摘要：所以从午夜到黎明这个时段，“点”前的数字“小”，于是the small hours就用来大体指从1点到4点这个时段（也有说是从0点到太阳出来）。如

一天分24小时，0时从午夜开始，数字逐渐增大，到中午是12点，然后是13点，14点，一直在到23点，再回到0点。

所以从午夜到黎明这个时段，“点”前的数字“小”，于是the small hours就用来大体指从1点到4点这个时段（也有说是从0点到太阳出来）。如

【例句1】He finally fell exhausted into bed in the small hours. （他终于在凌晨时分筋疲力尽地躺在床上。）[朗文当代英语词典]

【例句2】The party continued into the wee small hours. (派对一直持续到凌晨。)[朗文当代英语词典]

【例句3】They were arrested in the small hours of Saturday morning. （他们在周六凌晨被捕。）[柯林斯高级学者辞典]

【例句4】She was up until the small hours of the morning trying to finish her essay. （她一直熬夜到凌晨，试图完成她的论文。） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

small hours前的the要有，否则就容易按典型语义来解读(the提示你小心)。

来源：苏能教育