火狐狸
新手上路
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Slang 俚语
在外国学英语, 最有趣的大概就是可以听到很多俚语。 很多时候光听那些句子, 好象不容易马上可以会意出来他们在说什么, 听了几次后, 就慢慢可以了解这些俚语的含意了。不过, 不管什么语言, 都应该考虑到说话的对象、场合与时间, 有些俚语并不适合在正式的场合用。
catch some Zs 小睡一下
英解:sleep
漫画里的人睡觉, 不是都画"Z,Z,Z..."来表示吗? 这里的 "catch some Zs" 就是这样来的。"I have to catch some Zs." 也可以说"I have to take a nap." 或 "I need to snooze."
A: Excuse me. I have to catch some Zs.
A: 抱歉! 我想小睡一下。
B: I thought you just woke up. Sleepy head.
B: 我以为你才刚睡醒。爱睡虫。
Yo, G 嗨,老兄
英解:What's up, dude; hi there.
「Yo」是源自黑人青少年之间的一种打招呼的方式,相当于「嗨」;至于这边的字母「G」可能是由「guy」简化而来,它是对哥儿们或朋友的一种称呼,有点类似「家伙」、「老兄」的意思。
A: Yo, G. Whatcha up to? (What are you up to?) 嗨,老兄。最近都在干嘛?
B: Not much. Just dropped by to say "hello". 没干嘛。只是顺道过来打声招呼
get a load of 试试
英解: try, check out, to give attention to something because it is interesting
「load」这个字原本是「装载」或「负担」的意思,例如:「load a gun」就是指将枪装上子弹。而「get a load of」在这边则是指「尝试」或「体验」某件有趣事情的意思。
A: Check this out, man. My uncle gave me this crotch-rocket as a birthday present. 老兄,你看。我叔叔送给我这辆跑车型的摩托车当作生日礼物。 B: Wow, that's awesome. Can I get a load of it? 哇,真是帅呆了。我可以骑骑看吗?
max out 累惨了
英解:To do something with as much effort and determination as you can
"max" 是「极限」的意思。maxed out"是用来表示一个人累惨了, 或者是付出非常大的努力。
A: I'm working 70 hours this week. I'm totally maxed out. A: 我这星期工作七十个小时。我真是完全累坏了。 B :70 hours? I'd be dead if I worked this hard. B: 七十个小时? 我要是工作这么多, 我一定会死了
the man (the Man) 大哥; 厉害的人
英解:someone who has the ability over you
"You're the man." 这个口语对象不一定要是男人, 只要是有人作了一件很厉害的事, 你就可以好象很崇拜地拍拍他(她)的肩膀说:"You're the man."(美国人说这句话说, 常常会把"man"这个字的尾音拉的长长的)
A: O.K. Your car is fixed. There should be no more problem now. A: 好了! 你的车修好了。应该不会再有问题了! B: You've got it taken care of just like that? You're the man. B: 你这样(一下子)就搞好了啊!大哥真是厉害!
armpit 脏而令人不舒服的地方
英解:a very unpleasant or ugly place.
"armpit" 其实是「腋窝」的意思。可能对美国人来说, 这个地方是「汗水」、「污垢」聚集的地方, 所以在俚语里, "armpit" 就被用来形容「脏的令人不舒服的地方」吧。
A: Oh, man. This room is an absolute armpit! When's the last time you cleaned this place?
A: 唉呀! 老兄! 呃?房殓真是篥得不像?。你上回打?房子是什??候哇?
B: The last time my mom was here.
B: 上次我??的?候。
have a cow 非常生气
英解:to be very angry or surprised or very un pleasant
不知道?什??用"have a cow" ?表示「很生?」。?肴上, " have kittens" 也是同?的意思。
"Duh!" 是美?人用?表示「呃不是????」、「呃?用真??」等所办出?的一肺遮音。有?像真中文的「??!」那?的遮?。
A: When I told my mom I would be home around 2 am, she had a cow!
A: 我跟我妈说我会到半夜二点才回家, 她气炸了。
B: Duh!
B: 废话!(怎么会不生气?)
[不妙]something is to pay
经理感到事情有些不妙。
The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
汉语的“有些不妙”或“有点不对头”的概念常可用something is to pay的句式来表示。这一短语常和feel或have a hunch that连用。
Dialogue
Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?
Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.
Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.
Sue: I had too much confidence in him.
Bob: But he ruined your business.
Sue: Well, if I knew there would be something to pay, I wouldn't should chalk it up to experience.
Bob: Well, you should chalk it up to experience.
Sue: You're right.
