英语文化: 为什么“XOXO”表示“亲吻和拥抱”

Whether you end a letter or e-mail with it—or you recognize it from the end of each Gossip Girl episode—"Xoxo" is commonly known to refer to the phrase "Kisses and hugs." But how did these two inconspicuous letters come to represent that well-known phrase?

不管您是写信或邮件时结尾，还是在《绯闻女孩》每一集结束时看到，您都知道“XOXO”是表示“亲吻和拥抱”的短语。但为什么这两个不起眼的字母会表示亲吻和拥抱呢？

One possible explanation is that an "X" is a stylized representation of two mouths kissing, while the "O" represents two pairs of arms coming together to complete a hug. This emoticon-inspired account makes sense, but the true explanations are more likely rooted in religious history.

一种解释是，“X”表示正在亲吻的双嘴，而“O”则代表拥抱在一起的两对手臂。这种表情符号式的解释说得通，但真正的原因更可能是来自宗教历史。

Because many people in the Middle Ages could not read or write, they would sign important documents with an "X," which was both a simple mark to make and a reference to the Christian cross. The signee would then kiss the "X" to demonstrate his sincerity and that what was written in the document was true—in much the same way that Christians kissed the Bible to display their belief in Christ. Besides referencing the actual cross itself, the "X" alluded to the early Christian symbol called the Chi-rho—named after combining the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙ∑ΤΟ∑.

中世纪时，很多人不会读不会写，所以他们在签署重要文件时会使用“X”，这里的 X 既简单易写又表示基督教十字架。然后签署人会亲吻“X”，表明他的真心诚意以及文件内容的真实性。这跟基督教徒亲吻《圣经》以表达他们对基督的信仰几乎是一样的。除了表示实际的十字架，“X”在早期基督教符号中被称为 Chi-rho，其得名是合并希腊语中表示基督的单词ΧΡΙ∑ΤΟ∑的前两个字母。


Tracing the origin of how the "O" came to represent a hug is more difficult. One possible explanation is that Jewish immigrants, upon arriving in the U.S., used the symbol in place of a signature, similar to the way the "X" was used by Christians. Instead of using an "X," which invoked Christ—a figure that did not align with Jewish beliefs—illiterate Jewish people arriving in the U.S. would sign documents with an "O."
追溯为何“O”表示拥抱更困难。一种解释是，与基督教徒使用“X”类似，犹太移民来到美国后使用该符号签名。不会读写的犹太人不用“X”，是因为 X 会让人想到基督，而基督与犹太人的信仰不一致。所以他们签署文件时用“O”。

Combined with the familiar Christian use of an "X" signifying the oath sealed with a kiss, the "O" was likely then adapted to mean hugs as an equal representation in the sincerity of the sentiment on notes, letters, or even e-mails.
就像基督教徒用“X”加亲吻起誓，“O”随后也被用来表示拥抱，其在记录、信件、甚至电子邮件上代表相同的真心诚意。