留学生在中国 第10期 Dumpling 饺子

 　　David：I understand that in Chinese culture people normally¹ eat rice or, as an alternative, dumplings at the end of a meal.

　　我感觉中国人吃饭时喜欢最后吃米饭或饺子。

　　You：We usually eat rice, but we don't usually eat dumplings every day.

　　我们经常吃米饭，但饺子可不是每天都吃。

　　David：Sometimes I have had meals with Chinese friends and at the end of the meal, they choose whether to eat rice or dumplings. Why?

　　我跟中国朋友一起去吃饭时，他们经常会在快吃完时才点米饭或饺子。这是为什么？

　　You：Well, maybe this is true in restaurants when people eat starch² to fill up at the end of a meal. But eating at home is different. At home, dumplingsaren't intended for every day consumption³. If you eat rice at every meal, although it's convenient, it can get boring. It's a Chinese custom, especially in the north, to eat dumplings the night before Spring Festival.

　　哦。在餐馆里，人们可能喜欢在正餐后吃点面食来填肚子；而在家里人们并不是每天都吃饺子。如果每顿都吃米饭，虽然很方便，但也会觉得烦的。中国人有除夕夜吃饺子的习俗，而且这一习俗在北方更为盛行。

　　David：Why? What's the history?

　　为什么？有什么说法吗？

　　You：There is a story but I don't know it. I am from south China and we don't share that custom.

　　是有一个故事但我不大清楚。我是南方人，我们那儿没有这个习俗。

　　David：It's not a part of the custom in southern China. It is only a custom in Beijing?

　　中国南方没有这个习俗。那仅仅是北京有吗？

　　You：Not only Beijing, but all northern China.

　　不仅是北京，而且整个北方都有这样的习俗。

　　David：Someone told me before that, because the dumpling is round, it symbolizes⁴ the beginning of a new cycle. I am not sure, but sometimes I understand they put a coin inside when they make dumplings, whoever eats the dumpling with the coin will have good luck. Maybe this is more northeastern culture.

　　以前有人告诉我，饺子是圆的，象征着新的一轮的开始；我不知道这是不是真的。可是，我知道有时候人们包饺子时也会把一个饺子里面包上一枚硬币。吃到这个饺子的人就会有好运。也许这更具有东北特色一些。

　　You：Yeah, Ithink so.

　　我也这样认为。

1 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

2 starch   

n.淀粉；vt.给...上浆

参考例句：

• Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews.玉米淀粉在炖煮菜肴中被用作增稠剂。
• I think there's too much starch in their diet.我看是他们的饮食里淀粉太多了。

3 consumption   

n.消费，消耗，消费额，消耗量，结核病

参考例句：

• Consumption of oil has declined in recent years.石油消耗量在最近几年下降了。
• The meat was condemned as unfit for human consumption.这种肉已被宣布不适宜人们食用。

4 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》