【節慶英文】掃墓祭祖、吃潤餅、踏青放連假！清明節習俗和由來的英文怎麼說

文／許哲瑋

期待放假的各位上網搜尋 2024 連假時會發現，

今年竟然只剩清明和端午兩個連假了：（

（不過也有人認為不用補班是好事！）

說到清明節這個華人最重要的日子之一，你知道如何用英文將其介紹給外國朋友嗎？

這次就和 Engoo 一起來學習有關清明習俗和由來的英文說法吧！

Tomb-sweeping Day／Ching Ming Festival｜清明節

首先，「清明節」英文有兩種說法：

第一種是意譯成 “Tomb-sweeping Day”（掃墓日），注意 “tomb” 的讀法是 /tum/， “b” 不發音；

另一種是音譯成 “Ching Ming Festival” （或 “Qing Ming”）。

Long weekend of Tomb-sweeping Day｜清明連假

「連假」英文是 "long weekend"，因為通常連假都是連著週末一起，

可以記「提早放假」或「延後收假」，兩天的週末就變長了。

【補充】

National holiday｜國定假日

24 Solar Terms／Jie Chi｜24 節氣

清明節不同於其他中國傳統節日的一點是「日期」，

因為清明節不是看農曆，而是看「24 節氣」，時間在「春分後十五日」。

「24 節氣」的英文說法也有兩種：

第一種是意譯成 “24 Solar Terms”：因為 24 節氣是依照太陽運行位置編列，

所以英文可以用 “Solar”（太陽的）＋ “term”（期間）表示；

第二種是音譯成 “24 Jie Chi”，並搭配解釋：

“The year is equally divided into 24 segments that signify different natural phenomena based on the position of the sun.”

一年被分為 24 等分，根據太陽位置，象徵著不同自然現象。

Customs 習俗

下面就來看看怎麼用英文介紹清明節習俗吧！

To sweep the tomb/grave｜掃墓

“Tomb” 和 “grave” 差在前者特別指「重要人物」（像是秦始皇、法老王等）的陵墓，

而後者比較接近平民百姓那種外觀較為簡單的墳墓。

不過意譯「清明節」時，一般還是習慣用 “tomb” 喔！

【例句】

On the Ching Ming Festival, we sweep the graves of our ancestors to pay tribute to them.

在清明節，我們會掃祖先的墳墓以示對祂們的紀念。

【補充】

To pay tribute to｜紀念（某人）／向（某人）表示敬意

To worship the ancestor｜祭祖

除了掃墓外，我們也會透過燒紙錢、祭拜供品等方式「祭祖」，

英文可以用動詞 “worship” 表示「祭拜」，「祖先」則是 “ancestor”。

【例句】

Besides sweeping the grave, we also burn joss paper and offer food to worship our ancestors on the Tomb-sweeping Day.

在清明節，除了掃墓，我們也會透過燒金紙、拜供品等儀式來祭祖。

【補充】

Columbarium｜靈骨塔／納骨塔

Joss paper｜金紙

Lumpia／Spring roll｜潤餅／春捲

在清明節，最常見的食物是「潤餅」，或稱「春捲」，

英文可以用閩南話音譯 “lumpia”，或是直譯成 “spring roll”。

【例句】

Lumpias are sliced vegetables, dried tofu, and peanut powder wrapped in a thin wrapper like burritos, sometimes with meat or fried noodles.

潤餅就是將切絲蔬菜、豆乾及花生粉像捲餅一樣，包在餅皮裡，有時候會包肉或炒麵。

My grandma’s spring rolls are the best in the world!

我阿嬤做的春捲是全世界最好吃的！

【補充】

Cabbage｜高麗菜
Carrot｜胡蘿蔔
Wrapper｜餅皮

To place willow branches｜插柳枝

傳統上相信「柳樹」可以避邪，所以清明節時家家戶戶也會在門口插上柳枝以趨吉避凶。

柳樹的英文是 “willow tree”，而「枝」是 “branch”，複數字尾加 “es”。

【例句】

It is traditionally believed that placing willow branches at the door can help avoid evil.

傳統上相信在門口插上柳枝可以幫助避邪。

To go on an outing｜踏青

春天好不容易有了連假，一定要把握好天氣出去走走！

「踏青」英文是 “to go on an outing”。

【例句】

We’ve got to take advantage of the good weather! Let’s go on an outing.

我們一定要把握好天氣！去踏青吧！

The Origin of Ching Ming Festival 清明節的由來

We can’t talk about the Ching Ming Festival without mentioning the “Cold Food Festival,” which came one day before it:
說到清明節，就得提到在其前一天的「寒食節」：

Legend has it that during the Chunqiu Period of ancient China (770-481 BC), a prince of the Jin state named "Chong'er" was in exile due to political conflicts, suffering from hunger and coldness.
相傳在春秋時期，晉國公子「重耳」因亂流亡期間衣食匱乏、飢寒交迫。

When he felt the most desperate, a loyal follower named "Jie Zitui" cut flesh from his own thigh to feed him, helping him to survive.
窮途末路之時一位名為「介之推」的忠臣將自己的腿肉割下來給他吃，幫助他生存下來。

A while after Chong'er returned to his country to become Duke Wen of Jin, he remembered and wanted to repay Jie Zitui for his life-saving grace. However, it turned out Jie had retreated into the mountains.
後來重耳回國上位為晉文公後，想要答謝介之推的救命之恩，不料他已隱居山林。

When Duke Wen was troubled by Jie’s whereabouts, he gave orders to set the forest on fire to force him out, as one of his subordinates suggested, only to find Jie burnt to death hanging on a willow tree.
晉文公苦惱找不到恩人之時，一位下屬建議可以火燒森林將他逼出來，
於是晉文公真的下令放火，結果卻是看到介之推抱在柳樹上被燒死。

Out of remorse and in honor of his savior, Duke Wen ordered that on the day of Jie Zitui's death anniversary, no fire could be lit throughout the country, forcing his people to have only cold food. This day also became known as “Cold Food Festival,” which explains the tradition of eating cold spring rolls.

懊悔的晉文公為了紀念這位恩人，於是下令在介之推忌日當天全國不准放火、開火，
只能吃冷食，這天也被稱為「寒食節」，也就是為什麼要吃冷的春捲。

Coincidentally, the day after is the 'Ching Ming' of the twenty-four solar terms, which is also traditionally a time for the people to worship their ancestors.
剛好，隔一天就是二十四節氣上的「清明」，正好也是民間祭拜先祖的時候。

Gradually, the customs of the two festivals merged and are now celebrated together as what we know today as “Qingming Festival.”
後來漸漸地兩個節日習俗合併一起過，形成我們現在的「清明節」。

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希望看完這篇文章，各位有學會如何用英文向外國朋友介紹「清明節」了！

各位也好好把握今年為數不多的連假，和家人朋友好好相處吧！