The twelve animals: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Haoran.

1. Xiaoyu

   你(nǐ)属(shǔ)啥(shá)的(de)？我(wǒ)正(zhèng)准(zhǔn)备(bèi)好(hǎo)好(hǎo)给(gěi)你(nǐ)画(huà)张(zhāng)肖(xiào)像(xiàng)呢(ne)。

   What's your Chinese zodiac sign? I'm getting ready to draw a proper portrait of you.

2. Haoran

   我(wǒ)是(shì)龙(lóng)年(nián)出(chū)生(shēng)的(de)，画(huà)的(de)时(shí)候(hou)气(qì)势(shì)得(děi)拿(ná)捏(niē)到(dào)位(wèi)啊(a)。

   I was born in the Year of the Dragon, so you've gotta capture that majestic vibe in the drawing.

3. Xiaoyu

   少(shǎo)来(lái)。你(nǐ)是(shì)一(yī)月(yuè)份(fèn)出(chū)生(shēng)的(de)，还(hái)没(méi)过(guò)年(nián)呢(ne)，得(děi)算(suàn)前(qián)一(yì)年(nián)的(de)。

   Nice try. You were born in January, and since Lunar New Year hadn't happened yet, you actually fall under the previous year.

4. Haoran

   啊(a)？啥(shá)意(yì)思(si)？

   Huh? What do you mean?

5. Xiaoyu

   生(shēng)肖(xiào)是(shì)按(àn)农(nóng)历(lì)算(suàn)的(de)好(hǎo)吧(ba)！你(nǐ)其(qí)实(shí)属(shǔ)兔(tù)。瞧(qiáo)瞧(qiao)生(shēng)肖(xiào)盘(pán)。

   The zodiac goes by the lunar calendar, duh! You're actually a rabbit. Just look at the zodiac wheel.

6. Haoran

   我(wǒ)当(dāng)了(le)一(yí)辈(bèi)子(zi)龙(lóng)呢(ne)！

   I've thought I was a dragon my whole life!

7. Xiaoyu

   那(nà)你(nǐ)说(shuō)说(shuo)，十(shí)二(èr)生(shēng)肖(xiào)赛(sài)跑(pǎo)谁(shuí)第(dì)一(yī)名(míng)？

   Well then, tell me, who came in first in the zodiac race?

   1. 老(lǎo)鼠(shǔ)，坐(zuò)在(zài)牛(niú)脑(nǎo)袋(dai)上(shàng)赢(yíng)的(de) The rat, it won by riding on the ox's head
   2. 龙(lóng)，飞(fēi)过(guò)去(qù)赢(yíng)的(de) The dragon, it won by flying across
   3. 牛(niú)，靠(kào)力(lì)气(qi)跑(pǎo)第(dì)一(yī)的(de) The ox, it took first place relying on pure strength

   Answer

   老(lǎo)鼠(shǔ)，坐(zuò)在(zài)牛(niú)脑(nǎo)袋(dai)上(shàng)赢(yíng)的(de) The rat, it won by riding on the ox's head

8. Haoran

   老(lǎo)鼠(shǔ)呗(bei)，赖(lài)皮(pí)坐(zuò)在(zài)牛(niú)身(shēn)上(shang)，最(zuì)后(hòu)关(guān)头(tóu)跳(tiào)下(xià)来(lái)了(le)。

   The rat, obviously. It cheated by hitching a ride on the ox and jumping off at the very last second.

9. Xiaoyu

   而(ér)且(qiě)猫(māo)被(bèi)老(lǎo)鼠(shǔ)推(tuī)进(jìn)河(hé)里(lǐ)了(le)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)生(shēng)肖(xiào)里(lǐ)压(yà)根(gēn)没(méi)猫(māo)。

   And the cat got pushed into the river by the rat, which is why there's no cat in the zodiac at all.

10. Haoran

    那(nà)五(wǔ)行(xíng)呢(ne)？我(wǒ)以(yǐ)前(qián)觉(jué)得(de)自(zì)己(jǐ)是(shì)金(jīn)龙(lóng)。

    What about the five elements? I always figured I was a gold dragon.

11. Xiaoyu

    生(shēng)肖(xiào)和(hé)五(wǔ)行(xíng)要(yào)看(kàn)出(chū)生(shēng)年(nián)份(fèn)的(de)尾(wěi)数(shù)，六(liù)十(shí)年(nián)才(cái)轮(lún)回(huí)一(yì)轮(lún)呢(ne)。

    Your zodiac sign and elements depend on the last digit of your birth year, and it takes a full sixty-year cycle to repeat.

12. Haoran

    都(dōu)说(shuō)属(shǔ)兔(tù)的(de)人(rén)温(wēn)柔(róu)心(xīn)细(xì)，我(wǒ)看(kàn)着(zhe)像(xiàng)吗(ma)？

    People always say people born in the Year of the Rabbit are gentle and detail-oriented. Do I look like one?

13. Xiaoyu

    你(nǐ)工(gōng)程(chéng)图(tú)纸(zhǐ)和(hé)安(ān)全(quán)帽(mào)两(liǎng)头(tóu)抓(zhuā)，看(kàn)着(zhe)确(què)实(shí)挺(tǐng)细(xì)心(xīn)的(de)。

    You're juggling engineering blueprints and hard hats all at once, so I'd say you're pretty meticulous.

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