大寒是二十四節(jié)氣中最后一個節(jié)氣，每年1月20日前后太陽到達黃經(jīng)300°時為“大寒”。大寒，是天氣寒冷到極點的意思?！妒跁r通考·天時》引《三禮義宗》:“大寒為中者大寒，上形于，故謂之大……寒氣之逆極，故謂大寒?！?/p>

英文版大寒的由來和風俗

大寒時節(jié)，由于寒潮向南移動，天氣變得十分嚴寒。據(jù)現(xiàn)代氣象觀測顯示，大寒時，中國一些地區(qū)并不比小寒時寒冷，但在某些沿海地區(qū)，全年最低溫度依然出現(xiàn)在大寒期間。

During Major Cold, as the cold current moves southward, the weather becomes bitterly cold. Although modern meteorological observation shows that in some regions of China the weather during Major Cold is not colder than Minor Cold, the lowest temperatures of the whole year still occur in the Major Cold period in some coastal areas.

在中國的一些地區(qū)，大寒時人們經(jīng)常爭相去買芝麻秸，因為有句老話講：“芝麻開花節(jié)節(jié)高”，這句話常被用來描述生活水平的不斷提高，或思想、學習、技能方面的穩(wěn)步提升。

In some areas of China, people always fall over each other in eagerness to buy sesame straw during this period because of the old saying, "Rise joint by joint like sesame flowers on the stem." This saying is used to describe either ever-rising living standards or making steady progress in thought, studies or skills.

消寒糕的主要原料是糯米，其含糖量比大米高，可使人感到全身暖和。漢語中“年糕”和“年高”發(fā)音相同，寓意著吉祥如意、年年高升。

Sticky rice, the cake's major ingredient, contains more sugar than rice, which can make people feel warm all over their bodies. In Chinese, the word "rice cake" has the same pronunciation with the word "higher in a new year", which symbolizes good luck and continual promotion.

大寒節(jié)氣的特點

大寒節(jié)氣雨量增加、防寒防凍

常年大寒節(jié)氣，中國南方大部分地區(qū)雨量僅較前期略有增加，華南大部分地區(qū)為5至10毫米，西北高原山地一般只有1至5毫米。華南冬干，越冬作的這段時間耗水量較小，農(nóng)田水分供求矛盾一般并不突出。

不過“苦寒勿怨天雨雪，雪來遺到明年麥”。在雨雪稀少的情況下，不同地區(qū)按照不同的耕作習慣和條件，適時澆灌，對小麥作物生長無疑是大有好處的。這時期寒潮南下頻繁，是我國大部地區(qū)一年中的相當冷時期，農(nóng)業(yè)上要加強牲畜和越冬作物的防寒防凍。