立冬是中国传统二十四节气中的第十九个节气。立冬的英语表达也很简单，就是：Start of Winter，也可以用Beginning of Winter。
The Beginning of Winter is the 19th of the Twenty-four Solar Terms. It is the first Solar Term in the winter season, which marks the beginning of this season. It is called the “four beginnings” along with the Beginning of Spring, the Beginning of Summer and Beginning of Autumn. This term suggests that leaves would fall and wither, and everything is about to lie dormant.
立冬，是二十四节气的第十九个节气，代表着冬季的开始，是冬季的第一个节气。立冬与立春、立夏、立秋合称“四立”。立冬，意味着草木凋零，万物进入休养状态。
For this solar team, the Chinese character “立”, can be understood easily, which means “the beginning”. However, the second character “冬”, is not just about “winter”. Instead, it refers to “the end; the storage of everything”. In other words, after autumn, the corps have already been harvested, sunned and stored while animals are also getting ready for hibernation. Therefore, the Beginning of Winter means that the winter has arrived; everything has gone into storage; and one should be aware of the coldness.
立冬中的“立”易于理解，指“建立、开始”。不过“冬”可不仅仅指冬天，而是指“终也，万物收藏也”。意思是说秋季作物全部收晒完毕，收藏入库，动物也已藏起来准备冬眠。因此，立冬表示冬季开始，万物收藏，归避寒冷的意思。
In ancient times, the Chinese people took the Start of Winter to be the beginning of the winter. However, in fact, the Start of Winter is not the beginning of winter in terms of meteorology. The climate every year is different, so the beginning of winter could be quite different. And with the vast territory of China, winter of every area doesn’t begin at the same time.
古时人们将立冬视作冬天的开端，然而，受地理环境和纬度因素影响，农历的“立冬”并不是气象学上冬季的开始。每年的气候条件不同，所以实际入冬的时间就有差异。再加上中国幅员辽阔，各地冬季开始的时间并不一致。
Water begins to freeze – the initial stages of water bodies freezing over.
一候水始冰：水面初疑，未至于坚也。
The earth begins to harden.
二候地始冻：土气凝寒，未至于坼。
Pheasants enter the water for clams.
三候雉入大水为蜃。
1、迎冬仪式
The beginnings of the four seasons were important festivals in ancient times. Before the Start of Winter, the ancient emperor would take a shower and have no more meat. On that day, the emperor would lead his officials to the suburbs and perform the ceremony of "welcoming the winter".
古时，“四立”都是重要的节日。立冬之前，帝王会沐浴斋戒，到了节日当天，将率领百官到郊外举行迎冬仪式。
2、饺子的由来
A legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing saved many people in Henan province from a typhoidepidemic and their ears’ from being frostbitten around Start of Winter.
相传在东汉(公元25-220年)末年，“立冬”前后，很多河南省的老百姓患上了伤寒，耳朵被冻伤，“医圣”张仲景知道后巧施妙法帮老百姓治好了伤寒和耳冻。
He cooked mutton, hot peppers and herbs to dispel the cold and increase body heat. He wrapped these ingredients into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape. Since then, people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling". Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten".
张仲景用羊肉、辣椒和草药煮熟来祛寒暖身。他把这些材料包在面皮里，做成耳朵的形状。自那以后，人们就学会了“饺子”的做法。如今，民间还流传着“立冬不端饺子碗，冻掉耳朵没人管”的俗语。
3、补冬
On the first day of Start of Winter, there is a custom, "nourishing the winter", in Southeast China in places such as Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan provinces. To prepare for the oncoming cold winter, people there like to eat high-calorie food such as chicken, duck, beef, mutton, and fish, which are usually stewed with the four Chinese medicines: angelica, ligusticum wallichii, Chinese herbaceous peony and rehmannia glutinosa libosch, to enhance the effectiveness of the nourishment.
