The zodiac is an imaginary belt or band across the sky. The sun, the moon and the planets all seem to move along this band as the year goes by. Long ago people cut this band into twelve equal parts, and gave each part the name of a group of stars: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so on. Those twelve parts are the 'signs of the zodiac', and the day you were born decides which sign is yours. When people ask 'What's your sign?' they are asking about the zodiac.

The zodiac is an imaginary belt or band across the skyzodiac 是天空中一條想像出來的帶狀區域。The sun, the moon and the planets all seem to move along this band太陽、月亮和行星看起來都沿著這條帶子移動 as the year goes by隨著一年過去。Long ago people cut this band into twelve equal parts很久以前人們把這條帶子切成十二等份，and gave each part the name of a group of stars然後給每一份取了一群星星的名字：Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so on像牡羊座、金牛座、雙子座等等。Those twelve parts are the 'signs of the zodiac,'這十二份就是 'signs of the zodiac'（黃道十二宮／星座），and the day you were born decides which sign is yours而你出生的那天決定你是哪個星座。When people ask 'What's your sign?'當有人問「What's your sign?」（你什麼星座？） they are asking about the zodiac他們問的就是這個 zodiac。

There are two quite different ways this word gets used, and it helps to keep them apart. One is astronomy — real science. Astronomers still use the zodiac as a way of saying where in the sky something is, because the planets really do stay near that band; that part is simple fact.

There are two quite different ways this word gets used這個字有兩種完全不同的用法，and it helps to keep them apart把它們分開來想會比較清楚。One is astronomy一種是天文學 — real science真正的科學。Astronomers still use the zodiac天文學家還是會用 zodiac as a way of saying where in the sky something is來說某個東西在天空中的位置，because the planets really do stay near that band因為行星真的都待在那條帶子附近；that part is simple fact這部分是單純的事實。

The other is astrology — the belief that your zodiac sign shapes your personality and your luck. Scientists do not accept that second part. English usually does not mark which one you mean, so you have to hear it from the situation: in a newspaper's back pages it is astrology, in a science book it is astronomy.

The other is astrology另一種是占星術 — the belief that your zodiac sign shapes your personality and your luck也就是相信你的星座會影響你的個性和運氣的這種信念。Scientists do not accept that second part科學家不接受這第二部分。English usually does not mark which one you mean英文通常不會標明你指的是哪一種，so you have to hear it from the situation所以你得從情境判斷：in a newspaper's back pages it is astrology在報紙的後面版面通常是占星，in a science book it is astronomy在科學書裡就是天文。

The word is a noun, and it almost always takes 'the': 'the zodiac', 'the signs of the zodiac', 'a zodiac sign'. It sounds a bit bookish on its own — in ordinary talk people skip it and just say 'my sign' or name the sign: 'I'm a Leo.' Note also that a person is not a zodiac; a person HAS a zodiac sign.

The word is a noun這個字是名詞，and it almost always takes 'the'而且幾乎都會加 'the'：'the zodiac',像 'the zodiac'（那個黃道帶）、'the signs of the zodiac',「the signs of the zodiac」（黃道十二宮）、'a zodiac sign'.「a zodiac sign」（一個星座）。It sounds a bit bookish on its own這個字自己講出來有點書面：in ordinary talk在日常對話裡 people skip it and just say 'my sign'人們會省略它，直接說 'my sign'（我的星座） or name the sign或直接講星座名字：'I'm a Leo.'像「I'm a Leo」（我是獅子座）。Note also that要注意 a person is not a zodiac一個人不是 zodiac；a person HAS a zodiac sign一個人是「有」一個星座。

One more thing worth knowing here in Taiwan. The Chinese twelve-animal cycle — rat, ox, tiger, and the rest — is often called 'the Chinese zodiac' in English, and that is normal, accepted English. But it is a different system: it goes by year, not by month, and its twelve animals are not the same twelve signs. English borrowed the word 'zodiac' for it because both systems have twelve parts and both use animals.

One more thing worth knowing here in Taiwan在台灣還有一件值得知道的事。The Chinese twelve-animal cycle中國的十二生肖 — rat, ox, tiger, and the rest鼠、牛、虎等等 — is often called 'the Chinese zodiac' in English英文裡常被稱為 'the Chinese zodiac'，and that is normal, accepted English而這是正常、被接受的英文說法。But it is a different system但這是不同的系統：it goes by year, not by month它是以年為單位，不是以月，and its twelve animals are not the same twelve signs而且它的十二種動物跟前面那十二個星座不是同一組。English borrowed the word 'zodiac' for it英文之所以借用 'zodiac' 這個字 because both systems have twelve parts and both use animals是因為兩個系統都是十二等份、都用動物。

When you are speaking to someone from the West, say 'the Chinese zodiac' or 'my Chinese zodiac animal', or they will think you mean Scorpio.

When you are speaking to someone from the West當你在跟西方人講話時，say 'the Chinese zodiac' or 'my Chinese zodiac animal,'要說 'the Chinese zodiac' 或 'my Chinese zodiac animal'，or they will think you mean Scorpio不然他們會以為你在講天蠍座。