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Finding a four-leaf clover, carrying a rabbit's foot, and crossing your fingers are considered symbols of good luck by many. Athletes famously engage in superstitious rituals—basketball legend Michael Jordan reportedly wore the same pair of shorts under his NBA uniform for every game, and tennis star Serena Williams ties her shoelaces the same way before every match and always bounces the tennis ball five times before her first serve. Good luck superstitions exist in cultures all over the world. Here are 10 of them.
找到四片叶子的三叶草，随身携带兔脚，交叉手指在许多人看来都是好运的象征。坊间热传许多运动员都喜欢搞迷信仪式。据说篮球传奇人物迈克尔•乔丹每场比赛都在NBA球衣里穿同一条内裤，网球明星小威廉姆斯每场赛前鞋带都要系成一样，第一次发球前总要把球弹地5下。关于好运的迷信各种各样，以下是世界各国关于运气的10种迷信做法。
1. THROW BROKEN DISHES AT HOUSES // DENMARK
丹麦：往房子扔碎盘子
In Denmark, people save their broken dishes throughout the year in anticipation of throwing them on New Year’s Eve. Danes chuck the broken plates at their friends' and family’s houses as a way to wish the recipient good luck in the year to come. Some Danish children opt to leave a pile of broken dishes on the doorsteps of their friends and neighbors, in a less aggressive manner of wishing prosperity.
在丹麦，人们在新年夜把存了一年的碎盘子扔向朋友和家人的房子，祝他们新年好运来。一些丹麦小孩会把一堆碎盘子放在朋友和邻居家门口，这样不会那么暴力。
2. SWEEP DIRT AWAY FROM THE FRONT DOOR // CHINA
中国：清扫门前的尘土
In China, it's believed that good fortune enters your life through your front door. Just before the New Year, Chinese people follow a tradition of thoroughly cleaning their homes to bid farewell to the previous year, but to avoid sweeping all that good luck out, the home is swept inward and collected in a pile to be carried out the back door, never through the front. In fact, no cleaning is performed at all during the first two days of the New Year so that no good luck can be swept away.
中国人认为好运是从你家前门进来的。在新年之前，他们会彻底打扫卫生，告别过去的一年。为了避免把好运扫走，他们从外往内扫，把尘土扫成一堆再从后门清理出去，绝不走前门。而且，在新年的头两天不能打扫卫生，因为好运会被赶走。
3. EAT A DOZEN GRAPES AND WEAR RED UNDERWEAR TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR // SPAIN
西班牙：吃12颗葡萄，穿红内裤迎接新年
When midnight strikes to usher in a New Year, Spaniards eat 12 green grapes for 12 months of good luck. They eat one grape at each bell toll, chewing and swallowing quickly, and they wear red underwear while doing so. The superstition involving grapes dates back to a century ago when there was a grape surplus, and the red underwear originated in the Middle Ages, when Spaniards couldn’t outwardly wear red clothing because it was considered to be a devilish color.
当新年钟声敲响，西班牙人会吃12颗绿葡萄代表12个月的好运。每敲响一下吃一颗，快速咀嚼吞下，同时还要穿着红内裤。这个关于葡萄的迷信要追溯到一个世纪前的葡萄贸易顺差，红内裤则来源于中世纪，那时不能把红色衣服穿在外面因为红色代表邪恶。
4. BIRD DROPPINGS ARE A SIGN OF GREAT THINGS TO COME // RUSSIA
俄罗斯：头上落鸟屎，好事要发生
Rather than view a bird defecating on them as a disgusting surprise, Russians welcome it as a sign of good luck and fortune. To Russians, bird droppings on you, your home, or your car signifies that money will be coming your way. If multiple birds defecate on you, you’ll supposedly get more money.
大多数人认为被鸟屎砸到是一件恶心的事情，但俄罗斯人却认为这是好兆头。如果鸟屎落在你身上、你家或者车上，预示着有大钱要来。如果你身上落了好几坨鸟屎，意味着钱更多。
5. SPILL WATER BEHIND SOMEONE // SERBIA
塞尔维亚：往别人背后浇水
According to Serbian folk stories, spilling water behind someone is a great way to give them good luck. Serbians spill water behind their friends and family members who are preparing to take a test, face a job interview, or go on a trip.
