The Chinese Years of the Animals

Animal Astrology

生肖占星术

1984,1996, 2008,2020 - Year of the Rat

Rats are ambitious and very focused on their goals, but they are also fun and love gossip.

1984年、1996 年、2008 年、2020 年 —— 鼠年

属鼠的人有抱负，目标明确，但同时也很有趣，还喜欢八卦。

1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 - Year of the Ox

Oxen are loyal, dependable, determined, and perhaps a bit stubborn.

1985 年、1997 年、2009 年、2021 年 —— 牛年

牛忠诚、可靠、意志坚定，或许还有点固执。

1986, 1998, 2010,2022- Year of the Tiger

Tigers fight tooth and claw for what they want- but they also have a sensitive side.

1986 年、1998 年、2010 年、2022 年 —— 虎年

老虎会为了自己想要的东西拼尽全力—— 但它们也有敏感的一面。

1987, 1999, 2011,2023 - Year of the Rabbit

Rabbits are diplomatic, honest, kind, and stick to agreements.

1987 年、1999 年、2011 年、2023 年 —— 兔年

兔子善于交际、诚实善良，且信守约定。

1988, 2000, 2012,2024 - Year of the Dragon

Dragons bring good luck - so it's great to have one as your friend.

1988 年、2000 年、2012 年、2024 年 —— 龙年

龙能带来好运—— 所以能有龙做朋友很棒。

1989, 2001, 2013,2025 - Year of the Snake

Snakes are lovely, charming and perceptive.

1989 年、2001 年、2013 年、2025 年 —— 蛇年

蛇可爱迷人、洞察力敏锐。

1990, 2002, 2014,2026 - Year of the Horse

Horses are bursting with energy and fun.

1990 年、2002 年、2014 年、2026 年 —— 马年

马充满活力，带来欢乐。

1991, 2003, 2015,2027 - Year of the Sheep (Goat)

Sheep love a quiet life and are peaceful easy-going souls.

1991 年、2003 年、2015 年、2027 年 —— 羊年

羊喜欢安静的生活，性情平和、容易相处。

1992, 2004, 2016,2028 - Year of the Monkey

Monkeys are lively, clever and full of pranks.

1992 年、2004 年、2016 年、2028 年 —— 猴年

猴子活泼、聪明，还爱搞恶作剧。

1993, 2005, 2017,2029 - Year of the Rooster

Roosters are extrovert and love to strut their stuff.

1993 年、2005 年、2017 年、2029 年 —— 鸡年

鸡性格外向，喜欢炫耀自己的本领。

1994, 2006, 2018,2030 - Year of the Dog

Dogs are kind, loyal, loving, and good listeners.

1994 年、2006 年、2018 年、2030 年 —— 狗年

狗善良、忠诚、有爱心，还是很好的倾听者。

1995, 2007, 2019,2031 - Year of the Pig

Pigs are great fun, really enjoy life, and love their friends and family.

1995 年、2007 年、2019 年、2031 年 —— 猪年

猪非常有趣，真正懂得享受生活，热爱自己的朋友和家人。

One day, the Lord Buddha called all the animals to a meeting. He told them that he had decided to pick the 13 most faithful animals and reward each of them with their own year.

一天，如来佛祖召集所有动物开会。他说自己决定挑选出13 只最忠诚的动物，并将年份分别赐予它们，以示嘉奖。

As soon as the animals heard this, they began to quarrel among themselves about who should have the honour of the first year, the second, the third, and so on.

动物们一听，立刻争吵起来，争论谁该获得第一年、第二年、第三年…… 以此类推的殊荣。

The Buddha decided to settle this squabble with a contest. He gathered the 13 animals on the bank of a gushing river, and told them that they must swim across to the other side. The first to arrive would have the honour of the first year, and the second to arrive would have the second, and in this way, the order of all the years would be decided.

佛祖决定通过一场比赛来解决这场纷争。他把13 只动物聚集在一条奔腾的河流岸边，告诉它们必须游到河对岸。第一个到达的动物将获得第一年的殊荣，第二个到达的获得第二年，依此类推，所有年份的顺序就这样决定。

The night before the contest, the rat went to see his best friend the cat to discuss the race. They both agreed that the contest was unfair to them, as both of them hated water, and neither were strong swimmers.

