如何用英语介绍“清明节”？
FLTA
外语教师联盟
教学互动价值平台
关注
备课I答疑I资讯
教学中总有些东西值得分享
@外语教师联盟
作为节日的清明节、和作为节气的清明节，它们的英文说法是不同的——
作为节日的清明节一般翻译为"Tomb Sweeping festival"或者"Tomb-sweeping Day"，扫墓节或扫墓日。这个翻译着重强调了清明节的重要习俗“扫墓”。这种说法的好处是，老外一听就能大概明白这个节日的背后含义。
也有人把清明节翻为"All Souls-Day"，这是一种站在对方文化角度考虑做出的翻译因为"AllSouls'Day"在西方是确实存在的节日，一般称为“万灵日”。这是一个宗教节日，在有的教派里甚至不止一天。教会会在这一天为那些去世后无法进入天 堂的信徒祈祷，希望他们早日进入天堂。其基本意义和清明节相似，也是祭奠死者的节日。
另外再谈到作为节气的清明，它被译为"Clear and Bright"，清洁和明亮。我们也不难发现，这种译法强调的是清明时节的气候状况，和其他节气的翻译出发点一致。比如立夏被译为"Summer begins"、小寒、大寒分别被译为"Slight cold"和"Great cold"。
分清了清明节的英文说法，下面看看它的起源故事吧——
起源
Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zitui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains.
谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子推。据历史记载，在两千多年以前的春秋时代，晋国公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艰苦，跟随他的介子推不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥。后来，重耳回到晋国，作了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子推拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。
Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子推孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子推母子烧死了。为了纪念介子推，晋文公下令每年的这一天，禁止生火，家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，这就是寒食节的来源。
The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, sometime should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zitui who choose death over capitulation.
寒食节是在清明节的前一天，古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子推的习俗也变成了清明扫墓的习俗了。无论以何种形式纪念，为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，我们应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史，当然，还要学习介子推宁死不屈的气节。
2
习俗
1、
Tomb Sweeping 扫墓
The major custom in Qingming Festival is tomb sweeping. On this day, people visit their family graves to remove any underbrush that has grown. They would uproot weeds near the gravesites, wipe the tombstones and decorate the tombstones with fresh flowers. And then they will set out offerings of food and paper money.
清明节的主要习俗是扫墓。在这一天，人们都会前往他们的家族墓地进行拜祭。他们会铲除墓地周围的杂草，擦拭墓碑，以及用鲜花装饰墓碑。然后，放置贡品和烧纸钱。
2、
Spring Outing 春游、踏青
Not only it is a day for commemorating the dead, is it also a festival for people to enjoy themselves. During March, everything in nature takes on a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly. It is a fine time to go out and to appreciate the beautiful scenes of nature during the festival. Spring outings not only add joy to life but also promote a healthy body and mind.
清明节不仅仅是一个纪念故人的节日，人们也可以在这一天进行娱乐活动。在3月份，大自然焕然一新，树木变绿，花朵绽放，阳光普照。节日期间，大家可以好好地去感受一下自然的魅力。春游不仅能给生活带来愉悦，同时也可以促进身体和心灵的健康。
3、
Flying Kites 放风筝
Flying kites is an activity favored by many people during the Qingming Festival. Kites are not only flown at day time but also in the evening. Little lanterns are tied to the kite or to the string that holds the kite. And when the kite is flying in the sky, the lanterns look like twinkling stars that add unique scenery to the sky during the night. What makes flying kites during this festival special is that people cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly free. It is said that this brings good luck and that diseases can be eliminated by doing this.
在清明节期间，许多人都喜欢放风筝，无论白天还是晚上。将小灯笼系在风筝或放风筝的绳子上，当风筝在空中飞舞时，灯笼看起来像闪烁的星星，会给夜晚的天空增加一些独特的风景。清明节放风筝的特别之处，是当风筝被放飞到高空时，人们会将风筝线剪段，让它自由飞翔，据说这样可以带来好运和消除疾病。
4、
Planting Willow Trees 插柳
Because Jie Zitui died embracing a willow tree, the willow is believed to have miraculous powers against evil. During the Qingming Festival, willow branches are hung on door fronts and used to sweep the tombs.
