小年为中国传统文化中的节日，由于各地风俗不同，被称为小年的日子也不尽相同，中国民间有“官三民四船五”的传统，官家的小年是腊月二十三，百姓家是腊月二十四，水上人家则是腊月二十五。我们北方地区的习俗是腊月二十三过小年，南方是腊月二十四过小年。
由于国外不过“小年”，所以在讲解这个文化点时需要考虑翻译的用语，以下关于“小年”文化的英文介绍，供大家参考。
小年
【off year】——出自《汉英大辞典》，是目前使用最普遍的翻译，但是这个翻译却并不贴切，因为off year在英文解释中表示“非大选年”的意思，被中国人转义为“小年”，同时off year在英文中还指果树、竹子的歉收年，所以off year的译法与我们中国小年的祭灶习俗等活动完全是风马牛不相及。
【a lunar year (in which the last month has 29 days)】——出自《上海译文汉英大辞典》，指农历腊月是小建的年份，也就是说，农历腊月只有29天，没有年三十的年份。同时《外研社汉英双语现代汉语词典》中也有类似解释。
【festival on the 23rd or 24th of the 12th month of the lunar year, when sacrifices are made to the kitchen god】——出自《汉英词典》 意思是节日，腊月二十三或二十四日，旧俗这天祭灶
【xiǎo nián】——音译，汉语拼音。
下面再来看看官媒对小年是如何翻译的。
可以看出，小年的英文表达为Little New Year或者Minor New Year，而Little New Year 这个表达更为广泛一些。
学习了小年的英文表达，再来和朴普一起学一学有关小年习俗的英文表达。
小年是中国传统文化中的节日，除了祭灶仪式外，前前后后还有许多风俗。如扫尘、贴对联、剪窗花等。
灶王爷 The Kitchen God
小年最具特色的风俗就是"祭灶神"，具体来说就是将旧的灶神像烧掉，送"灶神"上天去禀报这家人在过去一年的善恶。大年三十的晚上，人们将新的灶神像贴在灶台旁，也就是"接灶"。这样，"灶王爷"就能在新的一年继续庇佑这一家人。
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
（图片来自人民日报官博）
写春联
Write Spring Festival Couplets
小年前后，家家户户都开始写春联、贴春联。春联由上联、下联、横批三部分组成，因为上联一般贴在大门左边，所以可以用the left scroll来表达，相应的下联用the right scroll来表达，横批一般都在最上面，可以说the top scroll。
春联也是人们对生活美好、吉祥如意的一种期盼。
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
剪贴窗花是较为盛行的民俗活动。窗花的种类多种多样，且惟妙惟肖，如喜鹊登梅、狮子滚绣球、二龙戏珠、莲年有鱼等。
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.
洗浴理发 Bath and Haircut
民间有一个"有钱没钱，剃头过年"的说法。大人、小孩都要洗浴理发，以一个新的面貌迎接新年。
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.
腊月二十四
扫尘 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.
祭灶后，人们便开始大扫除，扫尘除灾，以迎祥纳福。扫尘也是辞旧迎新，求的是万象更新的新年新气象。
（图片来自人民日报官博）
腊月二十五
糊窗户、磨豆腐 Pasting Window Paper and Making Tofu
纸糊窗户的时代已经过去，所以如今这习俗已经被擦玻璃取代。而豆腐音同“头福”，被视为能够为新年带来福气的好食材，要为过年做准备，今天就要开始磨豆自制豆腐了。
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.
（图片来自人民日报官博）
腊月二十六
割年肉、置年货 Preparation of Meat and Shopping for the Spring Festival
在物质不丰富的年代，大多寻常人家要到年节期间才能吃得丰富一些。割年肉主要指准备春节的肉食，实际上也代表各种年货可以从这一天开始置办，除了鱼、肉，还有烟酒瓜果以及礼品、装饰等。
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.
（图片来自人民日报官博）
腊月二十七
洗浴、赶集 Bating and Going to the Market
汉族传统民俗中，在这天要洗澡、洗衣，以除去一年的晦气，准备迎接来年的新春。赶集，除了担负置办年货的任务，也能提前感受过年的热闹气息。
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.
（图片来自人民日报官博）
腊月二十八
发面、贴春联 Leaving Dough and Pasting Spring Couplets
准备了肉食配菜后，也要准备主食。北方以面为主食，发好面，可以在春节期间蒸馒头或者做面条等食物。这一天也是将春联、年画贴出来的日子。以简洁的文字和喜庆的图案迎接春节、抒发愿望，也意味着春节正式拉开帷幕。
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.
（图片来自人民日报官博）
腊月二十九——小除夕
祭祖 Paying Tribute to Ancestors
过年的准备工作将在除夕前一天的今天全部完成。除此之外，祭祖也是这天的重要活动，以在春节这最重要的节日表达感恩与思念。
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.
（图片来自人民日报官博）
现在从小年到二十九的习俗表达大家都记住了吗？下次跟歪果仁聊天的时候可千万别怯场了，大胆地给他们介绍咱们的中国传统文化吧！
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