“生肖”，据《汉英词典》的蓝本《现代汉语词典》，乃“代表十二地支而用来记人的出生的十二种动物即鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、 狗、猪，如子年生的人属鼠，丑年生的人属牛等。也叫“属相”。《汉英词典》在“生肖”这一词条下给出的，与其说是译名，莫若说是注释：any of twelve animals, representing twelve Earthly Branches, used to symbolize the year in which a person is born”。
英国报纸Daily Mail曾有文字介绍过“生肖”且杷我们的“生肖”同他们的“Zediac signs”（即“黄道十二宮”)相提并论。请看：
... Ann Petrie looks at your animal year and your basic characteristics...
As with Western Zodiac signs, the Chinese astrological circle is a series of 12 — 12 years instead of 12 months ….Each year is given an animal name and this animal determines the character and motivation and destiny of people born during the year.
一 Daily Mail, February 1979, p,13
先把“生肖”译作“animal year”，接着还要作一长串的解释，不然读者还是不懂。两种文化的差异逼得你不得不如此。有没有简练一点的说法呢？在日本教英语的James Kirkup氏曾作过如下介绍，可供汉译英之参考：
Supposing Japanese or Chinese wished to discuss the matter in English, they would have to say:
"Under what animal sign (or symbol) were you born?" (or: "What animal sign were you born under?")
〔你属什么？〕
“Mine is the Rat.”(or: "I was born in the/a/ Year of the Rat.")
〔我属鼠〕
“What is next year's animal sign?”
〔明年是什么年? /明年是属什么的？〕
一Modern English Teaching，No- 3, 1969, p-40
顺便提一下，十二生肖虽然都是很平常的动物，译作英语时也还有点讲究，如不注意也会出错：
鼠，是Rat而不是Mouse;
牛，是Ox而不是Cow;
兔，是Hare而不是Rabbit;
蛇，是Serpent而不是Snake;
羊，是Sheep而不是Goat;
鸡，是Cock而不是Hen，更不是 Chicken。
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