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[眼中钉]a thorn in someone's flesh
不知为什么我成了他们的眼中钉了。我可从未错待过他们。
I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.
我们说的“眼中钉”与英美人讲的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事,虽比喻有异,但意思相同。与此说法相似的还有“刺耳的话”(a flea in someone's ear)。
Dialogue
Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.
Betty: You mean your boss?
Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.
Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.
Frank: But why should that make him hate me?
Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.
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[馋得流口水]make someone's mouth water
桌上的美味佳肴馋得他直流口水。
The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
“使某人流口水”指“使某人垂涎”,是地道的汉语口语。这一概念一般是用make someone mouth water的句式来表达的。
Dialogue
Sue: Wow! What a gracious table! Everything looks so beautiful.
Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.
Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.
Bob: I feel itching, too. Let's start and try these delicacies.
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[胡说八道]shooting from the hip
他说我迷恋上李丽了?这简直是胡说八道!
He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!
汉语口语中的"胡说八道"曾被译成break wind。其实,英美人更习惯用shoot from the hip来表示这一说法。
Dialogue
Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.
Mark: What did he do?
Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men, which, of course, made my boy friend very suspicious of me.
Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that! It was very vicious of him. You must not put up with him.
Rose: Of course not! He will soon know what he deserves!
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[各奔东西]drift apart
毕业后我们班的同学就各奔东西了。
After graduation my classmates drifted apart.
“各奔东西”指的是“散开”或“不在一起”的意思,但“散开”或“分散开”的英语是disperse,常指“分散精力”,“疏散人群”或“驱散云雾”等概念。因而,“各奔东西”不宜使用disperse,而应该用drift apart。此语中的drift是漂流的意思。
Dialogue
John: What have you been doing these days, mark?
Mark: I've been trying to track down some of our old friends.
John: I haven't been keeping in touch with them. We simply drifted apart.
Mark: We lost track of each other somehow after we graduated.
John: Did you ever bump into any of them?
Mark: A few Some have settled down, some are tied down, some are living it up and others are in a rut.
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[呕吐]shoot the cat
他刚吃完饭就吐了。
He shoot the cat right after the meal.
Shoot the cat 是一条俚语,意即vomit。表示"呕吐"的概念时,除了用shoot, 还可以用jerk,形成jerk the cat的说法。
Sample Sentences
1、 他告诉医生说他一吃完饭就吐,不知道是为什么。
He told the doctor that he would shoot the cat right after meals without knowing why.
2、 他又吐了,肯定又喝多了。
He's shooting the cat again. He must have drank too many again.
3、她说吃牛肉就吐,但是还特别想吃。
She says she would shoot the cat after eating beef and she doesn't seem to be able to resist eating it.
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打嗝]make a belch
孩子打嗝儿了,让他喝口水吧。
The kid is making a belch. Give him a drink.
汉语口语中的“打嗝儿”可以用动词belch来表示,也可以用make a belch的形式。作为动词使用,belch有“猛烈喷射”、“阵阵冒出”以及“打嗝”等意。在日常口语中,英美人一般使用make a belch的说法。
Sample Sentences
1、 有人说当你打嗝儿时,想想别的事就会好的。
It's said that when you are making a belch, think of something else and the belch will be off.
2、 你快给他多穿点衣服吧。他都打嗝了。
He's making a belch. Give him more clothes to make him warm.
3、 有人说打嗝时喝点儿热水就会好的。
It's said drinking some warm water can help get over the belch.
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[久等]cool one's heels
汉语口语中“久等”或“足足等了”之类的概念可以用Cool one's heels来表示。比如:I have left cooling my heels since seven o'clock.此语源于古时,人们一般骑马外出,当马走的路程太长或太疲惫时,马蹄就会发热,骑马的人必须停下来,让马休息,一直到马蹄凉下来再走。
Sample Sentences
1、 报社记者必须学会久等,这也是他们的一个任务。
Newspaper reporters must learn to accept cooling their heels as part of their job.
2、 他们让我在经理办公室的门外等了好外。
I was left cooling my heels outside the manager's office.
3、 让他久等?他是耐不住这个性子的。
Asking him to wait ? He had no patience in cooling his heels.
注:但值得注意的是,英语cool one's heels作为“久等”或“足足等了”的地道表示法,只能用于“白白等了”的情景之中,若“久等”而“白等”时就应该用be kept waiting来表示。比如:对不起,让您久等了。I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
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[各有利弊]cut both ways
在国营企业或合资企业工作各有利弊:在国营企业工作比较安定,但工资较少;在合资企业工业挣钱多一些,可是又不稳定。
It cuts both ways to work in a state-run enterprise or a joint venture :the pay from a state-run enterprise is relatively lower but you feel more stable while in a joint venture you feel unassured, though the pay is relatively higher.
