初夏时节，江河水满，莺歌柳绿，鱼虾肥美，桑葚饱满，野菜生机勃勃，正是大饱口福的好时机~

今天小编就和大家一起来看看舌尖上的小满~

鱼虾正肥美

A good season for eating fish

“小满江河满”，由于小满时节降雨量激增，河流都被灌满了水，使得鱼虾又大又肥，正是渔民们丰收的季节，也是吃鱼虾的好时节~

During the Grain Buds period, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, "A heavy rainfall makes the river full". Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water, which makes fish and shrimp big and fat. This is a good time to eat fish and shrimp. It is also harvest season for fishermen.

桑葚红人手

A good season for eating mulberries

桑葚性味甘寒，具有补肝益肾、生津润燥、乌发明目等功效。小满时的桑葚饱满多汁，酸甜可口，引人生津。中国有句谚语是“小满桑葚红手”。

A Chinese farmer proverb says, "Mulberries become black during the Grain Buds period." Thus it is a good season to eat mulberries. Refreshingly succulent, tart and sweet mulberries are indeed rich in numerous healthy benefiting flavonoid phytonutrients.

知识锦囊：

mulberry: n. 桑葚

succulent：adj. 多汁的，多水分的

tart:  adj. 酸的

flavonoid:  n.类黄酮

phytonutrient: n. 植物营养素

苦菜清爽宜人

Eating sow thistles

小满一候：苦菜秀。苦菜是小满的时令野菜，尝起来有点苦酸、略带甜味，具有清热解毒的功效，还可以防治贫血与癌症。苦菜可凉拌、可煮汤，口感清新宜人，令人神清气爽。

Grain Buds is a season for eating sow thistles, which is one of the earliest edible potherbs in China. It tastes a little bitter and tart, but also sweet. It has the function of cooling the blood and detoxifying the body. It can be made into different types of dishes. People in Ningxia Province like to eat sow thistles blended with salt, vinegar, peppers or garlic. It tastes savory and helps people feel refreshed. Some people boil the sow thistle with water and then squeeze out the juice, which can be used to make soup.

知识锦囊：

sow thistle：苦菜

edible potherb：食用野菜

detoxify：vt. 使解毒

vinegar：n. 醋

pepper：n. 辣椒

garlic：n. 大蒜

squeeze：vt. 榨取，汲取    

野味飘香外还有浓郁花香，翠绿桑叶正肥亦是缫丝好时节。小满时节不只有鲜美的野味，还有很多时令习俗：修剪花卉、祭蚕神、养生等。

玉英乃飘香

Key period for flower management

小满时节花卉生长很快，但也是植物病虫害最多的时期，因此花卉的修剪和施肥灌溉很重要。花卉需要大量的灌溉和额外的照顾才能确保其健康生长。野草生长很快必须尽快拔除，拔草还能保持土壤疏松、保证花卉的营养。

This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers. It is also a season when plant diseases and pests are at an all-time high, which makes growing flowers even more critical.

Flower clipping is important. And a systematic fertilized water system should be carried out. Flowers need a lot of water and extra care to ensure their healthy. Weeding should be done as they grow quickly and have to be extirpated in order to keep the soil loose and from competing with the flowers for nutrients.

知识锦囊：

clip：vt.修剪

extirpate：vt.根除

fertilized water ：肥水

小满祭蚕神

Celebrating silkworm deity birthday

养蚕是江南人的传统副产品。小满时节，桑蚕已经结成了茧，人们开始煮茧缫丝。蚕是娇养的“宠物”，很难养活。气温、湿度，桑叶的冷、熟、干、湿等均影响着蚕的生存。由于蚕难养，古代把蚕视作“天物”。为了祈求“天物”的宽恕，保障养蚕有个好的收成，人们通常在四月放蚕时节举行祈蚕节，祈求蚕神保佑丝绸生意繁荣发展。

Silkworm rearing is a traditional byproduct for people in regions south of the Yangtze River. During the Grain Buds season, silkworms have cocooned. People begin to cook cocoons and prepare the spinning wheel for reeling silk.

People in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces regard this season as the birthday of the silkworm deity. Those who engage in the silk industry thank the deity by offering sacrifices and staging performances. They pray to the deity for blessings and a boom season for the silk business.

知识锦囊：

silkworm rearing: 养蚕

byproduct：n. 副产品

cocoon： vt. 把……紧紧包住 n. 蚕茧

reel silk：缫丝

deity：n. 神

spinning wheel：n. 手纺车    

养生多妙招

Tips on health preserving in Grain Buds

小满季节通常都是高温潮湿的天气，这个季节气温的上升还会引起荨麻疹、风湿、汗斑、湿疹、以及其他皮肤病。在炎热的夏天锻炼是保持健康的重要方法。散步、慢跑和练太极都是不错的选择。

High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to nettle rash, rheumatism, eczema and other skin diseases.

It is also important to exercise to keep healthy during the hot summer days. Walking, jogging and practicing tai chi are popular.

知识锦囊：

humidity：n.（空气中的） 湿度

nettle rash：n. <医>风疹

rheumatism：n. <医>风湿病

eczema：n. <医> 湿疹