为御寒，在中国东南部的一些地方比如福建、广东、台湾等地，流行在立冬这一天“补冬”。人们食用鸡鸭鱼肉以及牛羊肉等高热量的食物，为即将到来的寒冬做准备。在烹煮时通常会加入中国传统的四味中药：当归，川芎，芍药以及地黄来增加食物的食补功效。
4、祭祖
The Start of Winter, when the autumn crops have been placed in storage, was the time of the festival for the people of the Manchu Eight Banners and Han Eight Banners in Benxi of Liaoning province. Incense was burned and sacrifices offered to ancestors. The Eight Banners (baqi) were administrative/military divisions during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
“立冬”表示秋粮已入库，这个季节就是辽宁本溪当地满族八旗和汉八旗人家烧香祭祖的节日。八旗制度是中国清代(公元1644-1911年)的行政以及军事制度。
5、吃团子
On the first day of Start of Winter, people in Wuxi have a custom of eating tuanzi, a kind of traditional Chinese food made with rice. At this time, the autumn grain crops have just been sold on the market, and the tuanzi made by the newly-harvested crops tastes delicious. Most rural residents make tuanzi by themselves, while urban residents buy ready-made tuanzi. The tuanzi stuffing can be sweet bean paste, radish or lard.
在立冬的第一天，无锡人有吃团子的习俗，团子是一种用大米做成的中国传统食物。此时，秋粮刚刚上市销售，新收获的作物做的团子味道鲜美。大多数农村居民自己制作团子，而城市居民购买现成的团子。团子馅可以是豆沙、萝卜或猪肉。
6、仫佬族依饭节
Yifan Festival is one of the most important festivals of the Mulam ethnic minority in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It is held around the Start of Winter every three to five years and lasts one to three days. The festival includes inviting the god, offering sacrifices, asking the god to enjoy the sacrifice, singing praise of the god, drinking wine with the blood of chicken, and sending the god off.
依饭节是广西壮族自治区仫佬少数民族最重要的节日之一。该节日大约每三到五年举行一次，持续一到三天。这个节日的项目包括邀神、献祭、请神享受献祭、唱赞美神的歌、用喝鸡血酒、奉神而去。
7、吃南瓜
In Tianjin, on the first day of Start of Winter, people eat dumplings stuffed with Chinese pumpkins (wogua). It is a common vegetable in North China. Generally, the pumpkins are bought in the summer and stored until the Start of Winter when they are taken out.
在天津，在立冬的第一天，人们吃南瓜饺子(倭瓜)。它是中国北方常见的蔬菜。一般来说，南瓜是在夏天买好，然后储存到冬天开始的时候再取出来。
8、酿黄酒
The history of Shaoxing rice wine dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is a tradition in Shaoxing to begin making rice wine around the Beginning of Winter.
绍兴黄酒的记载最早可以追溯至春秋战国时期，在当地有立冬时节开始酿酒的传统习俗。
The period from the Beginning of Winter to the Beginning of Spring is known as "winter brewing". The Shaoxing people believe that the low temperatures in winter render water clearer and more refreshing, resulting in sweeter and tastier wine.
从立冬到第二年立春的这段时期被称为“冬酿”，绍兴人认为冬季的低气温能让水体更清冽，酿出来的酒水更清甜可口。
It becomes colder and colder when winter comes.
立冬了，天越来越冷。
Unconsciously, already is the beginning of winter I wish friends already autumn wind winter can be happy.
不知不觉，已是立冬了;祝朋友们秋风已过的冬天会快乐。
It is now after the beginning of winter, and less sunlight radiation, and is very suitable for outdoor sun sai.
现在已是立冬过后了，太阳光的辐射少了，是很适合户外嗮太阳的。
Because Beginning of Winter is at the turn of seasons, in the northern China, Beijing and Tianjin in particular, people prefer to eat Jiaozi on the day.
因为立冬是秋冬季节之交，在北方，特别是老北京人、天津人都爱吃饺子。
Start of Spring, Start of Summer, Start of Autumn and Start of Winter show the starts of the four seasons.