因为介子推死的时候抱着一棵柳树，所以柳树被认为拥有一种可以对抗邪恶的神奇力量。清明时节，人们会将柳枝挂在门前，或拿柳枝进行扫墓。
5、
Swinging 荡秋千
During the Ming Dynasty, swinging was a desig-nated recreation on Tomb Sweeping Festival. According to the Annals of the Ming Court, this day was also called Swing Festival, when swings were suspended in the Hall of the Forbidden City and in all the residential complexes where palace ladies resided. Ladies of the imperial household wore colorful silks especially made for the occasion, and amused themselves on swings.
明朝期间，荡秋千是清明节的一个指定的娱乐活动。根据明朝的史册记载，清明节也被称为秋千节，这一天紫禁城的大厅和宫中女子们居住的地方都会挂上秋千，她们穿着节日特制的五彩缤纷的丝绸衣服，在秋千上玩耍逗乐。
3
美食
1、
Green rice ball 青团
People in the Jiangnan region often eat this kind of green colored balls made from glutinous rice on Tomb Sweeping Day. The green color is from the juice of brome grass that is added in the rice.
江南地区的人们经常在清明节食用这种由糯米制成的绿色团子。由于糯米中混合雀麦草汁，所以团子呈绿色。
2、
San zi 馓子
In both Northern and Southern China, it is a trad-ition to eat san zi, or fried dough twist, on Tomb Sweeping Day. The differences between san zi made by Northern and Southern people lie in sizes and materials. The former one is larger, often made from wheat and the latter is finer and made from rice.
在中国，无论是北方还是南方，都有清明食用馓子（通过油炸面粉制成）的传统。差别在于北方馓子以麦面为主料，体积较大；而南方馓子则以米面为主料，更为精细。
3、
Thin pancake 薄饼
People in Xiamen in Fujian province often have thin pancakes on Tomb Sweeping Day. Dried seaweed, omelette, veggies and chili sauce are added in the pancakes to enhance the flavor.
福建厦门的人在清明节时常常食用薄煎饼。薄饼中加入紫菜、煎蛋、蔬菜和辣椒酱，会更加美味。
4、
Spring onion and omelette大葱和蛋饼
On Tomb Sweeping Day, there is a tradition to eat spring onion and omelette in Qingdao in Shandong province. People believe these two kinds of food can improve eyesight and make eyes brighter. In old times, pupils often send eggs to their teachers to show respect on the day.
清明节的时候，山东青岛的人们有一种吃大葱和蛋饼的传统。人们相信这两种食物可以改善视力，使眼睛更为明亮。过去，学生经常在清明节送鸡蛋给老师，以表敬意。
5、
Cudweed herb rolls 清明果
The best time to pick fresh cudweed herb is aro-und Tomb Sweeping Day. The herb is often added in veggie rolls or dumplings and consumed on the day. In South China, people add the wild plant also in steamed buns.
清明节前后，是采摘新鲜鼠曲草（清明草）的最佳时机。当天，人们会在蔬菜卷或饺子里加入鼠曲草当作馅料。在华南地区，人们还将这种野菜加在馒头里面。
6、
Steamed rice with leaf mustard芥菜蒸米饭
In many places in eastern Fujian province, people often steamed rice with leaf mustard on Tomb Sweeping Day to prevent scabies and other skin diseases.
在福建省东部的许多地方，人们经常在清明节时用芥菜蒸米饭，以预防疥疮等皮肤病。
7、
Zitui bun 子推馍
The steamed bun is named after Jie Zitui, a famous hermit of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC). Often each Zitun bun weighs 0.5kg and many colorful dough animals and flowers are decorated on the bun. Eggs and jujubes are added inside the bun to increase the sweetness. People in northern Shaanxi province have the tradition to eat this kind of bun on Tomb Sweeping Day.
子推馍以春秋时代（公元前770~476）的著名隐士介子推命名。每个子推馍重量约500克，馍上有许多五颜六色的面团动物和花朵装饰物。馍中通常会加入鸡蛋和枣来提升甜度。陕北的人们有在清明节食用子推馍的习俗。
8、
Ai ban 艾粄
To Hakka people in China, ai ban, rice dumplings made from worm wood and rice, is a necessary dish on Tomb Sweeping Day. They blend wormwood paste and glutinous rice powder together and add sesame, peanuts and black-eyed beans. After steaming the dumplings for 15-20 minutes, the food is ready.