“各有利弊”一般是用have both advantages and disadvantages的片语来表示的。但作为口语,用cut both ways似乎更好些。此语直译为“两面都砍”。这也就如同在说,事物既有好的一面,也有其坏的一面;有有利的一面,也有不利的一面,与汉语的“各有利弊”相吻合。
Dialogue
Li Ming: I head that you have found a new job in a joint venture. What about the pay?
Zhao Hua: 2,000 yuan a month.
Li Ming: 2,000 yuan a month? That's four times the pay I get! No wonder many people are crazy about finding a job in a joint venture.
Zhao Hua: Well, it cut both ways. When you work in a state-run enterprise as the one you do now, you feel safe and stable. But those who are working in a joint venture do not have that feeling, you know what I mean.
Li Ming: Sure, But most people still prefer to have a job that has a higher pay.
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[吃闭门羹]to a locked door
我昨天去他家看他,不想吃了闭门羹。
I went to see him yesterday, but unfortunately I was to a locked door.
汉语口语中“吃闭门羹”的说法指登门拜访某人而某人不在家。在大多数的场合,是用to a locked door的片语来表示的。
Dialogue
Mark: Did you went to see her last week?
Mike: Yes, I did. But she was out when I called.
Mark: But you could tell her mother about that.
Mike: How could I? I was to a locked door.
Mark: Did you try again?
Mike: No. I don't feel comfortable running to a locked door. I would rather wait till she appears.
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[哪儿都找了]look high and low
我哪儿都找遍了,可还是没找到那反钥匙。
I looked high and low for the key, but I couldn't find it any where.
有人曾把“哪儿都找遍了”译成looked everywhere似乎也说得过去,但英美人还有个look high and low的说法,十分接近“哪儿都找遍了”所表达的语气。但请注意,有时人们会用search high and low来替代look high and low。在这种情况下,search后面一般跟宾语。
Dialogue
Mary: Have you found your watch?
John: No. I looked high and low in the house but I couldn't find it.
Mary: Where on earth did you put it?
John: I remember putting it on the bookshelf, but it's not there.
Mary: Maybe you have put it somewhere else.
在外国学英语, 最有趣的大概就是可以听到很多俚语。 很多时候光听那些句子, 好象不容易马上可以会意出来他们在说什么, 听了几次后, 就慢慢可以了解这些俚语的含意了。不过, 不管什么语言, 都应该考虑到说话的对象、场合与时间, 有些俚语并不适合在正式的场合用。
catch some Zs 小睡一下
英解:sleep
漫画里的人睡觉, 不是都画"Z,Z,Z..."来表示吗? 这里的 "catch some Zs" 就是这样来的。"I have to catch some Zs." 也可以说"I have to take a nap." 或 "I need to snooze."
A: Excuse me. I have to catch some Zs.
A: 抱歉! 我想小睡一下。
B: I thought you just woke up. Sleepy head.
B: 我以为你才刚睡醒。爱睡虫。
Yo, G 嗨,老兄
英解:What's up, dude; hi there.
「Yo」是源自黑人青少年之间的一种打招呼的方式,相当于「嗨」;至于这边的字母「G」可能是由「guy」简化而来,它是对哥儿们或朋友的一种称呼,有点类似「家伙」、「老兄」的意思。
A: Yo, G. Whatcha up to? (What are you up to?) 嗨,老兄。最近都在干嘛?
B: Not much. Just dropped by to say "hello". 没干嘛。只是顺道过来打声招呼
get a load of 试试
英解: try, check out, to give attention to something because it is interesting
「load」这个字原本是「装载」或「负担」的意思,例如:「load a gun」就是指将枪装上子弹。而「get a load of」在这边则是指「尝试」或「体验」某件有趣事情的意思。
A: Check this out, man. My uncle gave me this crotch-rocket as a birthday present. 老兄,你看。我叔叔送给我这辆跑车型的摩托车当作生日礼物。 B: Wow, that's awesome. Can I get a load of it? 哇,真是帅呆了。我可以骑骑看吗?
