Life as a single man in China
Samuel你好！
首先，谢谢你愿意接受我的采访。我的目的是把中国文化让大家知道。所以我想到了问母语人是最棒的方式。今天我想要讨论《单身生活》的问题。
我听说过中国单身的生活比意大利的不一样。比如说在意大利，如果超过30岁的人还是单身不是那么大的问题。
Hi Samuel!
First of all, thanks for accepting my interview. My purpose is to let everyone know about Chinese culture, so I thought that asking questions directly to a native, could be the best way to do it. Today I’d like to discuss the topic “living as a single man.”
I heard that the life of an unmarried man in China differs from that of an Italian. For example, in Italy, if a person that is over 30 years old is not married yet, it is not such a big problem.
在中国，单身的生活怎么样？
How is life as a single man in China?
当然很寂寞了。不过现在的网络很发达，单身男女可以用一些手机软件来交朋友，不过有的人只想做ONS。而有一些人，他们一直在单身，他们不知道如何去接触异性，不过可能也和他们的工作有关系，所以只能选择一直单身。我就是这种人。
Of course it is very lonely. But today Internet has improved a lot, single boys and girls can use some mobile apps to make friends. However, there are some of them who only wants to make ONS (one night stand), while others keep on being single, they don’t know how to get in touch with the opposite sex. But it’s possible that this has something to do with their work, because of which they cannot do anything but choosing to remain single. I am an example.
工作怎么会影响单身的生活? 为什么你说他们选择一直单身和工作可能有关系? 是不是因为他们没有时间去谈恋爱?
How does work influence single life? Why did you say that the reason why they choose to remain single has something to do with work? Is it perhaps because they don’t have time to date anyone?
工作也会导致单身啊。比如工作很忙。中国人不像意大利人，中国人工作非常忙。或者工作的地方都是男人或者都是女人, 就不太容易遇到合适的人。
Oh, work can be a reason for this. For example, in China, work is very intensive, unlike Italy, or if you work in a place where there are only men or only women, it’s difficult to meet the right person.
中国父母会不会推动30岁的儿女去相亲？
Would parents in China encourage their sons over 30 years old to go to blind dates?
在中国，三十岁还没有对象的话，父母会比较着急。父母会表现得比子女更加关心婚姻问题。他们会让子女进行没完没了的相亲。中国城市里有一些像公园之类的公共场所，经常会组织相亲会，参加的人都是没有结婚的男女的家长，那个场面非常壮观。
In China, if a young person reaches the age of 30 without having a partner, then their parents would be quite worried, more that the youngsters themselves. They would make sure that their sons go to endless blind dates. In Chinese cities there are some public places, similar to parks, where blind date meetings are often organized. The participants are all parents of unmarried men and women. That scene is quite spectacular.
子女们会不会迫于父母的压力而被迫结婚？
Will sons feel forced to marry under the pressure of their parents?
会有这种情况。这个因为中国的父母受到传统思想的影响很大，人到了一定的年纪必须要结婚，否则就是一种不可思议的事情。但是中国的年轻人们慢慢不这样想了，他们觉得结婚应该是自由的事情，如果不结婚也没有什么。不过有一些年轻人最后还是听了父母的话，和一个自己不是很喜欢的人结婚了。不过他们最后有可能会离婚。
There can be this kind of situation. This is because Chinese parents are greatly influenced by traditional ideas. People who have reached a certain age must get married, otherwise it would be an inconceivable thing. However, Chinese youngsters have slowly started to think differently, they believe that marriage should be a free choice and if you are not married it shouldn’t be a problem. But there are some of them who eventually obey their parents and get married to someone they don’t really like, probably ending up divorcing.
中国父母也会去庙宇拜神才能帮子女找到好的对象吗?
Are parents in China willing to go to the temple to pray in order for their sons to find a partner?
哈哈，我爸爸在今年暑假的时候去寺庙给我拜佛，希望我可以顺利结婚。这种情况在中国还是很多的。
Haha, my dad this year, during summer vacations, went to the temple to pray to Buddah. Hopefully I can get married. This is still common in China.
结婚的人会嘲笑单身的人吗？
Is there a possibility for unmarried people to be criticized by those who are married?
应该不会，不过大家都会比较关心这个人为什么一直单身，还会尝试给他介绍对象。
No, there shouldn’t be. However, married couples would be quite worried about the fact that others keep on being single and they would try to introduce them someone.
要结婚的人要准备什么？
What people who want to get married have to prepare?
要结婚的话，男人要准备好多的钱，还必须要有房子和车，和一个赚钱的工作。所以啊，现在在中国，女人的地位很高。如果中国人生了女孩，中国人会认为这样是很赚钱的事；如果生了男孩，中国人会认为这是一个很大的负担。不过呢，年轻的中国人，像我这样的年纪，并不想要孩子，即使他们已经结婚。因为中国人生活压力太大了。
中国还有一种东西叫做“彩礼”。彩礼就是男人必须要给女人的钱，这里大概是二十万，中国人大概要挣三年的钱才可以有二十万。当然有些中国人很有钱，他们不算。
If a boy wants to get married, he has to save a lot of money. Besides, he should have a house, a car and a well-paid job. So, right now in China, women’s status is very high. If one gives birth to a girl, Chinese people will consider it a lucrative thing; if one gives birth to a boy, on the contrary it will be a great burden. Anyway, young Chinese people of my age don’t want children at all, even if they are already married, because Chinese people’s life is already too much stressful.
In China there is also a thing called caili, “bride-price”. That means that the man should give money to the woman, here it is more or less 200.000 yuan. Chinese people have to struggle at work three years to get that amount. Of course, there are also some rich people, but they are not to take in consideration.
那女人要准备什么？
And what about girls?
在中国，女人什么都不用准备，只要她们不胖不很丑就可以了。女人挑选她们喜欢的男人来进行交往，到结婚的时候女人不用花一分钱，所有的钱都是男人和他的父母来花。
In China, girls don’t have to prepare anything. As long as they are not fat or ugly, that’s ok. They choose the guy they like and, at the time of marriage, they don’t have to spend a dime. Everything is at the expense of the boy and his parents.
最后的问题，我知道11月11日，在中国单身的人庆祝一段节日叫做”光棍节”。在那天他们做什么? 我曾经读到了他们那天早餐时习惯吃四个油条。是真的吗?
Last question, I know that on November 11th in China, unmarried people celebrate a festival called guanggun, the single festival. What they do on this day? I once read that, on this day, they eat four youtiao (deep-fried twisted dough sticks) for breakfast. Is it true?
光棍节那天，人们都会疯狂去网购，有点像美国的black Friday。那个时候，网上很多的商品会有很大的促销，一年只有这一次。也许有人会吃油条吧,不过我觉得那些人很无聊。
During the single festival, people do crazy online shopping, more or less like the black Friday in the US. On that day, there are very high discounts on a lot of online products. It’s the only day all year round. Yes, there should be someone who eat youtiao, but I personally think that those people are a bit silly.▄