Women are happier being single than men are, because being in a relationship is harder work for women, new research suggests.

　　新研究显示，女性单身比男性单身更快乐，因为对女性而言，处于恋爱关系中要比男性更辛苦。

　　According to a study by data analysts Mintel, 61 per cent of single women are happy being single, versus 49 per cent of single men.

　　数据分析企业英敏特公司所做的调查显示，61%的单身女性对于单身状态感到快乐，而单身男性中有这种感觉的比例为49%。

　　The survey also found that 75 per cent of single women have not actively looked for a relationship in the last year, compared to 65 per cent of single men.

　　该公司还在调查中发现，75%的单身女性在过去一年中没有主动寻找恋情，而这一比例在单身男性中为65%。

　　And the proposed reason for this is that for women, being in a heterosexual relationship is actually a lot of hard work, and generally requires more effort and labour than for men.

　　造成这种情况的原因被认为是，对女性而言，身处一段异性恋关系中实际上是十分辛苦的，且与男性相较通常需要付出更多的努力和劳动。

　　“There’s evidence that women spend longer on domestic tasks than men and I think they also do more emotional work - so they still do more housework and cooking and things as well as more emotional labour,” Professor Emily Grundy, of the University of Essex, told The Telegraph.

　　英国埃塞克斯大学的Emily Grundy教授在接受《每日电讯报》采访时说：“有证据表明，女性做家务的时间比男性要长，而且我认为她们还会做更多情绪性工作——所以她们仍然做更多的家务、做饭、以及情绪性工作。”

　　From spending more time and money on upkeep of your appearance, doing more chores and putting more effort into resolving problems or arguments, being in a heterosexual relationship typically involves a lot of effort for a woman.

　　从花更多时间和金钱保持自己的外表，到做更多家务以及为解决问题或争吵而付出更多努力，对女性来说，身处异性恋关系中通常要付出大量的努力。

　　What’s more, women are simply happier being single than men are. We’re better at socialising by ourselves and are more likely to have close friends we feel we can turn to in times of need.

　　更重要的是，女性单身比男性单身更快乐。我们女性本身更擅长社交，且更有可能拥有她们觉得在需要时可以求助的密友。

　　“Women tend to be better at having alternative social networks and other confidantes whereas men tend to rely quite heavily on their wives for that and have fewer other social ties,” Dr Grundy explains.

　　Grundy解释说：“女性往往更擅长建立替代性社交网以及结识其他知己，而男性在这方面往往严重依赖自己的妻子，且拥有的其他社交关系也少一些。”

　　“Certainly there’s a common finding from a lot of studies that women who don’t have a partner tend to do more social activities and more friends compared to women with partners whereas with men it’s the reverse - men without a partner tend to do much less of that.

　　“当然，许多研究都有一个共同的发现：没有伴侣的女性倾向于进行更多的社交活动，而男性的情况则恰好相反——没有伴侣的男性的社交活动往往要少得多。”

　　“So it may be that women have a wider range of alternatives,” she said.

　　她说，“所以女性可以有更多的选择。”

　　There’s also the fact that the stigma of being a single woman is gradually changing.

　　还存在这样一个事实，即以单身女性为耻的观念正在逐步改变。

　　The concept of spinsters and bachelors is on the way out, and society is finally realising that yes, many single women aren’t in relationships because they’re actually happy being independent, doing whatever they want with their time, and they don’t actually need anyone else.

　　老姑娘和单身汉已经过时，社会终于开始认识到，许多单身女性之所以不恋爱结婚，是因为她们真的乐于保持独立、用自己的时间做任何想做的事，她们真的不需要其他任何人。