<p>向前一小步， 文明一大步。<br>
靠近方便, 贴近文明。</p>

<p>What they both want to say is: Please pee in the urinal, not on the floor.    </p>

<p>They just say it in a very discreet Chinese way.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-08T09:47:24.183Z
2019-10-08T09:47:24.183Z
Pedroski
<p>The quote from your title:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>'向前一小步，文明一大步。' </p>
</blockquote>

<p>which literally translated to: <code>"One small step forward, (is a) big step for civilization"</code></p>

<p>Is kind of a paraphrase of Neil Armstrong's <code>"One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind"</code> which translates, according to Wikiquote, to:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>'这是我个人的一小步，却是全人类的一大步。'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, as mentioned above, this is a euphemistic way of asking people to get closer to the urinals in order to keep the floor dry and clean.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-08T11:17:46.817Z
2019-10-08T12:33:18.957Z
2019-10-08T12:33:18.957Z
Yoav Vollansky
<p>the other one is '靠近方便, 贴近文明', both of which have different versions of English translations, most of them, though, suck. they go like:</p>

<p>One small step forward
One giant leap toward civilization</p>

<p>A small step for man, 
A giant leap for mankind</p>

<p>Near the civilization
Near the wall</p>

<p>close to civilization, 
Near to convenience </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8zW6e.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8zW6e.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Are there any ones you guys find suitable and making sense to a western people?</p>

<translation><phrase><culture><mainland-china>
how to translate this slogan '向前一小步，文明一大步' and the like in almost every public toilet in China
# how to translate this slogan '向前一小步，文明一大步' and the like in almost every public toilet in China

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-08)

the other one is '靠近方便, 贴近文明', both of which have different versions of English translations, most of them, though, suck. they go like:

One small step forward
One giant leap toward civilization

A small step for man,
A giant leap for mankind

Near the civilization
Near the wall

close to civilization,
Near to convenience

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8zW6e.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8zW6e.png)

Are there any ones you guys find suitable and making sense to a western people?

**Tags:** translation, phrase, culture, mainland-china

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-08. Score: 3

向前一小步， 文明一大步。  
靠近方便, 贴近文明。

What they both want to say is: Please pee in the urinal, not on the floor.

They just say it in a very discreet Chinese way.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-08. Score: 3

The quote from your title:

> '向前一小步，文明一大步。'

which literally translated to: `"One small step forward, (is a) big step for civilization"`

Is kind of a paraphrase of Neil Armstrong's `"One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind"` which translates, according to Wikiquote, to:

> '这是我个人的一小步，却是全人类的一大步。'

However, as mentioned above, this is a euphemistic way of asking people to get closer to the urinals in order to keep the floor dry and clean.


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