There are different concepts and dates of "off-year" in different places. In northern China, it is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while in southern China it is the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, both the 24th of the twelfth lunar month and the night before New Year's Eve are called off-year. In Nanjing, the Lantern Festival on the 15th of the first month is called off-year. In some parts of Yunnan, the date of off-year is the 16th of the first month, and in some parts of southwest and north China it is New Year's Eve.

Off-year is usually regarded as the beginning of a busy year, which means that people begin to prepare new year's goods, sweep dust, offer sacrifices to stoves, etc., and prepare for a clean and good year, expressing people's good wish to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, welcome the auspicious and accept the blessings. Because of the different customs in different places, it is called "off-year".

During the off-year period, the main folk activities include sweeping dust and offering sacrifices to stoves. The traditional off-year (dust-sweeping and stove-worship day) is the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In most parts of the south, the ancient tradition of celebrating off-year on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month is still maintained.