(单词翻译:单击)
Even for people who aren't normally superstitious, lots of New Year's traditions revolve around ritualistic ways to ensure you have a good year, including that midnight kiss.
即使对那些不迷信的人来说，许多新年传统也是为了确保来年好运连连，包括除夕夜亲吻的习俗。
Lots of those traditions involve what you eat. Or, really, what you shouldn't eat.
许多传统都与你吃什么有关。或者是，你不该吃什么。
Surf and turf might seem like the perfect meal for a fancy New Year's shindig, but some cultures say lobster is a dish to skip.
海鲜和牛排听起来像是年夜饭中的硬菜，但在一些文化中，年夜饭不能吃龙虾。
Smithsonian Magazine notes that the crustaceans are considered bad luck because they move backwards.
《Smithsonian杂志》指出，甲壳类动物代表厄运，因为它们倒着走。
According to Classroom, the superstition can be traced back to Austria and Eastern Europe, where it's believed that eating any New Year's meal that moves backwards will cause setbacks in the year to come.
据《教室》介绍，这种迷信可以追溯到奥地利和东欧。在那里，人们相信，在年夜饭中吃到任何倒着走的生物都会在来年带来挫折。
One Kind Planet notes that lobsters swim forwards, obviously, but they can quickly go backwards when they sense a predator.
《一种星球》指出，龙虾显然是向前游的，但当它们发现捕食者时，可以迅速倒退。
Other shellfish like shrimp and crabs are also considered bad luck because they move from side to side.
虾和螃蟹等其他贝类也是不吉利的，因为它们可以横着走。
The only seafood considered to bring good luck is fish that only swim forwards, like salmon, which is considered especially lucky because it swims in schools, which promotes prosperity and progress in the year ahead.
唯一会带来好运的海鲜是只能往前游的鱼，比如鲑鱼。它象征着极好的运气，因为它成群结队地游，寓意来年繁荣、进步。
"Salmon for everyone! On me!" Like we said, any fish that swims forwards is considered a lucky New Year's entrée.
“每个人都有鲑鱼吃！我请客！”就像我们说的，任何向前游的鱼都象征着来年的好运。
That's particularly true if the fish has shiny scales, according to Southern Kitchen.
《南方厨房》指出，如果鱼有闪亮的鳞片，那就更幸运了。
Pickled herring is considered a lucky tradition in Germany and Sweden, and in China, they prefer the whole fish, eyeballs and all.
在德国和瑞典，腌制鲱鱼被认为是幸运的象征，而在中国，人们认为吃整条鱼才更幸运。
But make an exception for the bottom feeders, which include fish like cod, halibut, bass, and worst of all: catfish.
但底栖鱼除外，比如鳕鱼、大比目鱼、巴斯鱼、鲶鱼等鱼类，尤其是鲶鱼。
The superstition goes that if you feast on catfish, you'll be feeding off of scraps for the year to come.
有一种迷信说法是，如果你吃鲶鱼，来年就只能吃残羹剩饭。
That's because bottom feeders, as their name implies, scavenge for food along the murky bottoms of lakes and oceans.
因为底栖鱼，顾名思义，在黑暗的湖泊和海洋底部觅食。
Not what you want to be doing in your new year.
这可不是来年你想做的事。
If you don't want your luck to fly away on New Year's Eve, then you're encouraged to steer clear of chicken – or any type of bird, for that matter.
如果你不想让自己的运气在除夕夜消散殆尽，那你应该避开鸡肉或者说任何类型的禽类。
The Victoria Advocate explains that winged fowl such as chickens or turkeys scratch around in the dirt looking for their food.
《维多利亚倡导者》解释说，有翼的家禽，如鸡或火鸡，在泥土中四处觅食。
So the superstition goes that if you consume these at the start of the year, you'll likely be scratching in the dirt looking for food and fortune over the next 12 months.
因此，一种迷信说法是，如果你在年初吃了这些，来年你很可能会像它们一样里在土里寻找食物和钱。
Chickens and turkeys also move backwards while they scratch for food, so that's a double red flag.
鸡和火鸡在觅食时也会倒退，所以它们象征着双重厄运。
Though it's hard to source where it came from, you may also hear that eating anything with wings on New Year's Eve is also considered a no-no because it could symbolize your luck flying away.
有种迷信说法，虽然很难知道它是从哪传出来的，但你可能也听说过——除夕夜吃任何有翅膀的东西也是禁忌，因为它象征着你的好运飞走了。
"Good luck." "Saying good luck is bad luck." "I take it back." "Taking it back's even worse luck."
“祝你好运。” “祝好运象征厄运。” “我收回我的话。” “收回话去会更倒霉。”
Colorful foods are good luck on New Year's.
五颜六色的食物象征好运。
The green and gold of collard greens and tamales, respectively, symbolize wealth and prosperity.
绿色的羽衣甘蓝象征着财富；金色的玉米粉蒸肉象征着繁荣。
Oranges and tangerines are lucky golden charms, too.
橙子和橘子也是象征幸运的金色护身符。
Gifting, displaying, or eating them in China means your year ahead will be chock full of luck and money.
在中国，给人送、展示或吃掉五颜六色的食物都意味着来年你将好运连连、财源广进。
By contrast, foods without a lot of color aren't so lucky.
相比之下，没有太多颜色的食物就不那么幸运了。
How Stuff Works explains that Chinese tradition warns to avoid white foods like tofu, white potatoes, egg whites, rice, and bread, unless the bread is served as a round cake.
