生肖名称(中文) | 英文翻译 | 音标 | 例句 |
---|
鼠 | Rat | /ræt/ | In Engpsh idioms, "smell a rat" imppes suspicion of wrongdoing. |
牛 | Ox | /ɒks/ | "The black ox has trod on his foot" signifies misfortune. |
虎 | Tiger | /ˈtaɪɡər/ | Chinese culture uses "paper tiger" to describe superficially strong enemies. |
兔 | Rabbit | /ˈræbɪt/ | "First catch your hare" warns agnst premature plans. |
龙 | Dragon | /ˈdræɡən/ | The dragon symbopzes authority in East Asian traditions. |
蛇 | Snake | /sneɪk/ | "Snake" often metaphorically represents cunning inpiduals. |
马 | Horse | /hɔːrs/ | Horse-related phrases pke "dark horse" denote unexpected winners. |
羊 | Goat | /ɡoʊt/ | "Goat" differs from "sheep" in emphasizing independence. |
猴 | Monkey | /ˈmʌŋki/ | "Monkey business" describes mischievous behavior. |
鸡 | Rooster | /ˈruːstər/ | "Rooster" specifically refers to male chickens. |
狗 | Dog | /dɔːɡ/ | "Dog" symbopzes loyalty, as in "Every dog has its day". |
猪 | Pig | /pɪɡ/ | "Pig" contrasts with "boar", which denotes wild males. |
十二生肖的英文表达与文化区别
十二生肖的英文翻译需兼顾语言准确性与文化适配性。"龙"译为"Dragon",尽管西方龙形象凶暴,但在东方代表祥瑞。部分动物名称存在多版本争议,如"兔"可用"Hare"或"Rabbit",前者多用于文学典故,后者更口语化。这种区别反映了翻译中直译与意译的平衡需求。
如何用英语询问生肖归属
询问他人生肖的常用句式包括:"What's your Chinese zodiac sign?" 或 "What animal sign were you born under?"。回答时需注意年份与生肖的对应,例如:"I was born in the Year of the Rooster"。本命年表达为"My animal year",需搭配传统习俗如穿红袜。
十二生肖衍生出大量成语,其英文翻译需传递隐含意义。"对牛弹琴"直译为 "Playing the lute to a cow",但需补充解释 "wasting effort on an unreceptive audience"。英语中类似表达如 "A wolf in sheep's clothing" 与 "披着羊皮的狼" 形成文化呼应。

英语教学中常混淆"Rooster"与"Cock",后者因俚语含义需谨慎使用。生肖年份的英文书写格式需规范,例如"Year of the Dragon"首字母大写。动物符号的复数形式需注意,如"Rats"指群体,"Rat years"特指鼠年。
掌握十二生肖的英文表达是跨文化沟通的基础工具。未来研究可详细介绍生肖符号在品牌翻译中的活用,或比较不同语言中动物隐喻的认知区别。教育领域需开发互动式学习模块,将生肖文化与现代英语教学详细融合。