生肖动物 Zodiac Animal

比如，你已经知道2007年是猪年。
For instance, 2007 is the year of pig.

2007加一个12就是2019；2007减去一个12就是1995；2007减去两个12就是1983；2007减去三个12就是1971。
Plus “twelve times one”, you get 2019; minus “twelve times one”, you get 1995; minus “twelve times two”, you get 1983; minus “twelve times three”, you get 1971.

因此，我们就能知道2007年、2019年、1995年、1983年和1971年都是猪年。
Therefore, we know that 2007, 2019, 1995, 1983, 1971 are all years of pig.

在这些年份出生的人，他们就都属猪。
So people born in those years are people born in the year of pig.

这些属相动物，也就是中国文化中的生肖符号，它们也有一种社会功能。
Well, those animals, I mean the zodiac signs of Chinese culture, also have some social functions.

比如，如果你觉得直接问别人“你多大了”不是很妥当，有时你可以婉转地问“你是哪年出生的？”“你属什么的？”不过要注意有的情况下，这样问可能也不太合适。
For instance, if you think that is not really proper to ask “how old are you”, sometimes you can ask “in which year were you born”, or “Ni shu shenme de”, or sometime even this is not proper among some people.

根据一个人的属相你就能大致算出对方是哪年出生的，也能知道他的大概年龄。
By asking their zodiac sign you can figure out roughly which year they were born, and roughly how old they are you want know.

还有一种说法叫做“本命年”，指的是跟你的属相相同的年份。
And also we have a term of “benmingnian”, which means the year of your animal.

比如说，你出生的那年是狗年，而今年正好是狗年，那么今年就是你的“本命年”。
For instance, if you were born in the year of dog, and this year is a year of dog, and this is your “benmingnian”.

“本命年”不像生日。
“Benmingnian” is not like a birthday.

不是用来庆祝的。
It is not a year to celebrate.