血型决定性格:科学还是传说?

Japanese crazy for blood types
血型决定性格：科学还是传说？

Do you believe that blood types, like zodiac signs, can determine your personality? People in Japan take blood types very seriously, according to a recent BBC report. They have big implications for life, work and love. “What’s your blood type?” is often a key question in everything from matchmaking to job applications.
你相信血型会像星座一样，决定一个人的性格吗？近日，英国广播公司BBC报道称，在日本人们很注重血型。从生活、工作到恋爱，他们都会参考血型。“你是什么血型？”已经成为一个关键性问题，关系到相亲、求职以及生活的方方面面。

Last year, four of Japan’s top 10 best-sellers were about how blood type determines personality, selling more than 5 million copies altogether.
去年，日本10大畅销图书中有4本与血型决定性格有关，四本书的总销量超过500万册。

Taku Kabeya, chief editor at Bungeisha, the publisher of one of the books, told The Huffington Post that he thought the appeal of these books comes from having one’s self-image confirmed. Readers discover the definition of their blood type and “It’s like ‘Yes, that’s me!’”
作为其中一本图书的发行人、文芸社主编Taku Kabeya在接受《郝芬顿邮报》采访时称，他认为这类图书的魅力源自人们对自我形象的认知。读者看到书中对自己血型所下的定义时便会觉得“太对了，这就是我！”。

As defined by the books, type As are sensitive perfectionists and good team players, but they tend to be over-anxious. Type Os are curious and generous but stubborn, while ABs are artistic but also mysterious and uNPRedictable. Type Bs are cheerful, but have eccentric, individualistic and selfish traits.
按照书中定义，A型血的人是敏感的完美主义者以及优秀的团队领导者，但同时往往过于焦虑。O型血的人好奇心强，慷慨大方，但十分固执；而AB型血的人很有艺术气质，但太过神秘莫测。B型血的人性格开朗，却性格古怪，崇尚利己主义且十分自私。

About 40 percent of the Japanese population are type A and 30 percent are type O, while only 20 percent are type B, with AB accounting for the remaining 10 percent, according to the BBC.
BBC报道称，日本人口中大约有40%的人是A型血，30%是O型血，而B型和AB型血的人数仅占20%和10%。

Morning television shows, newspapers and magazines often publish blood type horoscopes and discuss relationship compatibility based on blood types. Popular comics and video games often mention a character’s blood type.
早间新闻节目、报纸以及杂志常常会发布一些类似于占星术的血型分析，并探讨恋人间的血型相容性。热门喜剧以及电子游戏也常常会提到某个人物的血型。

You can even buy soft drinks, chewing gum, and bath salts catering to different blood groups.
你甚至可以买到根据不同血型人群所定制的软饮、口香糖以及浴盐。

Blood types, however, are simply determined by proteins in the blood. Why is it such a popular belief that they determine one’s character? One reason often given about the craze is that in a relatively uniform and homogenous society, it provides a simple framework to divide people up into easily recognizable groups.
然而，简单来说血型是由血液中蛋白质决定的。为何“血型决定性格”这种说法会如此受到人们的欢迎呢？导致这股热潮的原因之一便是：在相对制式、趋同的社会里，血型理论提供了一种简单的框架将人分为不同的类型。

“Being the same is considered a good thing here in Japanese society,” translator Chie Kobayashi told the BBC. “But we enjoy finding little differences that distinguish people.”
译者千绘小林在接受BBC采访时表示：“在日本社会，‘从众’被视为一种美德。但我们也喜欢找到这些区别人们的小差异。”