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Only 354 days in the Year of the Ox

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Only 354 days in the Year of the Ox

2021年nián大年dà nián初一chū yī以后yǐ hòu就jiù进入jìn rù了le中国Zhōng guó的de牛niú年nián,不过bù guò今年jīn nián的de牛niú年nián和hé以往yǐ wǎng不同bù tóng,只zhǐ有yǒu354天tiān。

原来yuán lái,中国Zhōng guó农历nóng lì根据gēn jù月相yuè xiàng的de变化biàn huà周期zhōu qī来lái确定què dìng日期rì qī和hé月份yuè fèn,又yòu根据gēn jù二十四èr shí sì节气jié qì来lái确定què dìng一yī年nián的de长度cháng dù。

由于yóu yú12个gè农历nóng lì月yuè的de天数tiān shù不bù够gòu二十四èr shí sì节气jié qì的de长度cháng dù,13个gè月yuè又yòu超过chāo guò了le,因此yīn cǐ会huì采用cǎi yòng适时shì shí增加zēng jiā闰月rùn yuè的de办法bàn fǎ来lái调节tiáo jié里面lǐ miàn的de矛盾máo dùn。

有yǒu闰月rùn yuè的de年份nián fèn称chēng为wéi农历nóng lì闰年rùn nián,有yǒu13个gè月yuè,没有méi yǒu的de则zé称chēng为wéi农历nóng lì平年píng nián,只zhǐ有yǒu12个gè月yuè。

因此yīn cǐ,2021年nián牛niú年nián仅jǐn有yǒu254天tiān,从cóng2021年nián2月yuè12日rì开始kāi shǐ到dào2022年nián1月yuè31日rì结束jié shù。

而ér12年nián后hòu的de牛niú年nián将jiāng迎来yíng lái农历nóng lì闰年rùn nián,也yě就是jiù shì说shuō2033年nián时shí全quán年nián将jiāng有yǒu384天tiān。

中国Zhōng guó的de生肖shēng xiào起源qǐ yuán与yǔ古代gǔ dài的de动物dòng wù崇拜chóng bài有关yǒu guān。

十二shí èr生肖shēng xiào是shì按àn人rén的de不同bù tóng出生chū shēng年份nián fèn配pèi以yǐ十二shí èr种zhǒng不同bù tóng的de动物dòng wù,包括bāo kuò鼠shǔ、牛niú、虎hǔ、兔tù、龙lóng、蛇shé、马mǎ、羊yáng、猴hóu、鸡jī、狗gǒu、猪zhū。

每měi当dāng进入jìn rù农历nóng lì大年dà nián初一chū yī时shí,就jiù开始kāi shǐ一yī个gè新xīn的de生肖shēng xiào年份nián fèn。

如果rú guǒ今年jīn nián是shì你nǐ的de生肖shēng xiào年份nián fèn,则zé称chēng为wéi“本命年běn mìng nián”。

