The humble watermelon. The epitome of summer.But how do you know if it's perfectly ripe? Well, onetheory is that if you knock hard on the outside, thesound you hear will help determine if it's ready toeat.
其貌不揚的西瓜意味著夏日。但你怎樣肯定西瓜是不是熟透?有種理論是，使勁敲敲西瓜皮，聽聽聲音，這能幫你肯定它們是不是完整熟了。
That theory lead to a huge online debate in Chinaabout what kind of people engaged in the art of'watermelon knocking'?
這類做法近期在中國的收集上引發燒議，眾人爭相評論辯論哪些人愛“敲西瓜”。
The discussion, which thousands of people contributed to on the Chinese micro blogging siteSina Weibo, was kicked off by an obscure event thousands of miles away in Italy.
數千人介入了新浪微博上的此次大評論辯論，而激發此次評論辯論的是迢遙的意大利的一件小事。
It all began when a Chinese social media user posted the picture below of a sign in an Italiansupermarket asking customers not to knock on the watermelons. The sign was stuck in a cratefull of watermelons which read: "please stop knocking on the watermelons, they will notrespond to it!"
一名中國交際網站用戶宣布了下面這張照片，照片上，這家意大利超市掛出一則標識，請求客人不要敲西瓜。這則標識插在裝滿西瓜的板條箱裏，其上寫道：“請不要再敲西瓜了，西瓜不會回應你。”
There is no indication that the supermarket was targeting this message at customers withChinese heritage. The sign was in Italian not Mandarin. But somehow it was taken as an attackon a practice which some Chinese observers regarded as being unique to their nationalcustoms.
沒有跡象註解超市掛出這則標識是針對中國客人。標識是意圖大利語寫的，而不是漢語通俗話。但不知為什麽這被當做了對敲西瓜這類行動的進擊，而一些中國批評者以為敲西瓜是中國人特有的習氣。
According to What's On Weibo, the photo was widely shared after Chinese media outletsreported that the notice was aimed directly at Chinese customers. But some social media userswere quick to establish that the art of knocking watermelons is not exclusive to China and is infact universal. The viral photo was originally posted by a user on Weibo who calls himself'Isolated Guardian'. He is allegedly a Chinese man living in Milan. The photo has since beenremoved from his page.
依據微博上的信息，在中國媒體報導稱這則標識針對的是中國客人後，這張照片敏捷火遍中國收集。但一些交際媒體用戶很快發明敲西瓜並不是中國特有的征象，實在在環球都異常廣泛。最初上傳這張照片的是一名名為@孤島保衛者的微博網友，聽說是一名棲身在米蘭的中國人。厥後他將照片在其小我主頁刪除。
Many shared jokes aimed at the supermarket sign.
許多網友分享了有關這則超市標識的笑話。
Some people shared photos of themselves listening for a response from watermelons.
一些人分享了本身聽西瓜“回應”的照片。
The topic of watermelons is another example of how some people in China are concernedabout how they are perceived around the world.
敲西瓜這一熱點話題是一些中國人關懷外國人若何對待他們的又一例證。
Online users are keen to show they know better, especially on the subject of watermelons.
網友們熱中於表示出本身曉得的更多，特殊是關於西瓜這件事。
Others pointed out that the concept of watermelon knocking has been passed down from theirparents.
另有人指出敲西瓜是爸爸媽媽傳下來的辦法。
A quick online search will reveal that Chinese social media users are not alone in their thinking.Watermelon knocking and listening for a hollow sound is indeed a near universal concept. Avast array of videos and blogs provide with advice on how to pick a good watermelon. It evenappears in film and animation. Popular Russian cartoon, 'Nu, pogodi!' included watermelonknocking as part of an episode.
在網上快速搜刮一下就會發明，不單單是中國的交際媒體用戶如許想。敲西瓜、聽反響實際上是一種廣泛征象。有許多視頻和博客都給眾人供給了若何遴選好吃的西瓜的發起。敲西瓜這類行動乃至還出如今片子和動畫片裏。風行的俄語卡通片《兔子，等著瞧!》中也有敲西瓜的情節。
One video comically claimed to have a magic formula but the end result was not veryconvincing. There's even a smart phone app designed by Chinese university students to youhelp you in your endeavour to find the ideal watermelon.
一段視頻中幽默地說，有個遴選好西瓜的邪術公式，但其結論並沒那末有說服力。幾位中國大門生還創造了一個幫人遴選好西瓜的智妙手機運用。
There are no absolute guarantees about what to do when it comes to choosing fruit. But at therisk of causing an international diplomatic incident we would suggest there some commonground about what to look for to choose the perfect watermelon.
在遴選生果的時刻，沒有甚麽萬全之策。但冒著激發國際交際事宜的危害，咱們給您提幾條關於遴選好西瓜的發起。
Feel the weight of the melon. The heavier the better
體驗一下西瓜有多重，越重越好。
Press on the watermelon. It should feel firm and if it springs back, it's ready to eat
在西瓜皮上按一按，應當很硬實，假如按下去後能恢回復復興狀，就熟透了。
Look at the markings on the melon. A yellow patch on one end indicates it's ready
看下西瓜上的條帶。假如一端發黃便是熟了。
Of course if that all that fails, you could always, knock and wait for a reply.
固然假如這些都沒用，你就能夠敲敲西瓜，等它回應。
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