立秋是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第十三个节气，标志着夏日的结束和秋天的到来。所以立秋的英文表达为Start of Autumn，是不是很简单？
尽管立秋的到来预示着凉爽秋日的开始，但酷热的天气并未完全结束，“秋老虎”的威力不容小觑。
The period of hot days after Start of Autumn, usually lasting for 30 days, is called “Autumn Tiger” or “Indian Summer”. Because of the decreasing precipitation, it is even more sweltering during this period than during Major Heat.
立秋之后的高温天气通常会持续30天左右，这就是人们所说的“秋老虎”。由于降雨量减少，这段时间甚至比大暑时更加闷热。
Autumn Tiger：秋老虎
sweltering：闷热的
立秋对农民来说是非常重要的收获时节。
There is a saying that goes: “If it rains on the day of the Start of Autumn, a good harvest is expected.”
俗话说：“立秋雨淋淋，遍地是黄金。”
每逢提到节气节日，大伙儿思来想去都绕不开一个“吃”字。那立秋应该吃些什么呢？一起来看看吧。
浙江杭州一带有立秋当天吃桃子的习俗，桃肉有止渴生津的功效，桃核也有一番妙用。
The peach stones are kept until New Year's Eve, thrown into the stove and burned into ash. People believed that in this way, plagues could be prevented for the whole year.
桃核会被一直保存到除夕夜，然后放到炉子里烧成灰。人们认为这样可以保护自己全年不受瘟疫侵害。
山东人会在立秋时包饺子吃，俗称“咬秋”，有道是“立秋的饺子入伏的面”。立秋之后，三伏天也快过完了。在炎炎三伏天里，大多数人会有些食欲不振，因而会变得清瘦一些。立秋后，就需要进补啦，饺子就是不错的选择。
On the day of Start of Autumn, senior members of the family will stand in the middle of the hall, worshiping a bowl of cereal, and praying for the harvest in autumn. Most of the families will eat dumplings together.
立秋当天，年纪稍长的人会在堂屋正中，供一只盛满五谷杂粮的碗，祈求五谷丰登。而大多数人家会围在一起 “咬秋”。
清朝年间，人们会在立秋前把瓜在外面挂上一天，然后在立秋这天吃掉，以达到祛暑养生的效果。
Today people in Tianjin still keep this custom, believing that eating melons such as towel gourd, white gourd and bitter gourd can prevent diarrhea in autumn and the coming winter and spring.
如今天津人依然保留着这个习俗，他们认为吃丝瓜、冬瓜、苦瓜等瓜类，能在秋季和即将到来的冬春季预防腹泻。
gourd [ɡɔːrd]：葫芦
立秋当天，人们通常会称重，看看经过夏天体重有什么变化。进而决定是否进补鸡鸭鱼肉来“贴膘”，好抵御即将到来的降温。
If one has lost weight during the summer, then at the beginning of autumn, he or she needs to flesh out by eating many different kinds of delicious foods, especially meat.
如果在夏天期间体重变轻了，那么在秋天到来的时候，就需要多吃不同的美食，特别是肉，来“贴秋膘”。
转自|中国日报双语新闻
校对|刘久龙 张顺坤 苗宸熙
审核|李佳 王潇 潘辉
