小
满
二十四节气
“小满”是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第八个节气。这个时期，农作物的颗粒开始变得饱满，但并未完全成熟，因而叫做“小满”，英文可译作Grain Buds。
Grain Buds, (Chinese: 小满), the 8th solar term of a year, begins on May 21 this year, and ends on June 4. It means that the seeds from the grain are becoming full but are not ripe.
小满吃什么
春末夏初，经历了一整个冬天的积累，正是鱼虾肥美的季节。
小满期间，夏收就要开始了。这个时期关于降雨有句谚语：“小满大满江河满”。
During the Grain Buds period, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, "A heavy rainfall makes the river full."
由于降雨量大增，河水被灌满，鱼虾长得大而肥美。此时正是吃鱼虾的好时机，也是渔民们的丰收季。
Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water, which makes fish and shrimp big and fat. This is a good time to eat fish and shrimp. It is also harvest season for fishermen.
小满时节的桑葚紫得发黑，晶莹透亮，酸酸甜甜的汁水里流淌着这个时节特别的味道。
中国谚语道：“小满桑葚黑”，由此可见，小满也是吃桑葚的好时候。
A Chinese proverb says, "Mulberries become black during the Grain Buds period." Thus it is a good season to eat mulberries.
“小满之日苦菜秀”，苦菜具有清热、凉血、消炎的作用，“食苦菜”也从单纯的充饥需要变成了一种民俗。
小满是吃苦菜的时节。苦菜是中国最早的可食用野菜之一，尝起来有点酸苦，但不失清甜，具有清热解毒的功效。
Grain Buds is a season for eating the herb of the common sow thistle, which is one of the earliest edible potherbs in China. It tastes a little bitter and tart, but also sweet. It has the function of cooling the blood and detoxifying the body.
小满需注意
此外，小满期间气候湿热，也带来了些健康隐患，大家要格外注意养生。
高温和潮湿在小满期间很常见。这个季节的温度升高可能会导致荨麻疹、风湿病、汗斑、湿疹及其他皮肤病。
High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to nettle rash, rheumatism, sweat spots, eczema and other skin diseases.
高温多雨的天气有利于花草生长，但也是害虫生长的“温床”。在此期间，做好花卉管理很重要。
This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers. It is also a season when plant diseases and pests are at an all-time high, which makes growing flowers even more critical.
小满前后，煮茧缫丝的工作已经提上了日程。因蚕生性“娇弱”，不易存活，古人便寄希望于祭祀神灵来保佑蚕丝的丰收。
小满正是桑蚕结茧的时节，人们开始煮茧，准备纺车来缫丝。
During the Grain Buds season, silkworms have cocooned. People begin to cook cocoons and prepare the spinning wheel for reeling silk.
那些从事丝绸产业的人会准备贡品、举行表演来敬谢蚕神，祈求神明保佑丝织业的繁荣发展。
Those who engage in the silk industry thank the deity by offering sacrifices and staging performances. They pray to the deity for blessings and a boom season for the silk business.
