清明节是我国重要的传统节日,它是唯一一个节日和节气并存的日子，可见古人对这一天的重视程度。
今天口语君就给大家说一说有关清明节的英语知识。
01
清明节≠Qingming Festival
说到清明节，你可能想到的是Qingming Festival。但这种说法是错误的。
festival有两层含义：①宗教的祭祀活动 ②又唱又跳的庆祝活动
Jewish festival 犹太教节日
a rock festival 摇滚音乐节
清明节并不属于这两者范围，像这类较为庄严的其实可以用Day来表示，比如Mother's Day 母亲节；清明节是祭祀祖先亡灵的日子，我们经常会扫墓。所以叫做：
Tomb-sweeping Day 清明节
又因“清”“明”二字皆为描述天气的词语，所以“清明”的英语表达也可以为 Clear and Bright。
顺便说一句，过清明节可别用celebrate表示，celebrate是庆祝的意思，和清明节氛围不搭。我们可以用 observe 表示： to observe Tomb-sweeping Day.
清明节常用词汇
Commemorate
缅怀、纪念
In memory/remembrance of
以纪念，以缅怀
In memory/remembrance of
以纪念，以缅怀
Mourn for
悼念、哀悼
Honour the memory of
缅怀
02
清明节主要做些什么？
清明节习俗甚多，全国各地因地域文化不同而又存在着习俗内容上或细节上的差异，各地习俗虽不尽相同，但扫墓祭祖、踏青是共同基本礼俗主题。
祭祖
清明祭祖（worshiping ancestors）的传统可以追溯到古代，唐朝朝廷专门在此期间设定“节假日”以供子民祭祀先祖，该传统不断延续，在现代社会也有着举足轻重的影响。
Cleaning the tombs and paying respect to the dead with offerings are the two important practices to remember late relatives. Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care for the dead. The dead person's favorite food, wine and chopsticks are offered on their tombs, along with paper money.
扫墓和献上供品对逝者表示敬意，是两种纪念逝去亲友的重要习俗。为表示对逝者的关怀，墓边的杂草被清除并盖上新鲜的土壤。逝者最喜欢的食物、酒和筷子连同纸钱一起被供奉在墓边。
tip：倡导文明祭扫，不要随意燃烧物品，以防引起火灾。
Sweep the tomb 扫墓
burn joss paper 烧纸钱
visit the cemetery 去墓园
pay respect to remember them 追思故人
We need burn joss paper and sweep the tomb on the Tomb-sweeping Day.清明节的时候需要烧纸钱和扫墓。
春游
清明时节除了祭祖，也是春游的好时光。有诗云：“梨花风起正清明，游人寻春半出城。”在温润的微风中，当循着草木的气息，外出寻找春天的足迹，强身健体又心情舒畅。
As trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly, everything returns to life. It is a fine time to appreciate the beauty of nature. This custom can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476BC) and Warring States Period (475 – 221BC).
清明正值草木复苏，百花齐放，阳光普照，万物焕发生机之时，正是欣赏自然之美的大好时机。这一习俗可以追溯到春秋战国时期。
03
如何表达“孝”的概念
英语中有一个词可以表达孝道：
Filial piety 孝道
Pious 恭敬
但是并不常用，要表示“孝顺”，不如这么说：
Respect your parents 孝顺父母
Honor your parents 尊敬父母，重视父母
Be big on family 重视家庭
Family guys 把家庭看的很重的人（一般指男性）
04
说人去世不能用die
英语中除了用die这个比较直接的说法表示“死”以外，其实也有不少委婉的表达方式。
1. pass away
His uncle passed away last week.
他的叔叔上周去世了。
2. lose one's life
一般指由于意外事故、战争等不可抗力而造成的死亡，为意外死亡。
How did he lose his life?
他是怎么死的？
3. depart
也是死亡的委婉说法，意思是灵魂离开了肉体的存在去往另一个世界了。
Comrade Zhou Enlai finally departed from us.
周恩来同志和我们永别了。
4.”be gone”
也可以表达过世的意思。
I still can't accept that fact that he is gone.
我还是不能接受他去世的事实。
5. go to meet one’s Maker
注意这个Maker要大写，有造物主的意思，所以去见造物主了就是灵魂回归了，也就是死亡的委婉说法，就像我们也会说某人“去见马克思了”。
He knew that he came into the world with nothing and that he would go to meet his Maker with empty hands.
他知道他是一无所有的来到世上，也将会两手空空的离开人间。
pass away 去世
be gone 过世
be left 离世
I lost someone 失去了某人
someone is in a better place 去了更好的地方
rest in peace 安息
另外我们表示葬礼也不说funeral，而是a celebration of life 生命的仪式，更显得尊重。
05
清明节有哪些食俗
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。
San zi 馓子
In both Northern and Southern China, it is a tradition 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。
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。
Cudweed herb rolls 清明果
The best time to pick fresh cudweed herb is around 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。
Green rice ball 青团
San zi 馓子
Thin pancake 薄饼
Spring onion and omelette 大葱和蛋饼
Cudweed herb rolls 清明果
Steamed rice with leaf mustard 芥菜蒸饭
Zitui bun 子推馍
Ai ban 艾粄
06
清明古诗词
牧童遥指杏花村。
借问酒家何处有，
路上行人欲断魂。
清明时节雨纷纷，
唐 杜牧
《清明 》
许渊冲版
A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wine shop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot mid apricot flowers.
drizzle v. 下毛毛雨
mourning n. 悼念
drown vt. 浇灭，把……淹没
mid prep. 在……之中
apricot flower 杏花
许渊冲老师的译作押aabb韵，韵脚是day, way；hours, flowers，读起来朗朗上口，尤其是第一句，非常有趣。我们汉语中说“泪如雨下”，可以译作Tears fall like rain. 或者直接说 Tears rain. 在许老的译作中清明节“雨如泪下”，有效地烘托了清明节哀而不伤的氛围。