max out 累惨了
英解:To do something with as much effort and determination as you can
"max" 是「极限」的意思。maxed out"是用来表示一个人累惨了, 或者是付出非常大的努力。
A: I'm working 70 hours this week. I'm totally maxed out. A: 我这星期工作七十个小时。我真是完全累坏了。 B :70 hours? I'd be dead if I worked this hard. B: 七十个小时? 我要是工作这么多, 我一定会死了
the man (the Man) 大哥; 厉害的人
英解:someone who has the ability over you
"You're the man." 这个口语对象不一定要是男人, 只要是有人作了一件很厉害的事, 你就可以好象很崇拜地拍拍他(她)的肩膀说:"You're the man."(美国人说这句话说, 常常会把"man"这个字的尾音拉的长长的)
A: O.K. Your car is fixed. There should be no more problem now. A: 好了! 你的车修好了。应该不会再有问题了! B: You've got it taken care of just like that? You're the man. B: 你这样(一下子)就搞好了啊!大哥真是厉害!
armpit 脏而令人不舒服的地方
英解:a very unpleasant or ugly place.
"armpit" 其实是「腋窝」的意思。可能对美国人来说, 这个地方是「汗水」、「污垢」聚集的地方, 所以在俚语里, "armpit" 就被用来形容「脏的令人不舒服的地方」吧。
A: Oh, man. This room is an absolute armpit! When's the last time you cleaned this place?
A: 唉呀! 老兄! 呃?房殓真是篥得不像?。你上回打?房子是什??候哇?
B: The last time my mom was here.
B: 上次我??的?候。
have a cow 非常生气
英解:to be very angry or surprised or very un pleasant
不知道?什??用"have a cow" ?表示「很生?」。?肴上, " have kittens" 也是同?的意思。
"Duh!" 是美?人用?表示「呃不是????」、「呃?用真??」等所办出?的一肺遮音。有?像真中文的「??!」那?的遮?。
A: When I told my mom I would be home around 2 am, she had a cow!
A: 我跟我妈说我会到半夜二点才回家, 她气炸了。
B: Duh!
B: 废话!(怎么会不生气?)
[不妙]something is to pay
经理感到事情有些不妙。
The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
汉语的“有些不妙”或“有点不对头”的概念常可用something is to pay的句式来表示。这一短语常和feel或have a hunch that连用。
Dialogue
Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?
Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.
Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.
Sue: I had too much confidence in him.
Bob: But he ruined your business.
Sue: Well, if I knew there would be something to pay, I wouldn't should chalk it up to experience.
Bob: Well, you should chalk it up to experience.
Sue: You're right.
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[眼中钉]a thorn in someone's flesh
不知为什么我成了他们的眼中钉了。我可从未错待过他们。
I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.
我们说的“眼中钉”与英美人讲的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事,虽比喻有异,但意思相同。与此说法相似的还有“刺耳的话”(a flea in someone's ear)。
Dialogue
Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.
Betty: You mean your boss?
Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.
Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.
Frank: But why should that make him hate me?
Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.
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[馋得流口水]make someone's mouth water
桌上的美味佳肴馋得他直流口水。
The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
“使某人流口水”指“使某人垂涎”,是地道的汉语口语。这一概念一般是用make someone mouth water的句式来表达的。
Dialogue
Sue: Wow! What a gracious table! Everything looks so beautiful.
Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.
Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.
Bob: I feel itching, too. Let's start and try these delicacies.
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[胡说八道]shooting from the hip
他说我迷恋上李丽了?这简直是胡说八道!
He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!
汉语口语中的"胡说八道"曾被译成break wind。其实,英美人更习惯用shoot from the hip来表示这一说法。
Dialogue
Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.
Mark: What did he do?
Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men, which, of course, made my boy friend very suspicious of me.
Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that! It was very vicious of him. You must not put up with him.
Rose: Of course not! He will soon know what he deserves!
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[各奔东西]drift apart
毕业后我们班的同学就各奔东西了。
After graduation my classmates drifted apart.
“各奔东西”指的是“散开”或“不在一起”的意思,但“散开”或“分散开”的英语是disperse,常指“分散精力”,“疏散人群”或“驱散云雾”等概念。因而,“各奔东西”不宜使用disperse,而应该用drift apart。此语中的drift是漂流的意思。
Dialogue
John: What have you been doing these days, mark?
Mark: I've been trying to track down some of our old friends.
John: I haven't been keeping in touch with them. We simply drifted apart.
Mark: We lost track of each other somehow after we graduated.
John: Did you ever bump into any of them?
Mark: A few Some have settled down, some are tied down, some are living it up and others are in a rut.
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[呕吐]shoot the cat
他刚吃完饭就吐了。
He shoot the cat right after the meal.
Shoot the cat 是一条俚语,意即vomit。表示"呕吐"的概念时,除了用shoot, 还可以用jerk,形成jerk the cat的说法。
Sample Sentences
1、 他告诉医生说他一吃完饭就吐,不知道是为什么。
He told the doctor that he would shoot the cat right after meals without knowing why.
