dry their harvests and produce in the sun to preserve the food.“曬秋”是一些山區(qū)農(nóng)民特有的民間傳統(tǒng)。立秋日，當?shù)厝嗽陉柟庀聲窀墒粘珊娃r(nóng)產(chǎn)品來保存食物。

最后我們再來復習一下二十四節(jié)氣的英文名稱：

Start of Spring 立春Rain Water 雨水Awakening of Insects 驚蟄Vernal Equinox 春分Clear and Bright 清明Grain Rain 谷雨

Start of Summer 立夏Grain Full 小滿Grain in Ear 芒種Summer Solstice 夏至Minor Heat 小暑Major Heat 大暑

Start of Autumn 立秋Limit of Heat 處暑White Dew 白露Autumnal Equinox 秋分Cold Dew 寒露Frost Descent 霜降

Start of Winter 立冬Minor Snow 小雪Major Snow 大雪Winter Solstice 冬至Minor Cold 小寒Major Cold 大寒

Now it's your time to open your mouth and practice!張開嘴巴練起來！Have fun learning English!