时差N小时 改過自新 洗心革面

In latitudes¹ that have four seasons, springtime means the rebirth of nature. Flowers bloom and trees grow new leaves. So it is easy to imagine this idiom, which indicates renewal², as having a springtime association. After all, isn't "trying to improve one's behavior or attitude" (which is the meaning of this idiom) similar to a tree growing new leaves?

高纬度地区有四季，春季意味着万物的复苏。花朵绽放，树也长出新叶。因此很容易就想起那个用来形容新生、与春天有一定的联系的成语。毕竟“试图改进某人的行为或者态度”（指成语的意思）与树木长出新叶相似。

It turns out that is only part of the story. The reference to "turning over a new leaf" actually refers to a blank page in a book, such as a diary in which you write the story of your life. Long ago, book pages were called "leaves" because pages are flat and broad like the leaves of trees. A "new leaf" would be an empty page, not written on yet. "Turning it over" means that a fresh start is possible. An empty page indicates unlimited³ possibilities.

事实证明这只是其中的一层意思。“turning over a new leaf”中的“leaf”实际上是指一本书的空白页，比如说记录生活点滴的日记本。很久以前，人们称书页为“leaves”，因为书页就像树叶一样平展。“new leaf”则指新的一页，还没有被写的一页。"Turning it over"指全新的开始。空白页则表示有无限的可能性。

1 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。

2 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

3 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。