lìchūn: 立春 - Start of Spring, Beginning of Spring

• Keywords: 立春, lichun, Start of Spring, Beginning of Spring, Chinese solar terms, 24 solar terms, Chinese New Year, first day of spring, Lichun customs, Chinese agricultural calendar, biting the spring, 咬春.
• Summary: Lichun (立春), meaning “Start of Spring,” is the first of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, typically falling around February 4th. More than just a date, Lichun is a culturally significant event tied to ancient agricultural practices, customs like “biting the spring” (咬春), and the hopeful anticipation of renewal. Understanding Lichun offers a deep insight into the Chinese conception of time, nature, and the seasons, which differs significantly from the Western equinox-based system.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lìchūn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: The first of the twenty-four solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, marking the beginning of spring.
• In a Nutshell: 立春 (lìchūn) literally means “to establish spring.” It's the moment the traditional Chinese calendar declares that winter's grip is loosening and spring has officially begun. Think of it not as the warm, flowery spring you might imagine, but as the very first signal of the coming season. It was a crucial date for ancient farmers and remains a day of special customs, foods, and hopeful sentiment in modern China.

• 立 (lì): To stand, to establish, to set up. Pictorially, it can be imagined as a person standing firmly on the ground (represented by the horizontal line at the bottom). It implies the formal beginning or establishment of something.
• 春 (chūn): Spring. This character is a combination of elements representing new life. The top part originally depicted a sprouting plant, and the bottom element is 日 (rì), the sun. Together, they paint a picture of the sun coaxing new sprouts from the earth—the essence of springtime.
• The characters combine directly and powerfully to mean “the establishment of spring.”

立春 is the first and arguably one of the most important of the 二十四节气 (èrshísì jiéqì), the 24 Solar Terms. This traditional Chinese calendar system, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, is based on the sun's position on the ecliptic and was the essential guide for agriculture for millennia. A key cultural point of contrast is with the Western concept of spring. In the West, the “first day of spring” is the Spring Equinox (around March 20th). In the Chinese system, the equinox is called 春分 (chūnfēn) and is considered the midpoint of spring, when day and night are of equal length. 立春, occurring much earlier (around Feb 4th), is the true beginning. This reflects a philosophical view of seeing seasons not as static states, but as a gradual process of waxing and waning energies (Yin and Yang). Traditional customs associated with 立春 include:

• 咬春 (yǎo chūn) - “Biting the Spring”: This is the most common custom today. People eat fresh, spring-related foods to welcome the new season. This most often includes eating spring pancakes (春饼 chūnbǐng) or spring rolls (春卷 chūnjuǎn), filled with fresh spring vegetables. The act of “biting” symbolizes taking in the vitality of the new season.
• 打春 (dǎ chūn) - “Beating the Spring”: A more historical ceremony where officials would whip a clay or paper spring ox (春牛 chūnniú) to symbolize the start of the farming season and to encourage diligence.
• 躲春 (duǒ chūn) - “Hiding from Spring”: A folk belief rooted in Chinese astrology. People whose zodiac sign is predicted to “clash” with the energy of the new year are advised to stay indoors and avoid seeing others during the precise hour that Lichun begins, in order to avoid bad luck for the year.

While no longer a public holiday, 立春 remains a widely recognized day.

• In Conversation: People will often say “立春了 (Lìchūn le!)” - “It's Lichun!” This is used to mark the date, often with a sense of hope, even if the weather outside is still very cold. It's a common topic for small talk.
• On Social Media: On the day of 立春, platforms like Weibo and WeChat are filled with posts about it. Users might share pictures of spring pancakes, poems about spring, or simply send greetings wishing friends a fresh start.
• Health and Wellness: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the change of seasons is a critical time. Many articles and posts will circulate around 立春, giving advice on what to eat and how to adjust your lifestyle to align with the rising “yang” energy of spring.
• Connotation and Formality: The term is neutral and can be used in any context, from a casual chat with a friend to a formal news report or a scientific discussion of the solar terms.