每měi一yī种zhǒng生肖shēng xiào都dōu有yǒu丰富fēng fù的de传说chuán shuō和hé文化wén huà习俗xí sú。

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Whole-text audio

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Vocabulary 110 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
年 niányear
大年 dà niánLunar New Year; the first day of the lunar new year.
初一 chū yīfirst year in junior middle school
以后 yǐ hòuafter / later / afterwards / following / later on / in the future
就 jiùas soon as; immediately after
进入 jìn rùto enter / to join / to go into
了 le(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now)
中国 Zhōng guóChina
的 depossessive particle (of; 's) / modifying particle (used after an attribute to modify a noun or to form a nominal expression)
牛 niúox / cow / bull / newton (abbr. for 牛頓|牛顿)
不过 bù guòbut / however
今年 jīn niánthis year
和 héand; together with
以往 yǐ wǎngin the past; formerly
不同 bù tóngdifferent / distinct / not the same / not alike
只 zhǐonly; merely; just
有 yǒuto have; there is
天 tiānday
原来 yuán láiso, actually, as it turns out
农历 nóng lìthe traditional Chinese calendar / the lunar calendar
根据 gēn jùaccording to / based on
月相 yuè xiàngphase of the moon
变化 biàn huàchange; variation
周期 zhōu qīperiod / cycle
来 lái(between two verbs) in order to
确定 què dìngto fix (on sth) / to determine / to be sure / to ensure / to make certain / to ascertain / to clinch / to recognize / to confirm
日期 rì qīdate
月份 yuè fènmonth
又 yòualso
二十四 èr shí sìtwenty-four; the number 24
节气 jié qìsolar term
一 yīone / single / a (article)
长度 cháng dùlength
由于 yóu yúdue to / as a result of / thanks to / owing to / since / because
个 gèclassifier for people or objects in general
月 yuèmonth / monthly
天数 tiān shùnumber of days / fate / destiny
不 bùno; not so
够 gòuenough (sufficient) / enough (too much)
超过 chāo guòto surpass / to exceed / to outstrip
因此 yīn cǐthus; consequently; as a result
会 huìto be likely to; to be sure to
采用 cǎi yòngto adopt / to employ / to use
适时 shì shítimely / apt to the occasion
增加 zēng jiāto raise; to increase
闰月 rùn yuèintercalary month in the lunar calendar / leap month
办法 bàn fǎway of handling sth; means; measure; (practical) solution to a problem
调节 tiáo jiéto adjust / to regulate / to harmonize / to reconcile (accountancy etc)
里面 lǐ miàninside / interior
矛盾 máo dùncontradiction / conflicting views
年份 nián fènparticular year
称 chēngto name
为 wéito take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do
闰年 rùn niánleap year / (lunar calendar) year with a thirteen intercalary month
没有 méi yǒuto not have
则 zé(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
平年 píng niáncommon year
仅 jǐnbarely / only / merely
从 cóngfrom; through; via / (bound form) retainer; attendant / (bound form) assistant; auxiliary; subordinate / (bound form) related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor
日 rìsun / day / date, day of the month
开始 kāi shǐto begin / to start
到 dàoto reach; to arrive / to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point) / (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point)
结束 jié shùto finish / to end / to conclude / to close
而 érbut (not) / yet (not) / (indicates contrast)
后 hòuafterwards / after
将 jiāngwill / shall
迎来 yíng láito welcome (a visitor or newcomer) / (fig.) to usher in
也 yěalso; too; as well; (not ...) either
就是 jiù shìexactly; precisely / only; simply; just / even; even if
说 shuōto speak; to talk; to say
时 shíwhen
全 quánall / whole / entire / every / complete
生肖 shēng xiàoone of the twelve animals symbolic of the earthly branches 地支 / animal from the Chinese zodiac
起源 qǐ yuánorigin
与 yǔ(formal) with; from (marking the other participant in an interaction, comparison, or contrast)
古代 gǔ dàiancient times
动物 dòng wùanimal
崇拜 chóng bàito worship
有关 yǒu guānto have sth to do with / to relate to / to concern
十二 shí èrtwelve / 12
是 shìto be (followed by substantives only)
按 ànaccording to / in the light of
人 rénperson; people
出生 chū shēngto be born
配 pèito join / to fit / to mate / to mix / to match / to deserve / to make up (a prescription) / to allocate
以 yǐby means of / according to / in order to / because of / at
种 zhǒngclassifier for types, kinds, sorts
包括 bāo kuòto comprise / to include / to involve / to incorporate / to consist of
鼠 shǔ(bound form) rat; mouse
虎 hǔtiger
兔 tùrabbit
龙 lóngChinese dragon; loong / (fig.) emperor / dragon / (bound form) dinosaur
蛇 shésnake / serpent
马 mǎhorse / horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess / knight in Western chess
羊 yángsheep; goat
猴 hóumonkey
鸡 jīfowl / chicken
狗 gǒudog
猪 zhūhog / pig / swine
每 měieach / every
当 dāngwhen / during / ought / should / just at (a time or place) / on the spot / just at
新 xīnnew; newly
如果 rú guǒif; in case; in the event that
你 nǐyou
本命年 běn mìng niányear of one's birth sign
都 dōuall; both; entirely
丰富 fēng fùrich / plentiful / abundant
传说 chuán shuōlegend; folk tale
文化 wén huàcultural
习俗 xí súcustom / tradition / local tradition / convention