(单词翻译:单击)
Today we're talking about the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of Chinese New Year.
今天我们要谈论的是元宵节,它标志着春节的结束 。
So there's two different ways of saying Lantern Festival in Chinese.
所以元宵节在中文里有两种不同的说法 。
And the first one is "yuan xiao jie", which directly translates into "first night festival."
第一种说法是“元宵节”,直译过来就是“第一夜节” 。
The second way of referring to the Lantern Festival in Chinese is "shang yuan jie," which means the first first night.
第二种说法是“上元节”,意思是“第一个晚上” 。
Why is it called "Lantern Festival" in English then?
那么为什么在英语里要称为“Lantern Festival”呢?
Simple, watching lanterns of different shapes and sizes is one of the main attractions.
很简单,这个节日主要的看点就是不同种类和样式的灯笼 。
What is the origin of the Lantern Festival then?
那么元宵节的起源是什么呢?
There's a few different versions, and this is one of the legends behind it.
有几个不同版本的说法,下面是来自其中一个传说 。
Long long time ago, there was a beautiful crane that flew from heaven to earth.
很久很久以前,有一只美丽的仙鹤从天庭飞到了人间 。
The villagers that bound it, hunted it and killed it.
一个村的村民们抓住了它,绑了起来,并且杀了它 。
This was the Jade Emperor's favorite crane, so he got so upset that decided to destroy the whole village.
可它是玉帝最喜欢的仙鹤,所以玉帝很伤心,于是决定消灭整个村子 。
The Jade Emperor's daughter warned the village,
玉帝的女儿把这件事告诉了村民,
and a wise man instructed the villagers to hang red lanterns around their houses and explode firecrackers.
有个聪明人让村民把红色灯笼挂在屋子周围,并且燃放鞭炮 。
When the army of the Jade Emperor coming to destroy the city saw this, they thought the village was already being destroyed.
当奉玉帝之命前来摧毁村子的天兵天将看到这种场景之后,认为村子已经被毁了 。
So they left it alone, and therefore the villagers were safe and happy that the lanterns and firecrackers had saved them.
所以他们就离开了,村民们凭借灯笼和鞭炮逃过了一劫 。
"Lantern" in Chinese is "deng long," and "Bian Pao" is firecracker.
Lantern翻译成中文就是“灯笼”,“鞭炮”指的就是firecracker 。
Now the action of lighting or exploding firecrackers in Chinese is "fang bian pao".
点燃并使鞭炮爆炸的动作,在中文里叫做“放鞭炮” 。
