“小暑”是中国传统二十四节气(the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms)中的第十一个节气。“小暑”时节天气已步入炎热的阶段，但并未达到极热状态，因而其英文表达为Minor Heat。
Minor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive.
“小暑”标志着一年当中最炎热的时段渐渐逼近，但最酷热的时候还未到来。
小暑期间，防汛抗旱工作是重要农事活动。
One of the prevailing farming activities during Minor Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief.
stay on top of：掌握，知道
flood control and drought relief：防汛抗旱
“小暑大暑正清和，荷花香风透凉阁。”
盛夏时节，公园池塘中盛放的莲花身姿袅娜，像清风一般，拨开湿闷的暑气，直抵人心房。
In Minor Heat, high temperatures are good for the growth of the lotus flower. From Minor Heat to the Double Ninth Festival, the lotus flower is in full bloom, and always simple but elegant.
小暑时的高温很适合莲花的生长。从小暑到重阳节，莲花一直处于全盛花期，朴素而高雅。
Double Ninth Festival：重阳节
萤萤星光筑美梦
Minor Heat is the season when fireflies become lively. Zhu Shuzhen, a woman of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), once described in her famous poemSummer Fireflies a happy scene of children playing with fireflies in the woods at night.
小暑是萤火虫活跃的时节。南宋女诗人朱淑真在她著名的诗歌《夏萤》中，描绘了一幅孩童于林间夜戏萤火虫的美景。
晒伏
During the Minor Heat period, with the longest amount of sunlight and the strongest sunlight radiation, many families hang their clothes out in the sun to prevent mildew.
小暑期间，光照时间最长，辐射也处于最强状态，许多家庭会把衣物拿去晒太阳，防止发霉。
吃饺子
饺子是典型的家庭美食，我们冬至吃，春节也吃……现在告诉大家，小暑也要吃饺子，惊喜不惊喜?
When the "dog day" comes, people tend to lose their appetites, and dumplings can refresh people's feelings toward food.
当“三伏天”到来的时候，人们通常没什么胃口，而饺子可以唤起食欲。
dog day：三伏天(指一年中最热的时段)
注：三伏天，出现在小暑与处暑节气之间，是一年中气温最高且潮湿、闷热的日子。
凉凉的西瓜，你要吃一块嘛
One custom in Nanjing, Jiangsu province has to do with enjoying small melons on the day of Minor Heat and having big melons on the day of Major Heat. Small and big melons normally refer to cantaloupes and watermelons.
江苏省南京市有“小暑当天吃小甜瓜，大暑当天吃大甜瓜”的习俗。“小甜瓜”和“大甜瓜”通常指哈密瓜和西瓜。
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