立春、立夏、立秋、立冬则反映了四季的开始。
It is not particularly uncommon for Hangzhou to have thunderstorm after "Lidong"( one of Chinese solar terms meaning the beginning of winter).
“立冬”过后出现雷雨，也不算特别少见。
1. freeze
vi. 冻结;冷冻;僵硬 n. 冻结;凝固;
例句：
(1) If the temperature drops below 0°C, water freezes.
如果气温降到零度以下，水就会结冰。
(2) When we freeze water,it turns into ice.
当我们冷冻水的时候，水变成冰。
freeze的引申义就是“严寒”，这时它有两种形式：freezing和frozen。
2. freezing 极度寒冷
freezing也可以说成freezing cold。可以用来形容人或人的身体部位，也可以用来形容其他事物。
例句:
(1) We were freezing cold in the tent last night.
昨天晚上我们在帐篷里太冷了。
(2) I had to wait for hours on the freezing cold station platform.
我得在极度寒冷的站台上等几个小时。
3. frozen 冻结的，冷酷的
frozen也可以说成frozen stiff，专门用来形容人或人的身体部位。
例句：
(1) He put one hand up to his frozen face.
他把一只手伸向他冻僵的脸。
(2) After walking through the snow, my feet were frozen stiff.
从雪地里走过后，我的脚都冻僵了。
4. chill寒冷的;冷漠的
例句：
Walking home in the snow, we got chilled to the bone.
我们蹚着雪往家走，快要冻僵了。
5. chilly 寒冷的，怕冷的
例句：The bathroom gets chilly in winter. 冬天，浴室变得很冷。
6. frosty结霜的，严寒的;冷淡的;灰白的
例句：
It was a cold and frosty(天寒地冻) morning.
这是一个天寒地冻的早晨。
7. parky(天气、空气)寒冷的
例句：
It's a bit parky outside today. 今天外面有点冷。
8. icy 冰冷的;冷淡的;结满冰的
例句：
She opened the window and I was hit by an icy blast of air(冷风).
她打开窗户，一阵冷风向我袭来。
9. frigid 寒冷的，严寒的， 冷淡的
例句：
Frigid winds blew from the north. 寒风从北方吹来。
10. coldness 寒冷，冷淡
例句：
The icy coldness of the water revived her. 水刺骨的寒冷使她苏醒过来。
1. freeze to death 冻死
解析：这个短语可以表示“极度寒冷”，是一种夸张的说法，和中文的“冷死了”对应;也可以表示真正的冻死。
例句：
Two men froze to death/were frozen to death on the mountain.
有两个人在山上冻死了。
2. It's freezing / chilly out there. 外面冷死了!
解析：
freezing 作形容词用时表示“严寒的”“极冷的”“使人打冷颤的”。
chilly 作形容词使用，表示“(天气)寒冷的”。
类似表达：
(1) It's freezing cold! 冷的出奇!
(2) I'm frozen stiff. 我冻僵了。
3. I can't stop shivering from the cold. 我冷得不停打哆嗦。
解析：
can't stop doing 忍不住做某事，情不自禁做某事;
shivering 原形：shiver 颤抖、哆嗦;
当冷到一定程度时，我们身体的某些部分就会开始出现“症状”。用这些“症状”来表达寒冷的感受，会很native哟!
类似表达：
(1) I'm freezing my toes off. 我脚趾都要冻掉了。
(2) My teeth are chattering. 我的牙齿在颤动。
4. The wind is bone-chilling. 真是寒风刺骨啊!
解析：bone-chilling 合成词，形容词，冷得刺骨的
类似表达：
The wind just cuts right through you. 风简直是直接穿过身体。
There is drizzle but no frost. In the garden, leaves are half green, half yellow.
细雨生寒未有霜，庭前木叶半青黄。
The pond is shallower, full of withered lotus. The west wind becomes the north wind.
落水荷塘满眼枯，西风渐作北风呼。
If the wheat is covered with three layers of quilts at the beginning of winter, then in the coming year, the farmer will sleep on a pillow of buns.
立冬麦盖三层被，来年枕着馒头睡。