《世界怎样运作》解释说，中国传统习俗约定，不要吃豆腐、白薯、蛋清、米饭、面包等白色食物，除非面包是圆形的糕点。
In China, white represents death, mourning, and bad fortune. It's the color people wear to funerals.
在中国，白色代表死亡、哀悼和厄运，是人们参加葬礼时衣服的颜色。
If you want to have a lucky and lively new year, it's best to avoid white foods. Except sauerkraut, that is.
如果你希望来年好运，那最好不要吃白色食物。除了泡菜。
It's popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch and considered lucky on New Year's Eve, especially when paired with pork.
泡菜在宾夕法尼亚州的荷兰人中很受欢迎，被认为是除夕的吉祥象征，特别是与猪肉搭配时。
Since the 1700s, long soba noodles have been a traditional New Year's Eve delicacy. In Japan, they're believed to promote longevity, health, resilience, and luck.
自18世纪以来，长荞麦面一直是除夕的传统美食。日本人认为长荞麦面象征长寿、健康、韧性和好运。
Spot explains that eaters should beware of any noodle that is cut short or broken in half, though. Short noodles are a symbol of bad luck and a shortened lifespan.
《发现》解释说，尽管如此，食客应该小心那些被切短或断成两半的面条。短面条是厄运和折寿的象征。
This applies to noodles even after they go in your mouth. Don't bite them!
即使面条已经进入你的嘴里，这个说法仍然适用。别咬面条！
And don't cut them with knives or chopsticks when they're in the bowl in front of you.
也不要用刀或筷子切断碗里的面条。
Slurping down long noodles in their entirety is essential for longevity and luck.
“嗤喽”着吃下整根长面条，才能使人长寿，带来好运。
If you were thinking of gifting your New Year's party host an assortment of herbs, leave out the parsley, the Darlington & Stockton Times warns.
《达灵顿与斯托克顿时报》提醒道，如果你想给新年派对的主人送一束各式各样的香草，那就别放欧芹了。
There's a superstition about it that dates all the way back to 1600. The book "25 Essential Herbs You Need To Know" offers the backstory.
关于欧芹有一种迷信说法，可以追溯到1600年。《你需要知道的25种基本草药》一书讲述了这个故事。
The legend goes that a Greek army on its way to battle encountered some donkeys covered in parsley.
传说一支希腊军队在去战斗的路上遇到了一些盖着欧芹的驴。
They interpreted the animals as a sign of impending doom and retreated. "Run away!" "Run away!" "Run away!" From then on, parsley became associated with death in Greece.
他们认为这些驴象征厄运即将到来，然后就撤退了。“快跑！” “快跑！” “快跑！” 从那时起，欧芹在希腊就与死亡联系在一起。
Garden Betty Explains that it was used to decorate wreaths at funerals and placed on top of graves to honor the dead.
《贝蒂花园》解释说，它被用来装饰葬礼上的花圈，并被放置在坟墓的顶部，以纪念死者。
At any time of year, slicing into a fresh loaf of bread and finding a huge, gaping hole is considered to be a very bad omen.
在一年中的任何时候，切开一条新鲜的面包，发现一个巨大的裂开的洞都被认为是一个非常不好的预兆。
According to ABC News, air pockets in bread are thought to be a symbol of a coffin and a premonition of impending death — either yours or someone's you know.
据ABC新闻网报道，面包里的气孔被认为是棺材的象征，预示有人将要死去——可能是你自己也可能是你认识的某个人。
According to The Bread Guide, these holes are actually referred to as tunneling and can be caused by a multitude of reasons, such as not kneading the dough enough, being impatient with rising time, or using flour that's too dense.
《面包指南》解释说，这些洞实际上是气孔，可能由多种原因造成，比如面团揉得不够充分，发酵时间不足，或者使用的面粉太紧实。
Trapped carbon dioxide from the yeast causes these bready pits of despair.
酵母产生的二氧化碳被封在气孔里，就产生了这些坑洞。
If your bread isn't scored deeply enough, the gas can't escape and you'll be left with holey bread.
如果你的面包划痕不够深，气体就不能逸出，你就会得到有洞的面包。
If you're even a wee bit superstitious, perhaps stay away from fresh loaves of bread around New Year's Eve.
如果你有一点点迷信，可以在除夕那几天远离新鲜的面包。
Or you can slice the bread horizontally like one big sandwich. If there are any big holes in the loaf, that'll fix the problem.
或者你可以像切一个大三明治一样，水平着切面包。如果面包里有大洞，那问题就解决了。
According to the language blog Learn German, it's customary in Germany to leave a portion of food on your plate on New Year's Eve.
根据语言博客“学习德语”的说法，在德国，除夕夜把一部分食物留在盘子里是一种习俗。
The plate of leftovers is meant to sit out past midnight to bring food abundance in the new year.
这盘剩饭会放到午夜以后，寓意新的一年佳肴美馔应有尽有。
Quad Cities Daily notes that finishing all of your food on New Year's Eve is believed to actually bring about a spell of bad luck.
《四城日报》指出，在除夕夜吃光所有食物会带来厄运。
So maybe just leave a nibble or two on your plate at the end of your festivities.
所以，也许可以在节庆活动结束时，在餐盘上留下一点食物。
So why are there so many food-related New Year's superstitions?
那么，为什么会有这么多与食物有关的新年迷信说法呢？
Anthropology professor Nan Rothschild told the New York Times, "To say that a food brings good luck is a way of controlling the environment and one's destiny."
人类学教授南·罗斯柴尔德告诉《纽约时报》：“说食物能带来好运，是控制环境和掌握命运的一种方式。”
