The Chinese zodiac

12生肖

背景资料（background）

The Chinese zodiac, or sheng xiao, is composed of 12 animals, each of which symbolizes a lunar year. Ben ming nian means the year of the animal in which one is born. It is a traditional way to calculate one's age. Sheng xiao is also the source of many traditional customs and newer trends, and the animals are popular images that are seen everywhere.

生词（New Words）

生肖 shēng xiāo：symbolic animal of one's birth year   

属相 shǔ xiàng: same meaning as sheng xiao   

传统 chuán tŏng：tradition; traditional    

动物 dòng wù：animal

鼠 shǔ：rat

牛 niú：ox

虎 hǔ：tiger

兔 tù：rabbit

龙 lóng：dragon

蛇 shé：snake

马 mă：horse

羊 yáng：sheep

猴 hóu：monkey

鸡 jī：rooster

狗 gŏu：dog

猪 zhū：pig

本命年 bĕn mìng nián：the year of the animal in which one was born

对话（diaglouge）

mài kè:   Mĕi gè zhōng guó rén dōu yŏu zì jĭ de shǔ xiàng ma?

麦克：  每个中国人都有自己的属相吗？

Mike:    Does every Chinese have his or her own animal sign?

lì li: Duì. Shēng xiāo shì zhōng guó chuán tŏng wén huà de zhòng yào zǔ chéng bù fèn.

丽丽：  对。生肖是中国传统文化的重要组成部分。

Lili:       Yes. The zodiac is an important part of traditional Chinese culture.

mài kè:   Shēng xiāo zhĭ de shì nă shí èr zhŏng dòng wù?

麦克：  生肖指的是哪十二种动物？

Mike:     What are the 12 animals of the zodiac?

lì li: Tā men shì shǔ, niú, hǔ, tù, lóng, shé, mă, yáng, hóu, jī, gŏu, zhū.

丽丽：  它们是鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗、猪。

Lili:       They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar.

mài kè:   Jīn nián shì shén me nián?

麦克：  今年是什么年？

Mike:     What year is this year?

lì li: Jīn nián shì hóu nián.

丽丽：  今年是猴年。

Lili:       This year is the Year of the Monkey.

mài kè:   Nà me míng nián jiù shì jī nián le?

麦克：  那么明年就是鸡年了?

Mike:    So next year is the Year of the Rooster, isn't it?

lì li: Duì. Jī nián shĭ yú èr líng líng wǔ nián èr yuè jiǔ rì chūn jié.

丽丽：  对。鸡年始于2005年2月9日春节。

Lili:       Yes. It will start with the Spring Festival on February 9, 2005.

mài kè: Nĭ shì shǔ jī de ma?

麦克：  你是属鸡的吗？

Mike:    Were you born in the Year of the Rooster?

lì li: Bú shì. Wŏ shǔ hóu. Jīn nián shì wŏ de bĕn mìng nián.

丽丽：  不是。我属猴。今年是我的本命年。

Lili:       No. I was born in the Year of the Monkey. This year is my animal year.

mài kè:   Wŏ bĭ nĭ dà liăng suì, wŏ yīng gāi shì shǔ……？

麦克：  我比你大两岁，我应该是属……？

Mike:    I am two years older than you, Was I born in the Year of…?

lì li: Nĭ yīng gāi shì shǔ mă.

丽丽：  你应该是属马。

Lili:       You were born in the Year of the Horse.