在即将挥别过去十年之际，试问中国最流行的网络语录是哪一句？相信很多人都会提到“人生就是一个杯子，而它是“杯具”还是“洗具”，全由你自己选择。”

What are China's most popular online slang¹ terms as we approach the end of the decade? One popular choice could be “Life is a cup, it's up to you to decide whether it's a drinking cup or a toothbrush cup.

“杯具”是中文中“悲剧”一词的谐音，而与“喜剧”相对应的则是“洗具”。80后及90后的聊天记录中也出现了各式各样的，关于“杯具，洗具”的讨论。但在走红背后，却蕴含着严肃的思考。

Drinking cup (beiju) is a homophone for “tragedy” in Chinese, while toothbrush cup (xiju) is homophone for “comedy”. There's a whole range of beiju vs xiju debates running across the post-80s and post-90s' online talk. In the background, however, lurks² something that's far less funny.

过去十年期间，中国发展显著，也衍生出众多的机遇。但随之而来，年轻人们却要顶着压力，苦苦奋斗。

While the remarkable³ development in China over the past 10 years has brought a range of opportunities, young people are struggling with pressures that came with them.

当他们第一次审视人生时，想必多数人会觉察到教育变革所带来的影响。

Some of their first observations on life are influenced by changes in education. 与十年之初相比，现在上大学要容易得多。截止2009年，各大专院校在校学生人数由2000年的约500万人增长到2700多万人。

Compared with the beginning of the decade, getting into a university now is much easier. The number of college students went from about 5 million in 2000 to over 27 million in 2009.

但他们在毕业后的遭遇则是另一番景象。教育部统计数据显示，同期内各高校毕业生就业率由2002年的80%跌至2009年的74%。虽然1999实施的高校扩招政策为许多人铺设了通向理想的坦途，但就业之路却成了千军万马要过的独木桥。

What they do after graduating is another story. The employment⁴ rate of college grads has fallen from 80 percent in 2002 to 74 percent in 2009 (Ministry of Education stats) in the same period. The increased enrolment policy that took effect in 1999 opened the path of dreams for many, but the bridge to employment led to a narrower path for more.

网络，至少还有你

Looking to the Internet

个人收入增加了——这是“洗具”；但我们的房子却变小了——这是“杯具”。

Individual incomes are growing – that's the xiju; but our houses are getting smaller – that's the beiju.

在近十年初，我们告诉父母，“不要操心我的学习，我会取得好成绩，努力赚大钱，以后给你们买大大的别墅！”现在，我们即将挥别十年，我们对父母说的话也变成了，“对不起，爸妈，如果没人帮忙，我甚至连一个卫生间都买不起。”

At the beginning of the decade, we told our parents, “Don't worry about my scores, I'll be good and make a fortune and buy you a big villa⁵!”. Now, at the end, it's, “Sorry, Mom and Dad, I can't even get a bathroom without some help.”

根据MyCOS 的调查显示，2008北京高校毕业生的平均月收入达到2700元，差不多是10年前的两倍。同时，北京住房每平米均价达到13100元，差不多是10年的三倍。这就好比你骑着一辆自行车去追赶一辆法拉利。

The average monthly⁶ income of Beijing college grads in 2008, according to MyCOS, has 2,700 yuan, or about double what it was 10 years ago. A square meter of Beijing housing⁷ now costs 13,100 yuan on average, or about triple⁸ the cost a decade ago. It's like trying to ride a motorbike to catch a Ferrari.

为了避开人山人海的就业市场以及小得可怜的居住环境，我们将目光投向了网络——一个更广阔的虚幻世界。那也就意味着一个充满电影与游戏的世界就在那，在我们面前。所以，“杯具”又变成了“洗具”。

To get a break from the overcrowded job market and the shoe-box housing, we look to the Internet and the much bigger virtual⁹ world. That means a world of movies and games just lying there, out in front of us. So, a beiju becomes a xiju.

让暴风雨来得更猛烈些吧

More competition

在教育、工作、旅行，娱乐以及信息方面，经济与社会的发展使它们变得更加多元化，但同时人们得到的机会越多，竞争也就变得越激烈。当一些年轻人目睹这一现状时，他们也理所当然地将其视为社会改良的催化剂。

The economic and social development have given people greater variety in education, work, travel, entertainment and information, but the more opportunities people have access to, the fiercer the competition. When some young people look at that, they also see it as catalyst¹⁰ for social improvement¹¹.

比如，20岁的徐乐，正就读于北京外国语大学柬埔寨语专业。同时，她还辅修二外英语并利用业余时间学习日语课程。

For example, Xu Yue, 20, is majoring in Cambodian at Beijing Foreign Studies University. She's also studying English as a second major and taking Japanese courses in her spare time.

她提笔写道：10年前，人们也许会轻而易举地考入大学，接下来他们将会接受分配，在自己的家乡工作。但现在，迫于压力，我们必须要学习更多的知识。

Ten years ago, she notes, people might have felt relieved¹² to get admitted to college, and they went on to settle down with a job in their hometown. Now, however, we're pressed to learn more.

“没有竞争，或许我们更愿意安于现状，心甘情愿地做一个普通人，”徐乐说。

“Without the competition, maybe we'd be satisfied with the status quo, and willing to be ordinary,” says Xu. 

所以，人生究竟是“杯具”还是“洗具”？有时，这似乎要取决于你怎样看待它以及如何处理压力。 

So, is life a beiju or xiju? In some cases, it appears to be a matter of choice in how you view it and how you deal with the pressure. 

无论如何，在接下来的十年里，更多的进步即将发生。难道我们只是坐在那儿，抱怨并叹息？或者，我们也可以充分利用更丰富的资源和更先进的科技，来享受一个更多彩的人生？这都将取决于你。

In any case, there's more progress in store for the next decade. Do we just sit there, sighing and complaining about it? Or, do we make full use of the richer resources and advanced technology to enjoy a more colorful life? It's still up to you.