中國(guó)人使用筷子已經(jīng)有3000多年的歷史了。中國(guó)的筷子夾菜的一端是圓的，象征著天；另一端是方的，象征著地。這是因?yàn)椋S持充足的食物供應(yīng)是天地之間最重要的事情。中國(guó)有個(gè)古老的風(fēng)俗，女子出嫁時(shí)要用筷子當(dāng)嫁妝，因?yàn)?ldquo;筷子”與“快子”諧音。根據(jù)中國(guó)的餐桌禮儀，吃飯時(shí)一直握著筷子是不禮貌的。將菜送入口中后，應(yīng)立刻把筷子放下。吃飯時(shí)，用筷子指著別人會(huì)對(duì)其造成冒犯。
　　【翻譯詞匯】
　　筷子 chopsticks
　　維持 maintain
　　充足的 adequate
　　嫁妝 dowry
　　諧音 be pronounced the same as
　　餐桌禮儀 table manners
　　不禮貌的 impolite
　　冒犯 offend
　　【精彩譯文】There has been a history of more than 3 000 years for the Chinese to have meals with chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are round on the eating end which symbolizes the heaven, and the other end is square which symbolizes the earth. It is because maintaining an adequate food supply is the greatest concern between the heaven and the earth. There is an old custom in the past in China, that chopsticks should be a part of a girl’s dowry. Kuaizi (chopsticks) is pronounced the same as “kuai zi”.The latter symbolized “quick” and “son”. According to the Chinese traditional table manners, it is impolite to hold the chopsticks all the time over the meal. As soon as one person sends a bite into his mouth, he should put down the chopsticks. It would offend others to point at them with chopsticks over the meal.