Traditional culture in plain words
Lesser Cold (小寒)
Lesser Cold is the second-to-last solar term of winter. The weather is cold, but the coldest days have not yet arrived.
At a glance
What the solar terms mean
Lesser Cold usually falls around 5 or 6 January in the Western calendar. It comes on 5 January in 2026 and 2027, and on 6 January in 2028. It often arrives at the very start of the year.
A folk saying goes, 'Lesser Cold and Greater Cold, frozen into a ball.' This period falls near the 'three nines' (三九), the third nine-day stretch after the winter solstice. It is traditionally seen as one of the coldest times of the year.
Traditional customs in different places
In the cold days around Lesser Cold, the folk custom is to eat warm glutinous rice. In southern China and Hong Kong, families often cook glutinous rice with preserved meats (臘味), such as cured pork and Chinese sausage. Around Nanjing, the tradition is a rice dish cooked with greens. The family sits together over a hot bowl of rice, and it warms both body and heart.
Solar terms belong to the traditional calendar and are shared for cultural reference. For weather, please follow the forecast from your local weather service.