Minor Cold is the 23rd solar term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms and also the 5th solar term in winter. It arrives on January 5, 6 or 7 every year when the solar longitude reaches 285°. This year's Minor Cold starts on Jan 5. After the winter solstice, the temperature continues to drop, and hits its lowest point on the occasion of the Minor Cold and Major Cold. The nine periods (of nine days each) following the winter solstice are the coldest days in China. And Minor Cold is just in the period of the second and third nine days.

As the name implies, Minor Cold means that the weather in this period is cold but not yet the coldest. However, according to the long-term meteorological records, in north China, the weather during the Minor Cold is colder than that of the Major Cold. Therefore, in the north, there is a saying that "the Minor Cold is colder than the Major Cold". But for some areas in the south, the lowest temperature of the year will still appear in the Major Cold.

Minor Cold is divided into three 5-day phases in ancient times. In the first phase, wild geese that winter in the south would leave the warmest habitat and migrate northward in groups. In the second phase, the magpies that are commonly seen in northern China would begin building nests for new fledglings. In the third phase, pheasants would crow in search of a mate.