小寒

xiǎohán

noun

Meanings

1 Xiaohan
2 Lesser Cold (23rd of the 24 solar terms, around Jan 5-20)

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

小寒之后就是一年最冷的时候。

Xiǎohán zhīhòu jiùshì yì nián zuì lěng de shíhou.

After Xiaohan comes the coldest time of the year.

HSK 7-9

小寒节气，北方开始下大雪。

Xiǎohán jiéqì, běifāng kāishǐ xià dàxuě.

At the Xiaohan solar term, heavy snow begins in the north.

HSK 7-9

俗话说：小寒胜大寒。

Súhuàshuō: xiǎohán shèng dàhán.

As the saying goes: Lesser Cold is actually colder than Greater Cold.

Tips

culture

23rd of the 24 solar terms, around January 5-6. Paired with 大寒 (Greater Cold) as the final pair. In practice 小寒 is often colder than 大寒 in northern China, hence the proverb 小寒胜大寒.

usage

The 小/大 (lesser/greater) pattern also marks 小暑/大暑 (Lesser/Greater Heat) and 小雪/大雪 (Lesser/Greater Snow) - each pair straddles the extreme point of a season.

Stroke Order

小 xiǎo

寒 hán