清明节又叫踏青节，是我国重要的传统节日。从二十四节气上讲，它又是节气之一。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。作为中国人，对于这些从小看大的习俗我们当然不会陌生，可如果问你 “清明” 用英文怎么讲、你就未必知道了吧！
首先我们要清楚的是：作为节日的清明节、和作为节气的清明节，它们的英文说法是不同的。
作为节日的清明节一般翻译为 "Tomb Sweeping festival" 或者 "Tomb-sweeping Day"，扫墓节或扫墓日。这个翻译着重强调了清明节的重要习俗 “扫墓”。这种说法的好处是，老外一听就能大概明白这个节日的背后含义。
也有人把清明节翻译为 "All Souls' Day"，这是一种站在对方文化角度考虑做出的翻译。因为 "All Souls' Day" 在西方是确实存在的节日，一般称为 “万灵日”。这是一个宗教节日，在有的教派里甚至不止一天。教会会在这一天为那些去世后无法进入天堂的信徒祈祷，希望他们早日进入天堂。其基本意义和清明节相似，也是祭奠死者的节日。
另外再谈到作为节气的清明，它被译为 "Clear and Bright"，清洁和明亮。我们也不难发现，这种译法强调的是清明时节的气候状况，和其他节气的翻译出发点一致。比如立夏被译为 "Summer begins"、小寒、大寒分别被译为 "Slight cold" 和 "Great cold"。
我们人耳熟能详的一首关于清明的诗就是：
清明
杜牧
清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。
这首杜牧《清明》各种英文翻译版本也有很多：
许渊冲译
A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day.
The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot 'mid apricot flowers.
吴伟雄译
It drizzles thick and fast on the Mourning Day,
The mourner travels with his heart lost in dismay.
When asked for a wineshop to kill his gloomy time,
A cowboy points at Almond Hamlet far away.
万昌盛、王僴中译
The ceaseless drizzle drips all the dismal day,
So broken-hearted fares the traveler on the way.
When asked where could be found at avern bower,
A cow boy points to yonder village of the apricot flower.
清明节是一个特殊的日子，在这一天生者为他们死去的亲朋献上敬意。(Tomb-Sweeping Day falls on April 4th or 5th. This is a special day for the living to show their love and respect for dead friends and relatives.)每逢清明时节，中国人会去扫墓祭祖，在祖先坟前献上祭品、鲜花，烧些纸钱。有的人还会写悼文，缅怀逝去的亲人。
说到 “纸钱”，英语中是怎么表述的呢?大家可能第一时间想到的就是 paper money。不过字面上它是 “纸钱” 的意思，实际上 paper money 的意思是 “纸质货币”，与 metal money(金属货币)相对应，不是烧给死者的纸钱噢!那么，烧给死者的 “纸钱” 怎么表达呢?可以用 joss paper 或 hell bank notes 表示。
除了传统的祭祀方式，近年来，“绿色祭扫” 逐渐成为人们扫墓的一种新趋势。不仅经济环保，还避免了烧纸钱等传统方式带来的火灾隐患。“绿色祭扫” 的方式有很多，如网上祭扫(online tomb-sweeping)和网络纪念馆(Internet memorial)等。
清明节词汇
day of sacrifice 祭祀节日
offer sacrifices to ancestors 祭祖/上供
condolence 哀悼之情
hell note/joss paper 纸钱
funeral supplies/products 殡葬用品
funeral services 殡葬服务业
mortician 殡仪业者
burn incense 焚香
tomb-sweeping 扫墓
tomb sweeper 扫墓的人
kite flying 放风筝
spring outing 踏青
god's lantern 神灯
memorial tablet 纪念碑
willow branches inserted on each gate 门旁插柳
cremation urn 骨灰盒
mourning ceremony 哀悼仪式
inhumation 土葬
cremation 火葬
sea-burial 海葬
boat-coffin burial 船棺葬
tree burial 树葬
celestial burial 天葬
flower burials 花葬
filial piety 孝顺 孝心
Day of the Dead(亡灵节，墨西哥传统节日，人们通过守灵、上供等方式祭奠逝去的亲人。)
清明节例句
为什么我们在清明节要扫墓啊?。
Why must we go and sweep the tomb on Tomb Sweeping Day?
清明节的时候，我们去为忠烈扫墓。In early April, we went to sweep the martyrs' graves.
你清明节有放假吗?Do you have holidays on Tomb Sweeping Festival?
清明节对中国人来说是一个很重要日子。Tomb-sweeping day is an important day for Chinese.
写出了清明节的特殊气氛。Write the tomb-sweeping day special atmosphere.
清明节我们放假三天。We have three days free on Tomb-sweeping Day.
随着时间的推移，寒食也为清明节所替代。Over time, Hanshi Day was replaced with tomb-sweeping day.
四月份的清明节期间，对原该县百姓开放。It reopened to former residents during Qingming, or tomb-sweeping day, in April.
在这个追思逝者的清明节，人们却更多地感受到了生命的力量、生命的顽强，他们表达着来自同胞的关爱与对国家救援的赞赏。In this Tomb Sweeping Day for memorizing the deceased, people nevertheless sensed more of the power of life and showed great concern to their compatriots and great compliment to our state’s rescue.
清明节是扫墓拜祭先人的日子。The Qingming Festival in spring is the occasion for visiting ancestral graves.
据中国传统习俗，人们通常在清明节放风筝。According to our traditions and customs, flying kites usually happen at the QingMing Festival.
重阳节登山和清明节扫墓等民俗应当被铭记，因为它们是中国文化遗产不可或缺的组成部分。Folk customs like climbing a mountain during the Double Ninth Festival orcleaning the tombs during the Qingming Festival deserve to be remembered asthey are integral part of the Chinese heritage.
清明节是一个纪念祖先的节日。Qing Ming is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed.
随着中国人在一年一度的清明节期间祭祀先人，公墓及殡葬服务价格暴涨成为激起民愤的一个焦点问题。As millions paused to honor their ancestors during the annual Tomb-Sweeping Festival, the increasing cost of cemetery plots and funerals has become a focusof national anger.
周一是中国传统的清明节，人们在这一天祭奠逝去的亡灵。Monday was China's traditional "Tomb-Sweeping Day", when people mourn theirdead.
每年4月4-6日左右的清明节是传统的扫墓的日子。Qingming Day, the traditional tomb-sweeping day, falls on April 4-6 each year.
随着清明节的到来，全国各地的人们都在怀念和哀悼逝去的亲友。People around China commemorated deceased relatives and friends as theQingming Festival begins.
审编 杨斯琦
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