The north wind was biting, and heavy snow was falling.
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history
In the Chinese lunar calendar, 朔 marks the new moon (when the moon is invisible), while 望 (wàng) marks the full moon (15th day). These terms have been used in Chinese astronomy for over 2,000 years.
usage
朔 meaning 'north' is literary/archaic. 朔风 (shuòfēng, north wind) and 朔方 (shuòfāng, the north) appear in classical texts and poetry but not in everyday speech.