对于客家人来说，用艾草和糯米制成的艾粄是清明节必备的食物之一。将艾草汁和糯米粉混合在一起，加入芝麻、花生和眉豆，蒸上15到20分钟后，艾粄就做好了。
清明节英文词汇
day of sacrifice 祭祀节日
offer sacrifices to ancestors 祭祖/上供
condolence 哀悼之情
hell note/joss paper 纸钱
funeral supplies/products 殡葬用品
funeral services 殡葬服务业
mortician 殡仪业者
burn incense 焚香
tomb-sweeping 扫墓
tomb sweeper 扫墓的人
kite flying 放风筝
spring outing 踏青
god's lantern 神灯
memorial tablet 纪念碑
willow branches inserted on each gate
门旁插柳
cremation urn 骨灰盒
mourning ceremony 哀悼仪式
inhumation 土葬
cremation 火葬
sea-burial 海葬
boat-coffin burial 船棺葬
tree burial 树葬
celestial burial 天葬
flower burials 花葬
filial piety 孝顺 孝心
Day of the Dead
(亡灵节，墨西哥传统节日，
人们通过守灵、上供等方式祭奠逝去的亲人。)
清明节英文例句
为什么我们在清明节要扫墓啊 ?
Why must we go and sweep the tomb on Tomb Sweeping Day?
清明节的时候，我们去为忠烈扫墓。
In early April, we went to sweep the martyrs' graves.
你清明节有放假吗?
Do you have holidays on Tomb Sweeping Festival?
清明节对中国人来说是一个很重要日子。
Tomb-sweeping day is an important day for chinese.
写出了清明节的特殊气氛。
Write the tomb-sweeping day special atmosphere.
清明节我们放假三天。
We have three days free on Tomb-sweeping Day.
清明节在中国大陆地区是法定节假日。
The Qingming Festival is a statutory public holiday in mainland China.
随着时间的推移，寒食也为清明节所替代。
Over time, Hanshi Day was replaced with tomb-sweeping day.
四月份的清明节期间，对原该县百姓开放。
It reopened to former residents during Qingming, or tomb-sweeping day, in April.
在这个追思逝者的清明节，人们却更多地感受到了生命的力量、生命的顽强，他们表达着来自同胞的关爱与对国家救援的赞赏。
In this Tomb Sweeping Day for memorizing the deceased, people nevertheless sensed more of the power of life and showed great concern to their compatriots and great compliment to our state’s rescue.
清明节是扫墓拜祭先人的日子。
The Qingming Festival in spring is the occasion for visiting ancestral graves.
据中国传统习俗，人们通常在清明节放风筝。
According to our traditions and customs, flying kites usually happen at the QingMing Festival.
重阳节登山和清明节扫墓等民俗应当被铭记，因为它们是中国文化遗产不可或缺的组成部分。
Folk customs like climbing a mountain during the Double Ninth Festival orcleaning the tombs during the Qingming Festival deserve to be remembered asthey are integral part of the Chinese heritage.
清明节是一个纪念祖先的节日。
Qing Ming is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed.
人们在清明节会怎样过?
How do people celebrate Qingming Featival?
随着中国人在一年一度的清明节期间祭祀先人，公墓及殡葬服务价格暴涨成为激起民愤的一个焦点问题。
As millions paused to honor their ancestors during the annual Tomb-Sweeping Festival, the increasing cost of cemetery plots and funerals has become a focusof national anger.
周一是中国传统的清明节，人们在这一天祭奠逝去的亡灵。
Monday was China's traditional "Tomb-Sweeping Day", when people mourn theirdead.
每年4月4-6日左右的清明节是传统的扫墓的日子。
Qingming Day, the traditional tomb-sweeping day, falls on April 4-6 each year.
随着清明节的到来，全国各地的人们都在怀念和哀悼逝去的亲友。
People around China commemorated deceased relatives and friends as theQingming Festival begins。
整理 I Jane
编辑 I Joyce
图片| 摄图网
内容 I 大山外语
-END-
推荐阅读
点击“阅读原文”了解更多