{"id":12761,"date":"2016-12-01T17:47:02","date_gmt":"2016-12-01T21:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=12761"},"modified":"2016-12-01T17:47:02","modified_gmt":"2016-12-01T21:47:02","slug":"a-chinese-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/a-chinese-december\/","title":{"rendered":"A Chinese December"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can you believe it’s December already? Before you know it, we’ll be in the year 2017. The last month is a great time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next. I’m sure that studying more Chinese is a New Year’s resolution for all of our readers. There’s no time like the present, though, so go ahead and read this post about December and learn quite a few Chinese words in the process.<\/p>\n

Season\/Weather<\/h2>\n
\"It's<\/a>

It’s getting cold!<\/p><\/div>\n

December<\/strong> (\u5341\u4e8c\u6708 – sh\u00ed \u00e8r yu\u00e8) is a time of change, as we get ready to move from one year to the next. It’s also a transition between seasons, as we move from autumn<\/strong> (\u79cb\u5929 – qi\u016b ti\u0101n) into winter<\/strong> (\u51ac\u5929 – d\u014dng ti\u0101n). It gets a bit cold<\/strong> (\u51b7 – l\u011bng), especially in the Northeast region, which is known as “Dongbei<\/em><\/strong>” (\u4e1c\u5317 – d\u014dng b\u011bi). Some places get\u00a0snow<\/strong> (\u96ea – xu\u011b) and even ice<\/strong> (\u51b0 – b\u012bng). Down south in places like Shenzhen and Guangzhou, it’s still nice and warm<\/strong> (\u6696 – nu\u01cen).<\/p>\n

Activities<\/h2>\n
\"Lots<\/a>

Lots to do in Harbin in the winter!<\/p><\/div>\n

Many people like to get outside to enjoy winter sports<\/strong> (\u51ac\u5b63\u8fd0\u52a8 – d\u014dng j\u00ec y\u00f9n d\u00f2ng) starting in December. People flock to places like Nanshan<\/strong> (\u5357\u5c71 – n\u00e1n sh\u0101n) outside of Beijing or Yabuli<\/strong> (\u4e9a\u5e03\u529b – y\u00e0 b\u00f9 l\u00ec) up in Heilongjiang province to go\u00a0skiing<\/strong> (\u6ed1\u96ea – hu\u00e1 xu\u011b) or snowboarding<\/strong> (\u6ed1\u96ea\u677f – hu\u00e1 xu\u011b b\u01cen). If you don’t feel like coming down a mountain, you could always just go ice skating<\/strong> (\u6ed1\u51b0 – hu\u00e1 b\u012bng) or grab some friends for a game of\u00a0ice hockey<\/strong> (\u51b0\u7403 – b\u012bng qi\u00fa). Some people just don’t like to be cold, so they head for one of the many\u00a0hot springs<\/strong> (\u6e29\u6cc9 – w\u0113n qu\u00e1n) in the country. You could always warm up with some good food and drink, such as hot pot<\/strong> (\u706b\u9505 – hu\u01d2 gu\u014d) or some hot cocoa<\/strong> (\u70ed\u53ef\u53ef – r\u00e8 k\u011b k\u011b). Or you could just drink some baijiu<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (\u767d\u9152 – b\u00e1i ji\u01d4) – that’ll surely warm you up!<\/p>\n

Holidays<\/h2>\n
\"Santa<\/a>

Santa Claus is comin’ to town!<\/p><\/div>\n

There are no major Chinese holidays in December, but more and more people are celebrating Christmas<\/strong> (\u5723\u8bde\u8282 – sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9) – especially the commercial aspect of the holiday. “Jingle Bells<\/strong>” (\u94c3\u513f\u54cd\u53ee\u5f53 – l\u00edng er xi\u01ceng d\u012bng d\u0101ng) is on repeat in shopping malls and markets all across China, as people seek to cash in on the popular Western holiday. Don’t be surprised if you bump into Santa<\/strong> (\u5723\u8bde\u8001\u4eba – sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n l\u01ceo r\u00e9n – lit. Christmas old man) out there. A few cities\u00a0in China host a Santa Con<\/a> event, where you can join a crowd of jolly St. Nicks spreading holiday cheer and spirit(s) while caroling in the streets and on public transportation. Read our post “Santa Claus is Coming to China<\/a>” and check out some highlights from the festivities in Beijing from a few years ago:<\/p>\n