比赛前一天晚上，老鼠去找它最好的朋友猫，商量比赛的事。它们都觉得这场比赛对它们不公平，因为它们俩都讨厌水，而且都不擅长游泳。

So the pair went to see the Ox who was very large and a strong swimmer. He was also extremely good-natured, and he agreed to carry the rat and the cat on his back.

于是，这两只小动物去找体型庞大且擅长游泳的牛。牛脾气极好，它同意让老鼠和猫趴在自己背上。

The next morning, most of the animals were up early in time to see the dawn spread her rosy fingers across the river. They limbered up for the race, and very noisy about it they were too! The Ox looked around for his friends, but he could not catch sight of the cat or the rat. So he stood by the bank of the river and was about to jump in with a great splash when the pair sprang out of the reeds and landed on his back. In this way, they set off into the deep, swirling waters of the river.

第二天早上，大多数动物都早早起床，看到黎明的曙光如粉色手指般洒在河面上。它们为比赛活动着身体，吵吵嚷嚷热闹极了！牛四处寻找它的朋友，却不见猫和老鼠的踪影。就在它站在河边，准备一头扎进水里时，这俩家伙从芦苇丛中窜了出来，跳到它背上。就这样，它们出发，向着河水深处湍急的水流游去。

Fortunately, the Ox was powerful enough to swim across the current without any trouble, and soon the far bank was in sight. The cat crouched on the Ox’s head and swished his tail. The rat could see that his friend was getting ready to leap onto the bank ahead of them and take the first prize. He became so cross about this, that he pushed the cat into the water. Then he himself jumped onto the bank and won the honour of the first year for himself.

所幸，牛的力气足够大，毫不费力地就逆着水流游了起来，很快，对岸就映入眼帘。猫蹲在牛头上，晃动着尾巴。老鼠看出它的朋友准备抢先跳到岸上，夺得头奖。老鼠见状大为光火，竟将猫推下了水。随后，它自己纵身一跃跳上岸，为自己赢得了第一年的殊荣。

The Ox lumbered on, reached the bank just after the rat, and the second year was named after him.

牛迈着沉重的步伐继续向前，紧跟在老鼠之后上了岸，于是第二年便以牛命名。

The Tiger was like a big cat, and hated water, but he had powerful muscles and managed to come in third. He was followed by the rabbit - who although he hated getting his ears wet - was very determined, and was helped by the dragon. The dragon was very concerned about the water getting into his nose and putting out his fire, but he managed to keep his head about water and took the fifth year.

老虎和猫很像，讨厌水，但它肌肉发达，最终得了第三名。兔子紧随其后，尽管兔子不喜欢弄湿耳朵，但它意志坚定，还得到了龙的帮助。龙很担心水灌进鼻子熄灭它的火焰，但它在水中镇定自若，因此赢得了第五年的命名权。

The horse was about to come in sixth, but he reared back to avoid stepping on the snake who slithered in just ahead of him. So the snake was sixth and the horse was seventh.

马眼看就要夺得第六名，却突然惊跳起来，以免踩到刚好在它身前蜿蜒游过的蛇。于是，蛇得了第六名，马则位列第七。

Next came a raft with the sheep, monkey, and the rooster who took the eighth, ninth, and tenth places.

紧接着，一艘木筏漂来，上面载着羊、猴子和公鸡，它们分别获得了第八、第九和第十名。

Quite a while later, the dog paddled ashore and shook himself so that he sprayed all the others who had just managed to get dry. The dog took the eleventh year.

过了好一会儿，狗才奋力游上岸，上岸后它抖了抖身子，刚擦干身子的其他动物又被溅了一身水。于是狗获得了第十一年的命名权。

Finally, after a long, long time, the pig made it to the bank. He had slept in late, and only just made it to become the 12th animal of the Chinese Zodiac.

最后，过了很久很久，猪才游到岸边。它睡过头了，好不容易才赶上，成为了中国十二生肖中的第十二个动物。

And what became of the cat? He was swept downstream by the strong current of the river, and he very nearly drowned. Eventually, he was washed up onto the bank where they had all started, and he shivered and shook with cold and rage. And so there are 12, not 13 years in the Chinese calendar, and there is no year named after the cat. And if you’ve ever wondered why cats hate rats so much - now you know!

那猫怎么样了呢？它被湍急的河水冲向下游，险些淹死。最后，它被冲回到它们出发的岸边，又冷又气，浑身直打哆嗦。所以，中国农历中有十二年，而非十三年，也没有以猫命名的年份。要是你一直好奇为什么猫那么痛恨老鼠，现在你知道原因了吧！