外国人最想和你聊的文化话题：十二生肖

     Each animal represents a different "personality".
     每一种动物有他们自己的"性格"。
     According to legend, people held a conference with all the animals, informing them that they would pick the 12 to represent the zodiac.
     根据传说，人们当初和动物们开了一个会，最先到会的动物们就可以进入十二生肖。
     However, in spite of being fast, the cat was not picked as its close friend, the rat, did not wake it. This action sparked off a rivalry that continues till this day.
     而身为猫最好的朋友，老鼠却没有把猫叫醒去开会。因此，它们之间的战争一直持续到今天。
     The year of the rat is regarded as a year of renewal, being the first year in the Chinese zodiac cycle.
     鼠是十二生肖之首，鼠年也因此被视为万象更新的一年。
     If you don't want to reveal your age, give the name of an animal not in the cycle, like cat or elephant.
     如果你不想透露你的年龄，就说一个不在周期(十二生肖)里的动物，如猫或象。
     In Chinese there is a cycle of twelve years, each with a different animal.
     在中国有十二年的周期，每年都有一只不同的动物(十二生肖)。
     Of all the animals of the Chinese horoscope, the dog really stands out.
     在所有中国的十二生肖当中，狗真的是最突出的。
     Shengxiao is also the source of many traditional customs and newer trends, and the animals are popular images that are seen everywhere.
     生肖同时也是影响很多传统习俗和时代潮流的一个很重要因素，所以你在很多地方都可以看到那些让人喜爱的动物图片。
     Unlike the Western zodiac, it's based on a 12-year cycle according to the lunar calendar.
     和西洋星座不同的是，中国生肖是以农历来计算，十二年为一轮。
     After the nap, the pig continued the race and was named the12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle.
     午睡醒来，小猪继续比赛并且被命名为第十二个获胜者，也就是最后一个生肖。
     Rabbit is a meek and peaceful small animal, so in Asian countries and regions used the twelve Chinese zodiac signs as method for counting years, Year of the Rabbit should be a peaceful year.
     兔子是温顺安详的小动物，所以以十二生肖文化纪年的国家和地区的人们认为，兔年应该是个平和吉祥的年份。
     For the Chinese, the dargon was the greatest mascot and held sacred.
     对中国人来说，龙是中国最大的神物，当然也是最大的吉祥物。
     Year of dragon has always been valued among years of twelve Chinese zodiac signs.
     龙年向来是十二生肖中最受重视的年份。
     Chicken is one the earliest domesticated and raised animals by humans and closely related to human life.
     鸡是人类最早驯化、蓄养的动物之一，与人类生活密切相关。
     In Chinese culture, the Chinese character "chicken" is similar to"lucky", so to be given the lucky meaning by people.
     鸡由于同"吉"谐音，被人们赋予了吉祥的意义。
     Pigs have been the symbol of wealth for people's boast from the original patriarchal society to the modern times.
     从原始父系氏族社会到近代，猪一直是人们夸耀财富的标志。
     Our ancestors were actually a very pragmatic group of people. The twelve zodiac animals were designed in pairs to form six groups. They represent the high expectations placed on all Chinese by our ancestors.
     中国人的祖先是很实在的，我们十二生肖两两相对，六道轮回，体现了我们祖先对中国人全部的期望和要求。
     The first pair of animals consists of the rat and the bull. The rat represents wisdom, while the bull represents diligence. Wisdom and diligence must go hand in hand.
     第一组是老鼠和牛。老鼠代表智慧，牛代表勤奋。智慧和勤奋一定要紧紧结合在一起。
     The second combination is of the tiger and the rabbit. The tiger represents bravery, while the rabbit represents prudence. Bravery and prudence should also be joined so that we have courage without recklessness.
     第二组是老虎和兔子。老虎代表勇猛，兔子代表谨慎。勇猛和谨慎一定要紧紧结合在一起，才能做到所谓的胆大心细。
     The third pair consists of the dragon and the snake. The dragon represents strength, while the snake represents flexibility.
     第三组是龙和蛇。龙代表刚猛，蛇代表柔韧 。
     The next combination is of the horse and the sheep. The horse represents a valiant and resolute march toward a goal, while the sheep represents the spirit of harmonious unanimity.
     接下来是马和羊。马代表一往无前，直奔目标，羊代表和顺。
     The monkey represents agility, while the rooster, as the one animal to announce the start of each day since time immemorial, represents constancy.
     猴子代表灵活，至于鸡呢，以前的年代没有时钟，都是听鸡鸣声决定一天的开始，所以鸡定时打鸣， 代表恒定。
     The dog represents loyalty, while the pig represents affability.
     狗是代表忠诚，猪是代表随和。

     Susan：I heard this year is the year of the Rabbit. What does it mean?
     苏珊：我听说今年是兔年。那是什么意思？
     Lin Hong：Well, do you know anything about Chinese zodiac?
     林红：嗯。你知道中国的十二生肖吗？
     Susan：Is it a kind of calendar to date years?
     苏珊：它是不是一种纪年的历法？
     Lin Hong：That's right! You know, Chinese have a cyclical concept of time. The Chinese animal signs are a 12-year cycle used for dating the years.
     林红：对！中国人的时间概念是循环的。十二属相就是用来纪年的一个十二年的循环。
     Susan：So 12 years later, the 2023 will be the year of the Rabbit again!
     苏珊：那就是。12年后，也就是2023年就又是兔年了！
     Lin Hong：Right. And so were the year of 1975,1987, etc. By the way, what animal sign were you born under?
     林红：对呀。1975年，1987年等等也都是兔年。顺便问一句，你知道你的属相吗？
     Susan：I don't know! I was born in 1984. What is the animal sign for that year?
     苏珊：我不知道！我生于1984年。那年是什么年呢？
     Lin Hong：Well, let me see. 1984 was the year of Mouse. You are a mouse!
     林红：呃。让我想想，1984年是鼠年。你是一只老鼠！
     Susan：Oh, no! I don't like to be a rat?
     苏珊：噢。不！我可不喜欢是只老鼠！
     Lin Hong：Why? Mouse is lovely. Don't you like Mickey Mouse?
     林红：为什么？老鼠很可爱呀。难道你不喜欢米老鼠吗？
     Susan：But mouse is always related to stealing, and some negative things.
     苏珊：但是老鼠总是和偷啊等一些不好的事情联系在一起。
     Lin Hong：The year of the rat is regarded as a year of renewal, being the first year in the Chinese zodiac cycle in China.
     林红：在中国，鼠是十二生肖之首，鼠年也因此被视为万象更新的一年。
     Susan：So I will have a good luck in my life?
     苏珊：那我的生活就会有好运气吗？
     Lin Hong：Yes.
     林红：是啊。