24 Solar Terms Quick Reference
Solar term lookup
| Term | Date | Meaning | Three pentads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 小寒 | 2026-01-05 | 冬季的第五个节气，气温继续下降 | 1st雁北乡 2nd鹊始巢 3rd雉始雊 |
| 大寒 | 2026-01-20 | 冬季的最后一个节气，是一年中最冷的时期 | 1st鸡始乳 2nd征鸟厉疾 3rd水泽腹坚 |
| 立春 | 2026-02-04 | 春季的开始，万物开始萌动 | 1st东风解冻 2nd蛰虫始振 3rd鱼陟负冰 |
| 雨水 | 2026-02-18 | 春季第二个节气，降水增多 | 1st獭祭鱼 2nd候雁北 3rd草木萌动 |
| 惊蛰 | 2026-03-05 | 春季第三个节气，春雷乍动，惊醒冬眠的动物 | 1st桃始华 2nd仓庚鸣 3rd鹰化为鸠 |
| 春分 | 2026-03-20 | 春季第四个节气，昼夜平分 | 1st玄鸟至 2nd雷乃发声 3rd始电 |
| 清明 | 2026-04-05 | 春季第五个节气，气清景明，万物皆显 | 1st桐始华 2nd田鼠化为鴽 3rd虹始见 |
| 谷雨 | 2026-04-20 | 春季最后一个节气，雨生百谷 | 1st萍始生 2nd鸣鸠拂其羽 3rd戴胜降于桑 |
| 立夏 | 2026-05-05 | 夏季的开始，万物生长 | 1st蝼蝈鸣 2nd蚯蚓出 3rd王瓜生 |
| 小满 | 2026-05-21 | 夏季第二个节气，麦类作物开始灌浆饱满 | 1st苦菜秀 2nd靡草死 3rd麦秋至 |
| 芒种 | 2026-06-05 | 夏季第三个节气，有芒的谷类作物可以收获 | 1st螳螂生 2nd鵙始鸣 3rd反舌无声 |
| 夏至 | 2026-06-21 | 夏季第四个节气，白昼最长，夜晚最短 | 1st鹿角解 2nd蜩始鸣 3rd半夏生 |
| 小暑 | 2026-07-07 | 夏季第五个节气，气温升高，但还不是最热 | 1st温风至 2nd蟋蟀居壁 3rd鹰始挚 |
| 大暑 | 2026-07-23 | 夏季最后一个节气，一年中最热的时期 | 1st腐草为萤 2nd土润溽暑 3rd大雨行时 |
| 立秋 | 2026-08-07 | 秋季的开始，秋高气爽 | 1st凉风至 2nd白露降 3rd寒蝉鸣 |
| 处暑 | 2026-08-23 | 秋季第二个节气，暑气逐渐消退 | 1st鹰乃祭鸟 2nd天地始肃 3rd禾乃登 |
| 白露 | 2026-09-07 | 秋季第三个节气，气温下降，露水增多 | 1st鸿雁来 2nd玄鸟归 3rd群鸟养羞 |
| 秋分 | 2026-09-23 | 秋季第四个节气，昼夜平分 | 1st雷始收声 2nd蛰虫坯户 3rd水始涸 |
| 寒露 | 2026-10-08 | 秋季第五个节气，气温继续下降 | 1st鸿雁来宾 2nd雀入大水为蛤 3rd菊有黄花 |
| 霜降 | 2026-10-23 | 秋季最后一个节气，初霜出现 | 1st豺乃祭兽 2nd草木黄落 3rd蛰虫咸俯 |
| 立冬 | 2026-11-07 | 冬季的开始，万物收藏 | 1st水始冰 2nd地始冻 3rd雉入大水为蜃 |
| 小雪 | 2026-11-22 | 冬季第二个节气，开始下雪 | 1st虹藏不见 2nd天气上升地气下降 3rd闭塞而成冬 |
| 大雪 | 2026-12-07 | 冬季第三个节气，降雪量增多 | 1st鹖鴠不鸣 2nd虎始交 3rd荔挺出 |
| 冬至 | 2026-12-22 | 冬季第四个节气，白昼最短，夜晚最长 | 1st蚯蚓结 2nd麋角解 3rd水泉动 |
About the 24 solar terms
The 24 solar terms were devised in ancient China based on the sun's position along the ecliptic to guide agriculture. Each term represents a 15° movement of the sun along the ecliptic, giving 24 terms in total across the year. This tool provides complete multi-year term data, including Gregorian dates, a description of each term, and the 72 pentads (three "hou" per term) for each. Phenology (wuhou) records how climate, flora and fauna change with the season — such as "East wind thaws the frost", "Grasses sprout" and "Peach blossoms open" — and remains a practical guide for observing the natural calendar today.
Further reading
When viewing solar terms and phenology, you can use the Perpetual Calendar to check the full almanac for a day (moon phases, the 72 pentads, auspicious hours and more), or use the Holiday Schedule to plan your public holidays.
24 Solar Terms FAQ
How are the 24 solar terms determined?
The 24 solar terms divide the sun's 360° path along the ecliptic (the plane of Earth's orbit) into 24 equal 15° segments; the moment the sun reaches a specific ecliptic longitude marks a term. Because they follow the sun — a solar calendar — their Gregorian dates stay roughly fixed each year, drifting by only a day or two either way.
Is Lichun (Beginning of Spring) truly the start of spring?
Astronomically, Lichun is the moment the sun reaches 315° of ecliptic longitude and does mark the start of spring. Meteorologically, however, most of China is still cold then, and real warming usually arrives only after the Spring Equinox. Lichun is more a traditional signal to begin spring farm work than a felt start of warm weather.
What do the solar terms mean for agriculture?
The terms have always been key timing references for farming. Each one maps to specific weather shifts and farm tasks: around Qingming people sow beans and melons, Mangzhong is a busy period for planting and harvesting, and Bailu/Qiufen mark the autumn harvest. Even with modern agri-tech, terms still provide a practical natural calendar for sowing, fertilizing and harvesting.
Why do the exact dates of the terms move each year?
Terms are set by the sun's ecliptic longitude: a tropical year is about 365.2422 days, while a common calendar year has 365 and a leap year 366. This tiny difference shifts each term's date by a day or two. Lichun usually falls between Feb 3–5 and Qiufen between Sep 22–24, which is a normal effect of leap-year rules.
What are the 72 pentads, and how do they relate to the terms?
The ancients split each solar term into three "hou" (pentads) of about 5 days, giving 72 pentads across the 24 terms. They record how plants, animals and the climate progress through the seasons — collectively called phenology (wuhou). For example Lichun's three pentads are "East wind thaws the frost", "Hibernating insects begin to stir" and "Fish swim up beneath the ice". This table lists the three pentads for every term.