2、 他又吐了,肯定又喝多了。
He's shooting the cat again. He must have drank too many again.
3、她说吃牛肉就吐,但是还特别想吃。
She says she would shoot the cat after eating beef and she doesn't seem to be able to resist eating it.
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打嗝]make a belch
孩子打嗝儿了,让他喝口水吧。
The kid is making a belch. Give him a drink.
汉语口语中的“打嗝儿”可以用动词belch来表示,也可以用make a belch的形式。作为动词使用,belch有“猛烈喷射”、“阵阵冒出”以及“打嗝”等意。在日常口语中,英美人一般使用make a belch的说法。
Sample Sentences
1、 有人说当你打嗝儿时,想想别的事就会好的。
It's said that when you are making a belch, think of something else and the belch will be off.
2、 你快给他多穿点衣服吧。他都打嗝了。
He's making a belch. Give him more clothes to make him warm.
3、 有人说打嗝时喝点儿热水就会好的。
It's said drinking some warm water can help get over the belch.
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[久等]cool one's heels
汉语口语中“久等”或“足足等了”之类的概念可以用Cool one's heels来表示。比如:I have left cooling my heels since seven o'clock.此语源于古时,人们一般骑马外出,当马走的路程太长或太疲惫时,马蹄就会发热,骑马的人必须停下来,让马休息,一直到马蹄凉下来再走。
Sample Sentences
1、 报社记者必须学会久等,这也是他们的一个任务。
Newspaper reporters must learn to accept cooling their heels as part of their job.
2、 他们让我在经理办公室的门外等了好外。
I was left cooling my heels outside the manager's office.
3、 让他久等?他是耐不住这个性子的。
Asking him to wait ? He had no patience in cooling his heels.
注:但值得注意的是,英语cool one's heels作为“久等”或“足足等了”的地道表示法,只能用于“白白等了”的情景之中,若“久等”而“白等”时就应该用be kept waiting来表示。比如:对不起,让您久等了。I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
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[各有利弊]cut both ways
在国营企业或合资企业工作各有利弊:在国营企业工作比较安定,但工资较少;在合资企业工业挣钱多一些,可是又不稳定。
It cuts both ways to work in a state-run enterprise or a joint venture :the pay from a state-run enterprise is relatively lower but you feel more stable while in a joint venture you feel unassured, though the pay is relatively higher.
“各有利弊”一般是用have both advantages and disadvantages的片语来表示的。但作为口语,用cut both ways似乎更好些。此语直译为“两面都砍”。这也就如同在说,事物既有好的一面,也有其坏的一面;有有利的一面,也有不利的一面,与汉语的“各有利弊”相吻合。
Dialogue
Li Ming: I head that you have found a new job in a joint venture. What about the pay?
Zhao Hua: 2,000 yuan a month.
Li Ming: 2,000 yuan a month? That's four times the pay I get! No wonder many people are crazy about finding a job in a joint venture.
Zhao Hua: Well, it cut both ways. When you work in a state-run enterprise as the one you do now, you feel safe and stable. But those who are working in a joint venture do not have that feeling, you know what I mean.
Li Ming: Sure, But most people still prefer to have a job that has a higher pay.
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[吃闭门羹]to a locked door
我昨天去他家看他,不想吃了闭门羹。
I went to see him yesterday, but unfortunately I was to a locked door.
汉语口语中“吃闭门羹”的说法指登门拜访某人而某人不在家。在大多数的场合,是用to a locked door的片语来表示的。
Dialogue
Mark: Did you went to see her last week?
Mike: Yes, I did. But she was out when I called.
Mark: But you could tell her mother about that.
Mike: How could I? I was to a locked door.
Mark: Did you try again?
Mike: No. I don't feel comfortable running to a locked door. I would rather wait till she appears.
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[哪儿都找了]look high and low
我哪儿都找遍了,可还是没找到那反钥匙。
I looked high and low for the key, but I couldn't find it any where.
有人曾把“哪儿都找遍了”译成looked everywhere似乎也说得过去,但英美人还有个look high and low的说法,十分接近“哪儿都找遍了”所表达的语气。但请注意,有时人们会用search high and low来替代look high and low。在这种情况下,search后面一般跟宾语。
Dialogue
Mary: Have you found your watch?
John: No. I looked high and low in the house but I couldn't find it.
Mary: Where on earth did you put it?
John: I remember putting it on the bookshelf, but it's not there.
Mary: Maybe you have put it somewhere else.