根据塞尔维亚民间故事，往人背后浇水是给他们好运。考试、求职面试或者旅行之前，塞尔维亚人会在朋友和家人背后浇水。
6. HANG UPSIDE-DOWN TO KISS A ROCK // IRELAND
爱尔兰：倒挂亲吻石头
The legendary Blarney Stone at Ireland’s Blarney Castle attracts visitors who kiss the stone to get the gifts of good luck and eloquence. Visitors who want its good luck must walk to the top of the castle, lean backwards, and hold on to a railing so their lips can reach the stone. Kissing the inconveniently located stone is a risky enough process that castle employees help visitors by holding on to their bodies as they lean back.
位于爱尔兰布拉尼城堡的巧言石充满传奇色彩。无数游客们前来亲吻它以祈求好运和口才。他们要走到城堡顶部，握住把手同时身体向后倾，然后亲吻石头。石头的位置不太好够到，而且这么做风险比较大，所以城堡的工作人员会在游客后倾的时候扶住他们的身体。
7. BRIDES SHOULD PUT A BELL ON THEIR DRESSES // IRELAND
爱尔兰：新娘要在裙子上系铃铛
Irish brides wear small bells on their wedding dresses or jewelry, or they put bells in their bouquets. The bells are worn as a symbol of good luck because the ringing allegedly discourages evil spirits intent on destroying the union. Guests may also ring bells during the ceremony or give bells to the couple as a wedding gift.
爱尔兰新娘要在婚纱或珠宝上系上铃铛，或者放在花束上。铃铛被作为好运的象征是因为铃声可以阻止恶灵破坏婚姻。在婚礼上，客人也要摇铃铛或者送新人铃铛作为礼物。
8. SAY THE WORD ‘RABBIT’ WHEN YOU WAKE UP // UNITED KINGDOM
英国：醒来时说“兔子”
A good luck superstition that originated in the United Kingdom involves saying “rabbit” right after you wake up on the first day of the month. Whether you say “rabbit,” “white rabbits,” or “rabbit, rabbit,” the ritual will supposedly give you good luck for the rest of the month. The superstition has been around since at least the early 1900s, and even President Franklin Roosevelt reportedly said “rabbit, rabbit” to usher in each new month. If you forget to say it in the morning, for the same results simply say “black rabbit” or “tibbar, tibbar” (rabbit spelled backwards) right before you go to sleep instead.
英国人有个迷信，在每个月的第一天早上醒来时要马上说“兔子”。不管你说“兔子”，“白兔子”还是“兔子兔子”，这都会让你在这个月得到好运。据说这个迷信做法在上世纪初开始存在，甚至连罗斯福总统在每个月开头都对引座员说“兔子兔子”。如果你忘记在早上说“兔子”，你在睡前说“黑兔子”或者“tibbar，tibbar”（兔子英文rabbit反写）也会有同样的效果。
9. RUB SPECIAL INCENSE ON YOUR ACHING BODY PARTS // JAPAN
日本：用香熏身体疼痛的部位
The front of the Sensoji Temple in east Tokyo, Japan has a giant incense burner that visitors go to for a “good luck” smoke bath. This ancient Buddhist temple, the oldest in Tokyo, was founded in 628 CE and Japanese people view the incense as holy for its healing powers. Visitors come to stand around the incense, waving the smoke around their bodies, to receive good health.
东京东部的浅草寺有一个巨大的香炉，游客们纷纷前往那里“浴香”以寻求好运。这座东京最古老的佛寺建立于公元628年，日本人认为里面的香有着神圣的治愈力量。游客们站在香雾之中，往自己的身体上招，希望获得健康。
10. THE NUMBER EIGHT IS GREAT // CHINA
中国：数字8最好
Speaking the number eight in Chinese sounds similar to the word for fortune and prosperity, so people in China love anything having to do with eight. Chinese people schedule marriages on dates involving the number, and everything from flight numbers to phone numbers are more lucky if they have eights in them. With this superstition in mind, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing started at 8:08 pm on 8/8/2008.
8在汉语中的发音跟发财和发达的“发”很像，所以中国人喜欢一切和8有关的东西。结婚日期要有8，航班号要有8，手机号要有8，任何数字有了8就更加幸运。因为这个迷信，2008北京夏季奥运会的开幕式就定在2008年8月8号晚上8点零8分。
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