the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about 22 September and 20 March) 二分时刻;春分(或秋分) ■another term for equinoctial point 同 equinoctial point
语源
late Middle English: from Old French equinoxe or Latin aequinoctium, from aequi- 'equal' + nox, noct- 'night'