The five elements: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Haoran and Wanqing.

1. Haoran

   这(zhè)是(shì)啥(shá)？你(nǐ)画(huà)个(gè)五(wǔ)角(jiǎo)星(xīng)干(gàn)吗(má)呢(ne)？

   What's this? Why are you drawing a star?

2. Wanqing

   这(zhè)是(shì)五(wǔ)行(háng)：木(mù)、火(huǒ)、土(tǔ)、金(jīn)、水(shuǐ)。你(nǐ)挑(tiāo)一(yí)个(ge)。

   It's the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Pick one.

3. Haoran

   金(jīn)。那(nà)必(bì)须(xū)的(de)。

   Metal. Obviously.

4. Wanqing

   这(zhè)点(diǎn)我(wǒ)一(yì)点(diǎn)都(dōu)不(bú)意(yì)外(wài)。金(jīn)生(shēng)水(shuǐ)，水(shuǐ)生(shēng)木(mù)。

   I wouldn't expect anything less. Metal gives rise to water, and water gives rise to wood.

5. Haoran

   然(rán)后(hòu)木(mù)生(shēng)火(huǒ)。

   And wood gives rise to fire.

6. Wanqing

   对(duì)，火(huǒ)生(shēng)土(tǔ)，土(tǔ)生(shēng)金(jīn)，这(zhè)就(jiù)是(shì)相(xiāng)生(shēng)循(xún)环(huán)。

   Right, fire gives rise to earth, earth gives rise to metal, and that's the generating cycle.

7. Haoran

   原(yuán)来(lái)是(shì)个(gè)圈(quān)。那(nà)里(lǐ)面(miàn)连(lián)成(chéng)的(de)五(wǔ)角(jiǎo)星(xīng)是(shì)干(gàn)吗(má)用(yòng)的(de)？

   So it's a loop. What's the star inside for?

   1. 表(biǎo)示(shì)相(xiāng)克(kè)关(guān)系(xì) It shows the destructive cycle
   2. 表(biǎo)示(shì)四(sì)季(jì)的(de)顺(shùn)序(xù) It shows the order of the seasons
   3. 指(zhǐ)出(chū)北(běi)方(fāng)的(de)位(wèi)置(zhi) It points to the north

   Answer

   表(biǎo)示(shì)相(xiāng)克(kè)关(guān)系(xì) It shows the destructive cycle

8. Wanqing

   表(biǎo)示(shì)相(xiāng)克(kè)。水(shuǐ)克(kè)火(huǒ)，火(huǒ)克(kè)金(jīn)。

   That represents destruction. Water overcomes fire, and fire overcomes metal.

9. Haoran

   金(jīn)克(kè)木(mù)，这(zhè)我(wǒ)能(néng)猜(cāi)到(dào)。

   Metal overcomes wood, I can guess that.

10. Wanqing

    对(duì)，然(rán)后(hòu)木(mù)克(kè)土(tǔ)，土(tǔ)克(kè)水(shuǐ)。

    Yep, then wood overcomes earth, and earth overcomes water.

11. Haoran

    合(hé)着(zhe)谁(shéi)也(yě)赢(yíng)不(bù)了(liǎo)谁(shéi)。

    So basically it's a stalemate.

12. Wanqing

    就(jiù)是(shì)这(zhè)个(ge)道(dào)理(lǐ)，万(wàn)物(wù)既(jì)有(yǒu)生(shēng)它(tā)的(de)，也(yě)有(yǒu)克(kè)它(tā)的(de)。

    Precisely, everything has something that creates it and something that keeps it in check.

13. Haoran

    这(zhè)套(tào)逻(luó)辑(jí)挺(tǐng)严(yán)密(mì)。那(nà)你(nǐ)代(dài)表(biǎo)哪(nǎ)个(ge)？

    That's a pretty tight system. Which one are you?

14. Wanqing

    火(huǒ)。夏(xià)天(tiān)、南(nán)方(fāng)和(hé)红(hóng)色(sè)，这(zhè)还(hái)用(yòng)猜(cāi)吗(ma)？

    Fire. Summer, south, and red—did you really have to guess?

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