According to the statistics of China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, China had nearly 200 million single adults in 2015, accounting for 14.6 percent of the total population. In comparison to the year of 1990, the percentage has skyrocketed from 6 percent. And experts are foreseeing the fourth wave of single population upcoming.

　　据中国民政部的统计数据显示，2015年中国单身成人数量达到了2亿左右，占全国人口总数的14.6%。和1990年的6%相比，这一数据已经上升太多。而且专家们还预见第四次单身浪潮即将到来。

　　The previous three waves of single population took place during the 50s to 90s. Back in the 20th century, China’s first enactment of marriage law had led to a dramatic surge of divorce rate. That was when the first wave of single population began to grow. Later in the 70s, as more and more sent-down youth returned to their home villages to get divorce, leading to the second wave of single population peak. The third wave happened in 90s, when the country’s reform altered people’s mindset towards traditional family values. To date, as women are becoming increasingly independent, the fourth wave, experts said, is approaching.

　　前三次单身浪潮发生在50年代到90年代期间。早在20世纪，中国第一次颁布婚姻法导致了离婚率飙升。于是出现了第一波单身人口数量增长。随后在70年代，由于越来越多的下乡插队年轻人回到家乡离婚，导致了第二波单身人口高峰的出现。第三次单身人口数量增长发生在90年代，中国的改革改变了人们对传统家庭价值观念的心态。而现在，随着女性越来越独立，专家表示第四次单身浪潮即将到来。

　　Reports said that the wave of single population could lead to a series of problems. For example, in 2014, the birth rate in China was 1.137 percent, a surprisingly low figure. Low birthrate not only would affect the labor force population, it would also shrink the consumer market size.

　　据报告显示，单身人口浪潮可能会引起一系列问题。例如2014年中国的人口出生率只有低得惊人的1.137%。低出生率不仅仅只会影响劳动力人口，还会减小消费市场规模。

　　Furthermore, aging population is another issue as a consequence of single population. Based on the official data in 2014, the number of people aged of 60 or above had reached 212 million.

　　此外，人口老龄化是单身人口引起的另一个后果。据2014年的官方数据显示，中国60岁以上人口数量已经达到了2.12亿人。

　　However, China is not alone when it comes to battling this issue. Japan is one good example. Since the 70s, single women aged at 25 -30 increased three times. To change the situation, Japanese government set aside funds from maternity allowance to promote dating activities.

　　但是受这个问题困扰的并不只有中国一个国家。日本就是一个极好的例子。自从70年代以来，25岁到30岁之间的单身女性数量增长了三倍。为改变这一情况，日本政府从生育津贴中拨出资金来促进相亲活动。

（编辑：何莹莹）