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 slang 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, lurks 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 remarkable 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2010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2010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 employment 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 villa!". Now, at the end, it's, "Sorry, Mom and Dad, I can't even get a bathroom without some help."

根据作文-地带提供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 monthly 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 housing now costs 13,100 yuan on average, or about triple the cost a decade ago. It's like trying to ride a motorbike to catch a Ferrari.liuxuepaper.com