该怎么向歪果仁解释中国的十二生肖呢？
主题：猪年到了，你对十二生肖了解多少呢？
演讲者：薛晓岚
内容节选：
So what is the Chinese zodiac, exactly? Most Westerners think of Greco-Roman zodiac, the signs divided into 12 months. The Chinese zodiac is different. It's a 12-year cycle labeled with animals, starting with a Rat and ending with a Pig, and has no association with constellations.
到底什么是中国的生肖呢？大多数西方人听说过希腊罗马12星座。这些星座把一年分成12个月。中国生肖不同。中国生肖是以动物命名的，一个12年的循环。以鼠开始，以猪结尾。它们与星座没有任何联系。
For example, if you were born in 1975, you are a Rabbit. Can you see your zodiac sign there? Our Chinese ancestors constructed a very complicated theoretical framework based on yin and yang, the five elements and the 12 zodiac animals.
比如你出生在1975年，你就属兔。大家可以看到自己的生肖么？中国的老祖先以阴阳、五行和12生肖为基础，建立了一套非常复杂的理论框架。
Over thousands of years, this popular culture has affected people's major decisions, such as naming, marriage, giving birth and attitude towards each other. And some of the implications are quite amazing.
千百年来，这种流行文化影响着人们的大部分决定，比如起名、婚介、生产甚至对彼此的态度。其中一些涵义令人称奇。
The Chinese believe certain animals get on better than the others. So parents choose specific years to give birth to babies, because they believe the team effort by the right combination of animals can give prosperity to families.
中国人相信某些生肖与其它生肖比较好相处。所以夫妇选择特定的年份生孩子，因为他们相信特定的生肖组合，会让家族更加繁荣。
We even refer to the zodiac when entering into romantic relations. I'm a Pig; I should have perfect romance with Tigers, Goats and Rabbits. Chinese people believe some animals are natural enemies. As a Pig, I need to be careful with a Snake. Raise your hand if you are a Snake. Let's have a chat later.
甚至谈恋爱的时候也会参考生肖。我属猪，我最好的恋爱对象是属虎，羊和兔的人。中国人相信有些生肖天生相克。对于属猪的人来说我要小心属蛇的人。各位属蛇的人请举手。我一会有话跟你们说。
We believe some animals are luckier than the others, such as the Dragon. Unlike the Western tradition,the Chinese Dragon is a symbol for power, strength and wealth. It's everyone's dream to have a Dragon baby. Jack Ma's parents must have been very proud. And they are not the only ones.
我们相信有些生肖更加好运，比如生肖龙。不同于西方传统，中国龙是权力、力量和财富的象征。每个人都希望有一个龙宝宝。马云的父母就非常自豪。 这种现象非常普遍。
In 2012, the Year of the Dragon, the birthrate in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan increased by five percent. That means another one million more babies. With a traditional preference to baby boys, the boy-girl ratio that year was 120 to 100. When those Dragon boys grow up, they will face much more severe competition in love and job markets.
2012年是龙年，中国香港和台湾的婴儿出生率提高了5%。比正常多出了一百万新生儿。加之生男孩的倾向明显，那年的男女比例为120:100。当属龙的男孩长大， 他们会面临更加激烈的婚姻和职场挑战。
According to the BBC and the Chinese government's press release, January 2015 saw a peak of Cesarean sections. Why? That was the last month for the Year of the Horse. It's not because they like horses so much, it's because they try to avoid having unlucky Goat babies.
根据BBC和中国政府的官方消息，2015年1月迎来了剖腹产的高潮。为什么？ 因为这是马年的最后一个月。并不是大家喜欢生肖马，而是大家尽量避免不祥的属羊的孩子。
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