農曆新年真新奇

每到春節前後,總不免俗有許多行程要跑。

 

我們來看看一些我們從小到大都要做的行程,用英文怎麼講吧!

許多的新年習俗都與年節的傳說「年獸」的傳說息息相關,我們今天先來看看要怎麼敘述「年獸」的故事吧!

 

 

Thousands of years ago, there was a ferocious beast, Nien. Nien is usually portrayed as a cross between a tiger and a dragon. This beast lived deep in the ocean. It was asleep most of the time, it was awake only on the last day of a year. It then began its hunt for food : humans. The very night, people lived in terror.

幾千年前,有一隻可怕的野獸 : 年獸。年獸通常是被描繪成老虎跟龍的樣子。這隻野獸住在深海當中。牠大部分時間都在睡覺,牠只會在一年的最後一天醒來。然後他就開始獵捕獵物:人類。那一晚,人們都活在恐懼當中。

 

One year on that night, a traveler came to town, looking for food and shelter. Everyone was far too busy packing to pay him any kindness. Seeing this poor traveler, an old lady invited him to her place and offered him a place to sleep. To show his gratitude, he bestowed a secret way to ward off the monster : loud noises and the color red. Knowing what Nien was afraid of, people no longer lived in fear.

某一年的那晚,一位旅行者來到了一座鎮上,尋找食物與棲身處。但大家都忙著打包行囊,無暇招呼。看到這位可憐的旅行者,一位老婦人邀請他到家裡,並提供他可以睡覺的地方。為表達感激之意,他提供了一個可以驅趕年獸的方法 : 噪音以及紅色。在知道年獸的弱點後,人們便不再恐懼了。

年獸討厭噪音與紅色,現在來看看跟年獸這個傳說相關的傳統習俗吧。

 

1. 貼春聯 stick spring couplets

People stick spring couplets on the side of the door during Spring Festival.
The couplets are usually written on red paper. They write about what they wish to accomplish in the coming year.

人們會在春節期間,貼春聯在門邊。

這些對聯通常是寫在紅色的紙張上,他們會把新年的目標寫在上面。

 

2. 守歲stay up

Legend has it that a fearsome beast called “Nien” appeared to hunt people at night during the Spring Festival. Therefore, it has become a tradition to stay up during the festival.

傳說一隻叫作年獸的可怕野獸會在春節期間的晚上出現,獵食人類。因此,人們在這個節慶期

間都會熬夜,這已經成了一種傳統了。

 

3. 拜年visit relatives

According to the “Nien Beast” legend, people visited their relatives and friends during the New Year in order to make sure that they survived the hunt.

Nowadays, people visit relatives simply to catch up with each other.

根據年獸的傳說,人們會在新年期間拜訪親戚與朋友,為了要確認大家有逃過年獸的獵捕。

時至今日,人們拜訪親戚純粹是為了敘敘舊。

 

4. 放鞭炮light firecrackers

People light firecrackers during the festival. This tradition is largely associated with Nien the beast. It is said that Nien was frightened of loud noises, so people set off firecrackers to ward off the beast.

人們會在節慶期間點鞭炮。這個傳統與年獸大有關係。傳說年獸很害怕噪音,所以人們會點鞭

炮來驅趕年獸。

接下來介紹五個傳統活動

 

這部分跟年獸傳說比較沒有關聯,但大家還是每年都會做的唷^^

這些傳統的活動不一定是只在台灣的新年期間,在其他國家、文化當中也常常看到唷。

 

1. 年夜飯reunion dinner (字義 : 團圓飯)

The evening before New Year’s Day is an occasion for all families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.

 

2. 大掃除thoroughly clean the house / do a spring cleaning (字義:徹底清潔屋子/春季掃除)

People thoroughly clean their houses before the Spring Festival.

It is believed that by doing a spring cleaning, all the bad fortune will be driven out.
 

3. 辦年貨do the New Year shopping (字義 : 新年購物)

People do the New Year shopping a few days before New Year’s Eve in preparation for the reunion dinner.

 

4. 壓歲錢pocket money/lucky money (字義 : 零用錢/幸運錢)

Family elders give pocket money to the younger ones during the festival. That’s why

all kids love this festival so much.

 

5. 拜拜venerate the gods (字義 : 祭拜神明)

Like many other regions in the world, people in Taiwan visit temples and shrines to venerate the gods, religious or not.

快過年了,關於新年的單字,你知道多少呢?

 

大家都知道春節的英文是Chinese New Year/Spring Festival,那除夕、壓歲錢、紅包、你知道怎麼講嗎?

其實這些東西,說難不難,只是西方沒有這些東西,只能用翻譯的方式。

 

  • 除夕:New Year’s Eve
  • 壓歲錢:lucky money
  • 紅包:red envelope
  • 拜拜:worship / venerate
  • 家庭團圓:family reunion

 

 

We worship the gods every day during Chinese New Year.
我們在春節期間每天都會拜拜


There is a great family reunion every year in our family.
我們家族每年都有一次大團圓。

最後請大家看看一段影片

看看Panda Express(熊貓快餐)是怎麼介紹春節的呢?

 


1. 請問片中介紹的三種料理是哪些呢?

2. 片中出現的怪物害怕的三樣東西是什麼呢?

3. 片中是用哪個形容詞來形容「龍」跟「猴子」呢?



#文末有解答













































問題解析


第一題:片中介紹的料理,分別為egg roll, chow mein, 以及 shrimp。
Egg roll是蛋捲,roll本身就是捲的意思。因此,春捲就叫做spring roll
chow mein,就是炒麵。西方本來沒有這種料理,因此直接用中文音譯。
Shrimp是蝦子,另外,prawn也是蝦子的意思喔。

#大家可以快轉到3:19處聽聽看這三個字喔。



第二題:片中出現的年獸害怕的三個東西,分別為loud noises, fire, 以及 color red。
就是噪音、火、紅色。這跟我們小時候聽到的是不是一樣呢?

#大家可以快轉到1:07處聽聽這題的答案喔。




第三題:片中用了honest as a dragon (像龍一樣的誠實) 和 smart as a monkey(像猴子一樣聰明) 來形容這兩種動物。因此是honest以及smart!!


#大家快轉到2:41處聽聽旁白小姐是怎麼說的吧。

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