大寒是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional chinese solar terms）中的第二十四个节气，也是农历年中的最后一个节气。和小寒Minor Cold对应，大寒的英语表达为Major Cold.大寒是天气寒冷到极致的意思。大寒节气处在三九、四九时段，此时寒潮南下频繁，是一年中的最寒冷时节。
吃消寒糕 Eating “dispelling cold cake”

During Major Cold, People in Beijing have a habit of eating "dispelling cold cake", a kind of rice cake. Sticky rice, the cake’s main ingredient, contains more sugar than rice, which can make people feel warm all over their bodies. In Chinese the word "rice cake" has the same pronunciation with the word "higher in a new year", which symbolizes good luck and continual promotion.

在大寒这一天，北京人民有吃“消寒糕”的习俗。它是年糕的一种，主要成分是比大米含糖量高的糯米，食用后全身感觉暖和。在中国文字里，年糕还有“年高”之意，寓意吉祥如意、步步高升头。 
买芝麻秸 Buying sesame straw

Major Cold always coincides with the end of the year in lunar calendar. In some areas of China, people always fall over each other in eagerness to buy sesame straw during this period because of the old saying, "Rise joint by joint like sesame flowers on the stem." This saying is used to describe either ever-rising living standards or making steady progress in thought, studies or skills.

大寒节气，时常和岁末时间相重合。在中国的一些地区，人们总是争相的急于在此期间购买芝麻秸，因为谚语说，“芝麻开花节节高”。这句话常用来形容不断提高生活水平，亦或是在思想，学习或技能方面取得稳步进展。
吃炸春卷 Eating fried spring rolls

In Anqing of Anhui province, people traditionally eat fried spring rolls during Major Cold. They use a round, cooked, thin pancake to wrap stuffing in a thin roll. Then it is fried in a pan with oil until it turns yellow and floats to the top. The stuffing inside the spring roll contains meat or vegetables and the flavor can be salty or sweet.

在安徽省安庆，大寒节气有吃炸春卷的习俗。他们用一个圆形、熟的薄饼包裹上馅料，做成细细的春卷，然后，放入平底锅油炸，直到它变成黄色并浮上来。春卷里面的馅含有肉或蔬菜，味道可咸可甜。
喝汤取暖 Drinking stewed soup

Residents in Nanjing of Jiangsu province like to drink stewed soup during Major Cold, which can make people feel warm from head to foot. They always stew the aged hen soup with ginseng, matrimony vine and black fungus.

江苏南京市民喜欢在大寒这天煨汤喝，能让人从头暖到脚。他们总是喜欢炖人参枸杞黑木耳老母鸡汤。