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Have you ever been asked by your Chinese friend,
你有没有被中国朋友问过
"What is your zodiac sign?"
“你的生肖是什么？”
Don't think they are making small talk.
不要以为他们只是寒暄
If you say, "I'm a Monkey,"
如果你说：“我属猴”
they immediately know you are either 24, 36, 48 or 60 years old.
他们马上就可以知道你多大年纪。
Asking a zodiac sign is a polite way of asking your age.
问生肖是问年龄的礼貌方式
By revealing your zodiac sign, you are also being evaluated.
知道了你的生肖，还可以对你进行评估。
Judgments are being made about your fortune or misfortune,
可以预测你幸运与否
your personality, career prospects and how you will do in a given year.
你的性格，职业前景，接下来一年的运势走向。
If you share you and your partner's animal signs,
如果你分享了你和爱人的生肖
they will paint a picture in their mind about your private life.
甚至可以想象你的私人生活。
Maybe you don't believe in the Chinese zodiac.
也许你不相信中国的生肖，
As a quarter of the world population is influenced by it,
但是鉴于全球四分之一的人受它的影响
you'd be wise to do something about that.
你最好还是知道一些相关的知识。
So what is the Chinese zodiac, exactly?
到底什么是中国的生肖呢？
Most Westerners think of Greco-Roman zodiac, the signs divided into 12 months.
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。
The Chinese zodiac is different.
中国生肖不同。
It's a 12-year cycle labeled with animals,
中国生肖是以动物命名的，一个12年的循环
starting with a Rat and ending with a Pig,
以鼠开始，以猪结尾。
and has no association with constellations.
它们与星座没有任何联系。
For example, if you were born in 1975, you are a Rabbit.
比如你出生在1975年，你就属兔。
Can you see your zodiac sign there?
大家可以看到自己的生肖么？
Our Chinese ancestors constructed a very complicated theoretical framework
中国的老祖先建立了一套非常复杂的理论框架。
based on inner yang, the five elements and the 12 zodiac animals.
以阴阳，五行和12生肖为基础
Over thousands of years, this popular culture has affected people's major decisions,
千百年来，这种流行文化影响着人们的大部分决定
such as naming, marriage, giving birth and attitude towards each other.
比如起名，婚介，生产，甚至对彼此的态度。
And some of the implications are quite amazing.
其中一些涵义令人称奇。
The Chinese believe certain animals get on better than the others.
中国人相信某些生肖与其它生肖比较好相处。
So parents choose specific years to give birth to babies,
所以夫妇选择特定的年份生孩子
because they believe the team effort by the right combination of animals can give prosperity to families.
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.
甚至谈恋爱的时候也会参考生肖。
I'm a Pig; I should have perfect romance with Tigers, Goats and Rabbits.
我属猪，我最好的恋爱对象是属虎，羊和兔的人。
Chinese people believe some animals are natural enemies.
中国人相信有些生肖天生相克。
As a Pig, I need to be careful with a Snake.
对于属猪的人来说，我要小心属蛇的人。
Raise your hand if you are a Snake.
各位属蛇的人请举手。
Let's have a chat later.
我一会有话跟你们说。
We believe some animals are luckier than the others, such as the Dragon.
我们相信有些生肖更加好运，比如生肖龙。
Unlike the Western tradition, the Chinese Dragon is a symbol for power, strength and wealth.
不同于西方传统，中国龙是权力，力量和财富的象征。
It's everyone's dream to have a Dragon baby.
每个人都希望有一个龙宝宝。
Jack Ma's parents must have been very proud.
马云的父母就非常自豪。
And they are not the only ones.
这种现象非常普遍。
In 2012, the Year of the Dragon,
2012年是龙年，
the birthrate in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan increased by five percent.
中国香港和台湾的婴儿出生率提高了5%。
That means another one million more babies.
比正常多出了一百万新生儿。
With a traditional preference to baby boys,
加之生男孩的倾向明显，
the boy-girl ratio that year was 120 to 100.
那年的男女比例为120:100。
When those Dragon boys grow up,
当属龙的男孩长大，
they will face much more severe competition in love and job markets.
他们会面临更加激烈的婚姻和职场挑战。
