以動物命名人的屬相,是因為我們的先民與這些動物有密切關係。

Our ancestors used animals to name the years of people's births as their lives were closely connected to these animals.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

=1 old variant of
=1 old variant of
=1 abbr. for Israel 以色列 liè
=1
  1. to use
  2. by means of
  3. according to
  4. in order to
  5. because of
  6. at (a certain date or place)
2 動物 dòng animal

classifiers: , ,

3 命名 mìngmíng
  1. to give a name to
  2. to dub
  3. to christen
  4. to designate
  5. named after
  6. naming
4 rén person; people

classifiers: ,

=5 de
  1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
  2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
  3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
  4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 de "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
  5. also pr. or di in poetry and songs
=5 a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士 shì)
=5 really and truly
=5 (bound form) bull's-eye; target
=6 屬相 shǔxiàng colloquial term for 生肖 shēngxiào the animals associated with the years of a 12-year cycle
=6 屬相 shuxiǎng
  1. (informal) Chinese zodiac sign (one of the twelve animals symbolising the Twelve Branches used to designate years)
  2. Chinese zodiac sign (one of the twelve animals symbolising the Twelve Branches used to designate years)
=7 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=7 shì variant of shì
8 因為 yīnwèi
  1. because
  2. owing to
  3. on account of
9 我們 men we; us; ourselves; our
=10 de
  1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
  2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
  3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
  4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 de "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
  5. also pr. or di in poetry and songs
=10 a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士 shì)
=10 really and truly
=10 (bound form) bull's-eye; target
11 先民 xiānmín forebears
=12 variant of
=12
  1. and
  2. to give
  3. together with
=12 to take part in
13 這些 zhèxiē these
14 動物 dòng animal

classifiers: , ,

=15 yǒu
  1. to have; there is
  2. (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 yǒu intentional)
=15 yòu
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of (yòu, “again”)
  2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of (yòu, “and; with a remainder of (when dividing an integer by ten)”)
  3. alternative form of (yòu, “again”)
  4. alternative form of (yòu, “and; with a remainder of (when dividing an integer by ten)”)
16 密切 qiè
  1. close
  2. familiar
  3. intimate
  4. closely (related)
  5. to foster close ties
  6. to pay close attention
=17 關係 guānxi
  1. relation
  2. relationship
  3. to concern
  4. to affect
  5. to have to do with
  6. guanxi

classifier:

=17 關係 guān
  1. (countable, databases) relation
  2. (countable, uncountable) cause; reason (for something happening) (Classifier: m)
  3. (countable, uncountable) influence; effect; impact (Classifier: m)
  4. (countable, uncountable) relation; relationship; connection; tie (Classifier: ; )
  5. (uncountable) connections (people with whom one is acquainted who can offer help and influence); guanxi (specifically in Chinese culture, a combination of business and personal relationships whereby parties enhance their ability to do business by building a bond with personal favors)
  6. (uncountable, euphemistic) sexual relations
  7. cause; reason (for something happening) (Classifier: m)
  8. connections (people with whom one is acquainted who can offer help and influence); guanxi (specifically in Chinese culture, a combination of business and personal relationships whereby parties enhance their ability to do business by building a bond with personal favors)
  9. influence; effect; impact (Classifier: m)
  10. relation
  11. relation; relationship; connection; tie (Classifier: ; )
  12. sexual relations
  13. to involve; to relate (to); to concern