• Example 1:
  • 今天是立春，我们晚上吃春饼吧。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān shì lìchūn, wǒmen wǎnshang chī chūnbǐng ba.
  • English: Today is the Start of Spring, let's have spring pancakes for dinner.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence, directly linking the day to its most famous custom.
• Example 2:
  • 立春之后，白天会越来越长。
  • Pinyin: Lìchūn zhīhòu, báitiān huì yuèláiyuè cháng.
  • English: After the Start of Spring, the days will get longer and longer.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses 立春 as a temporal landmark, highlighting its role in marking a natural, astronomical change.
• Example 3:
  • 虽然已经立春了，但是天气还很冷，你多穿点衣服。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán yǐjīng lìchūn le, dànshì tiānqì hái hěn lěng, nǐ duō chuān diǎn yīfu.
  • English: Even though it's already the Start of Spring, the weather is still very cold, so you should wear more clothes.
  • Analysis: This shows the practical reality. 立春 is a calendar event, not an immediate weather change. It's a statement of hope versus the cold reality.
• Example 4:
  • 在中国北方，立春是一个非常重要的节气。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó běifāng, lìchūn shì yī ge fēicháng zhòngyào de jiéqì.
  • English: In Northern China, the Start of Spring is a very important solar term.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides geographical and cultural context, noting its significance, especially in agricultural regions.
• Example 5:
  • 按照传统，立春这一天要“咬春”。
  • Pinyin: Ànzhào chuántǒng, lìchūn zhè yī tiān yào “yǎo chūn”.
  • English: According to tradition, on the day of Lichun, one must “bite the spring.”
  • Analysis: This introduces the specific cultural term 咬春 (yǎo chūn) and frames it as a tradition.
• Example 6:
  • 很多诗人喜欢用立春来表达希望和新的开始。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō shīrén xǐhuān yòng lìchūn lái biǎodá xīwàng hé xīn de kāishǐ.
  • English: Many poets like to use the Start of Spring to express hope and new beginnings.
  • Analysis: This highlights the term's symbolic and literary meaning.
• Example 7:
  • 立春是二十四节气里的第一个。
  • Pinyin: Lìchūn shì èrshísì jiéqì lǐ de dì-yī ge.
  • English: Lichun is the first of the 24 solar terms.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual sentence that is very useful for learners to place the term in its proper system.
• Example 8:
  • 我打算立春以后就开始我的减肥计划。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dǎsuàn lìchūn yǐhòu jiù kāishǐ wǒ de jiǎnféi jìhuà.
  • English: I plan to start my weight-loss plan after the Start of Spring.
  • Analysis: This shows how 立春 is used as a personal milestone for making a fresh start, much like “New Year's resolutions.”
• Example 9:
  • 手机日历提醒我，明天就是立春了。
  • Pinyin: Shǒujī rìlì tíxǐng wǒ, míngtiān jiùshì lìchūn le.
  • English: My phone calendar reminded me that tomorrow is the Start of Spring.
  • Analysis: A modern, relatable example showing how this traditional concept appears in everyday technology.
• Example 10:
  • 老一辈的人对立春的各种习俗非常讲究。
  • Pinyin: Lǎo yī bèi de rén duì lìchūn de gèzhǒng xísú fēicháng jiǎngjiu.
  • English: The older generation is very particular about the various customs of the Start of Spring.
  • Analysis: This sentence touches upon the generational aspect of observing these traditions.

• Mistake 1: Confusing 立春 with the Western “First Day of Spring”.
  • This is the most common pitfall. An English speaker might see a snowy scene in Beijing on February 5th and think it's strange to call it “spring.”
  • Correction: Remember, 立春 (early Feb) is the start of the season's transition. The Western “first day of spring” is the Spring Equinox (late March), which corresponds to the Chinese solar term 春分 (chūnfēn), the middle of spring.
• Mistake 2: Confusing 立春 with Chinese New Year (春节 chūnjié).
  • The dates are often very close, leading to confusion.
  • Correction: They are two different calendar systems. 立春 is a solar term, fixed by the sun's position (always around Feb 4th). 春节 is the first day of the lunar calendar, so its date changes every year. They celebrate different things: Lichun celebrates the start of a natural season, while Chunjié celebrates the start of a new calendar year.
• Mistake 3: Using 立春 to describe a “spring-like” feeling.
  • You can't use it as an adjective.
  • Incorrect: `今天很立春。 (Jīntiān hěn lìchūn.)`
  • Correct: `今天很有春天的感觉。(Jīntiān hěn yǒu chūntiān de gǎnjué.)` - “It feels a lot like spring today.” Use 春天 (chūntiān), the general word for the season.

• 二十四节气 (èrshísì jiéqì) - The 24 Solar Terms. The system to which 立春 belongs.
• 春天 (chūntiān) - Spring. The general name for the season. 立春 is the day that marks the beginning of 春天.
• 春节 (chūnjié) - Spring Festival; Chinese New Year. A separate, lunar-calendar-based festival that is culturally linked to the idea of spring's arrival.
• 春分 (chūnfēn) - The Spring Equinox. The fourth solar term, considered the midpoint of spring in the Chinese system, and a key point of contrast with Western calendars.
• 冬至 (dōngzhì) - The Winter Solstice. Another major solar term; it marks the peak of winter, just as 立春 marks the beginning of spring's return.
• 节气 (jiéqì) - The general word for a single “solar term.”
• 春饼 (chūnbǐng) - Spring pancakes. A specific food eaten on 立春.
• 春卷 (chūnjuǎn) - Spring rolls. Another food associated with 立春 and the “biting the spring” custom.
• 农历 (nónglì) - The traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, often called the “agricultural calendar.” The 24 solar terms are a key component of it.