老外不過小年，所以在英文中確實沒有小年的準確詞彙或釋義，多數都是中國人來進行定義和描述的短語或翻譯，下面皮卡丘介紹幾個國內常用的。
01、off year
這一解釋出於《漢英大辭典》，off year是目前使用最普遍的翻譯，但是這個翻譯卻並不貼切，因為off year在英文解釋中表示“非大選年”的意思，被中國人轉義為“小年”，同時off year在英文中還指果樹、竹子的歉收年，所以off year的譯法與我們中國小年的祭灶習俗等活動完全是風馬牛不相及。
02、a lunar year in which the last month has 29 days
這一解釋出於《上海譯文漢英大辭典》，意思指農曆臘月是小建的年份，也就是說，農曆臘月只有29天，沒有年三十的年份。同時《外研社漢英雙語現代漢語詞典》中也有類似解釋。
03、在《漢英詞典》中出現的對於小年的解釋：festival on the 23rd or 24th of the 12th month of the lunar year, when sacrifices are made to the kitchen god 意思是節日，臘月二十三或二十四日，舊俗這天祭灶。
對於小年用英語怎麼說，有人建議可以用Minor New Year，但New Year顯然不是春節的意思，似可考慮Minor Spring Festival或Minor Chinese New Year的說法。
有關小年用英語怎麼說，上述2和3都是中國文化用語，與陰曆曆法和傳統節日有關，使用拼音後接解釋性翻譯是比較通用的譯法。
04、小年”的六種民間習俗
①Offer sacrifices to Kitchen God 祭灶王
In one of the most distinctive traditions of the Little New Year is the burning of a paper image of the Kitchen God, dispatching the god's spirit to Heaven to report on the family's conduct over the past year. The Kitchen God is then welcomed back by to the home through the pasting of a new paper image of him beside the stove. From this vantage point, the Kitchen God will oversee and protect the household for another year.
“小年”最具特色的風俗就是“祭灶王”，具體來講就是將舊的灶王像燒掉，送“灶王”上天稟報這家人過去一年的善惡。大年三十的晚上，要在灶臺旁貼一張新的灶王像，也就是“接灶”。這樣，來年“灶王爺”就能繼續監督並庇佑這一家人。
Most of the offerings are sweets of various varieties. It is thought that this will seal the Kitchen God's mouth and encourage him to only say good things about the family when he ascends to heaven to make his report.
人們還會在祭灶時給灶王爺擺上多種甜點做貢品，認為這會堵住灶王爺的嘴，讓他上天彙報時只說好話。
②House cleaning 掃塵土
Between Laba Festival, on the eighth day of the last lunar month, and Little New Year, on the twenty-third day, families throughout China undertake a thorough house cleaning, sweeping out the old in preparation for the New Year. 從臘八到小年這段時間，中國大部分家庭都會徹底清掃房屋，“辭舊迎新”。
According to Chinese folk beliefs, during the last month of the year ghosts and deities must choose either to return to Heaven or to stay on Earth. It is believed that in order to ensure the ghosts and deities' timely departure people must thoroughly clean both their persons and their dwellings, down to every last drawer and cupboard.
根據中國民間習俗，鬼魂和神靈都要在臘月選擇返回天上還是留在人間。為了保證“他們”及時離開，人們必須徹底進行清掃，包括個人衛生和住所，抽屜和碗櫃的犄角旮旯也都要打掃乾淨。
③Eat Guandong candy 吃關東糖
Guandong candy, a sticky treat made out of glutinous millet and sprouted wheat, is a traditional snack that Chinese people eat on the Festival of the Kitchen God.
關東糖是用麥芽、小米熬製而成，是人們在小年吃的傳統小吃。
④ Paste paper-cuts to windows 貼窗花
In the Little New Year, old couplets and paper-cuts from the previous Spring Festival are taken down, and new window decorations, New Year's posters, and auspicious decorations are pasted up.
過小年時，要把去年春節貼的春聯和窗花取下，貼上新的窗花，年畫，和各種大吉大利的裝飾品。
⑤Bath and hair-cut 沐浴理髮
As the old Chinese saying goes, whether they're rich or poor, people often have a haircut before the Spring Festival. The activity of taking bath and haircut is often taken on the Little New Year.
民間有“有錢沒錢，剃頭過年”的說法。“小年”時人們常要沐浴理髮。
⑥Preparations for Spring Festival 辦年貨
People start to stock up necessary provisions for the Spring Festival since the Little New Year. Everything needed to make offerings to the ancestors, entertain guests, and feed the family over the long holiday must be purchased in advance.
從小年開始，人們就要為過年置辦了，包括給祖先的貢品、招待客人的用品，還有過年期間一家人的吃食都要提前買好。
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