小年為中國傳統文化中的節日，由於各地風俗不同，被稱為小年的日子也不盡相同，中國民間有“官三民四船五”的傳統，官家的小年是臘月二十三，百姓家是臘月二十四，水上人家則是臘月二十五。我們北方地區的習俗是臘月二十三過小年，南方是臘月二十四過小年。
由於國外不過“小年”，所以在講解這個文化點時需要考慮翻譯的用語，以下關於“小年”文化的英文介紹，供大家參考。
小年
【off year】——出自《漢英大辭典》，是目前使用最普遍的翻譯，但是這個翻譯卻並不貼切，因為off year在英文解釋中表示“非大選年”的意思，被中國人轉義為“小年”，同時off year在英文中還指果樹、竹子的歉收年，所以off year的譯法與我們中國小年的祭灶習俗等活動完全是風馬牛不相及。
【a lunar year (in which the last month has 29 days)】——出自《上海譯文漢英大辭典》，指農曆臘月是小建的年份，也就是說，農曆臘月只有29天，沒有年三十的年份。同時《外研社漢英雙語現代漢語詞典》中也有類似解釋。
【festival on the 23rd or 24th of the 12th month of the lunar year, when sacrifices are made to the kitchen god】——出自《漢英詞典》 意思是節日，臘月二十三或二十四日，舊俗這天祭灶
【xiǎo nián】——音譯，漢語拼音。
下面再來看看官媒對小年是如何翻譯的。
可以看出，小年的英文表達為Little New Year或者Minor New Year，而Little New Year 這個表達更為廣泛一些。
學習了小年的英文表達，再來和樸普一起學一學有關小年習俗的英文表達。
小年是中國傳統文化中的節日，除了祭灶儀式外，前前後後還有許多風俗。如掃塵、貼對聯、剪窗花等。
灶王爺 The Kitchen God
小年最具特色的風俗就是"祭灶神"，具體來說就是將舊的灶神像燒掉，送"灶神"上天去稟報這家人在過去一年的善惡。大年三十的晚上，人們將新的灶神像貼在灶臺旁，也就是"接灶"。這樣，"灶王爺"就能在新的一年繼續庇佑這一家人。
One of the most distinctive traditions of the Little New Year is the burning of a paper image of the Kitchen God. The Kitchen God is then welcomed back by to the home through the pasting of a new paper image of him beside the stov
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
寫春聯
Write Spring Festival Couplets
小年前後，家家戶戶都開始寫春聯、貼春聯。春聯由上聯、下聯、橫批三部分組成，因為上聯一般貼在大門左邊，所以可以用the left scroll來表達，相應的下聯用the right scroll來表達，橫批一般都在最上面，可以說the top scroll。
春聯也是人們對生活美好、吉祥如意的一種期盼。
During the Little New Year,people write Spring Festival scrolls, which are made up of the left scroll, the right scroll, and the top scroll.
剪窗花 Paper-cut for window
剪貼窗花是較為盛行的民俗活動。窗花的種類多種多樣，且惟妙惟肖，如喜鵲登梅、獅子滾繡球、二龍戲珠、蓮年有魚等。
The paper-cut for windowdecoration is one of the most distinctive traditions of the Little New Year in China. There are various kinds of paper-cuts, including animals and plants and so on.
洗浴理髮 Bath and Haircut
民間有一個"有錢沒錢，剃頭過年"的說法。大人、小孩都要洗浴理髮，以一個新的面貌迎接新年。
As the old Chinese saying goes, whether they're rich or poor, people often have a haircut before the Spring Festival. The activity of taking bath and haircut is often taken on the Little New Year to meet the New Year's arrival.
臘月二十四
掃塵 Dusting
After worshipping the kitchen god, people begin to thoroughly clean their houses to sweep away bad luck and welcome good luck. Dusting shows the good wish of putting away old things and welcoming a new life, making everything look fresh in the new year.
祭灶後，人們便開始大掃除，掃塵除災，以迎祥納福。掃塵也是辭舊迎新，求的是萬象更新的新年新氣象。
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
臘月二十五
糊窗戶、磨豆腐 Pasting Window Paper and Making Tofu
紙糊窗戶的時代已經過去，所以如今這習俗已經被擦玻璃取代。而豆腐音同“頭福”，被視為能夠為新年帶來福氣的好食材，要為過年做準備，今天就要開始磨豆自制豆腐了。
The times for pasting window paper are gone. Nowadays, the tradition is replaced by cleaning windows. Tofu is homophonic with "Toufu (first fortune of the year)", so it is considered as a good food which brings happiness. In order to prepare it for the Spring Festival, people should begin to grind beans and make tofu today.
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
臘月二十六
割年肉、置年貨 Preparation of Meat and Shopping for the Spring Festival
在物質不豐富的年代，大多尋常人家要到年節期間才能吃得豐富一些。割年肉主要指準備春節的肉食，實際上也代表各種年貨可以從這一天開始置辦，除了魚、肉，還有菸酒瓜果以及禮品、裝飾等。
When there was insufficient food in the past, the majority of ordinary people could enjoy a comparatively lavish feast only during the Spring Festival can be started on the day. Besides meat and fish, people also purchase cigarettes, wines, fruits, gifts and festive ornaments.
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
臘月二十七
洗浴、趕集 Bating and Going to the Market
漢族傳統民俗中，在這天要洗澡、洗衣，以除去一年的晦氣，準備迎接來年的新春。趕集，除了擔負置辦年貨的任務，也能提前感受過年的熱鬧氣息。
According to the traditional folk customs of the Han ethnic group, people should take a bath and do their washings to get rid of bad luck from the past year and welcome the new year. Besides the purpose of purchasing goods, people also go shopping to enjoy the exciting atmosphere of the Spring Festival in advance.
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
臘月二十八
發麵、貼春聯 Leaving Dough and Pasting Spring Couplets
準備了肉食配菜後，也要準備主食。北方以面為主食，發好面，可以在春節期間蒸饅頭或者做麵條等食物。這一天也是將春聯、年畫貼出來的日子。以簡潔的文字和喜慶的圖案迎接春節、抒發願望，也意味著春節正式拉開帷幕。
Besides meat and side dishes, people also prepare cooked wheaten food for the Spring Festival. People in north China mainly eat noodles. They leaven dough, steam buns or cook noodles during the Spring Festival. Today, people also paste spring couplets and pictures. With concise texts and festive patterns, people show their welcome for the Spring Festival. In addition, these activities indicate that the Spring Festival begins.
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
臘月二十九——小除夕
祭祖 Paying Tribute to Ancestors
過年的準備工作將在除夕前一天的今天全部完成。除此之外，祭祖也是這天的重要活動，以在春節這最重要的節日表達感恩與思念。
Preparation for the Spring Festival should be completed today, the day before New Year's Eve. Worshipping ancestors is also a major event on this day, by which people express their gratitude and yearning for their ancestors during the important festival.
（圖片來自人民日報官博）
現在從小年到二十九的習俗表達大家都記住了嗎？下次跟歪果仁聊天的時候可千萬別怯場了，大膽地給他們介紹咱們的中國傳統文化吧！
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