Happy Thought for 20 January 2023

Have a Happy Thought:

Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate!

On Sunday, many countries are entering the Year of the Rabbit, including China, Korea, Japan, and Cambodia, amongst others.

Zodiac rabbit, showing the tù (兔) character for rabbit

Image: Alice-astro (picture)+User:Miuki (modified caracter) - wikimedia commons. CC BY 3.0

 

However, some countries that also have significant Lunar New Year celebrations are instead entering the Year of the Cat.

These traditions include Vietnam and Nepal.

One explanation for this is that the zodiacal name for this year is Mão/Mẹo 卯 which is similar in pronunciation to the Vietnamese word Mèo for cat.

A ginger cat lies curled up on a hiking backpack

Image: supplied

 Meanwhile, the Malay (including eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and parts of Borneo) are entering the year of the mousedeer.

A chevrotain or Lesser mouse-deer (Tragulus kanchil), a small (7–16 kg (15–35 lb), 45 cm (18 in) long, average height of 30 cm (12 in)) ungulate. This one has tawny fur with white stripes on its chest, large black eyes with no visible pupils, and pink nose and large ears with inner pink showing nicely.

Image: Tragulus kanchil, a Chevrotains, or mouse-deer. Uspn (Bjørn Christian Tørrissen). CC BY-SA 3.0

 

(Thanks for giving me an excuse to share that photo of the mousedeer with you!)

 

Thanks to David Hull 胡大衛 @HuShuo@mastodon.social for bringing this to our attention!

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