編輯/郭懷璞
英文的諺語時常把人搞得快抓狂,它們總是透過不同的隻字片語來形成一句諺語,而且!這個諺語很有可能和裡面的單詞毫無關係!像是“drive you crazy”,指的並不是司機很瘋狂,指的是某件事情把你搞得快抓狂。
倘若你想讓你周遭的朋友對你的英文能力為之驚嘆,不妨利用英文中的諺語吧! 《mmmEnglish》的講師Emma提供了幾個與身體有關的常用諺語:
1.pain in the neck/butt/arse
意思:燙手山芋的無奈(似drive you crazy)
ex1. They said that my car was going to be at the mechanics for over a week… It’s such a pain in the neck! (他們說我的車子得在修車廠一個多星期,這真是無奈啊!)
ex2. I hope he doesn’t bring Peter, he can be a real pain in the neck! (我希望不要帶上Peter,他是一個難搞的人!)
ex3. Stop it! You’re being a real pain in the neck! (停下來!你真的是一個難搞的人!)
2.play it by ear
意思:不計劃任何事物、彈性的去做事情、見機行事
例句:
ex1.“We don’t really have a plan for tonight, we’re just going to play it by ear.”
(我們今晚沒有計劃,我們只是見機行事。)
ex2. “We don’t know what the weather’s going to be like this weekend for the camping trip, so we might have to play it by ear.”
(我們不知道這個週末去露營旅行的天氣會是如何,所以我們可能需要見機行事。)
3.(to) cost an arm and a leg
意思:指某樣東西非常昂貴
例句:
ex1. “Taking a family of five on a trip to Fiji…It’s going to cost an arm and a leg! ”
(帶一家五口去一趟斐濟旅行… 這費用將非常昂貴!)
ex2. “I love their new kitchen! But, it must have cost them an arm and a leg! ”
(我愛他們的新廚房!但是它肯定非常昂貴!)
ex3. “I want my kids to have the best eduction possible, but the school fees are costing an arm and a leg! I just don’t know if it’s worth it.”
(我想讓我的孩子受最好的教育,但學費實在非常昂貴!我不知道是否值得這麼做。)
4.(to) get (something) off your chest
意思:宣洩情緒,一吐為快,把心事說出來
ex1. “Thanks for listening to me complain about my boss! I just needed to get it off my chest.”(感謝你聽我抱怨我的老闆!我需要宣洩我的情緒。)
ex2. “He’s been frustrated about this for months! He just needs to talk to him about it and get it off his chest! ”(他已經沮喪了幾個月了!他需要把心事說出來!)
ex3.“OK, I need to get something off my chest. I’ve been waiting to tell you about it for weeks! ”(好吧,我需要把我的心事說出來。我等了好幾個星期要告訴你!)
5.(to) keep an eye on (something)
意思:注意、留心
例句:
ex1. “I’ll keep an eye on dinner while you’re on the phone.”
(當你在打電話的時候,我會留意晚餐。)
ex2.“Oh! Sarah said she’d keep an eye the kids while we go out.”
(噢!莎拉說,當我們出去時她會照看孩子)
6.(to be) all ears
意思:全神貫注地聆聽著
例句:
ex1. “Give me just a minute to finish this, then I’ll be all ears.”
(給我一分鐘完成這個,然後我會全神貫注地聽。)
ex2. “Well, if you’ve got a better idea then I’m all ears! ”
(沒問題!如果你有更好的點子,我洗耳恭聽!)
7.cold feet
意思:在參加重要事務之前,感到非常緊張、膽怯,因而臨陣脫逃。
例句:
ex1. “He was so nervous before his presentation, I thought he was going to get cold feet! ”
(他在演講之前很緊張,我以為他會臨陣脫逃!)
ex2.“So, how did it go? Or did you get cold feet? ”
(所以,這件事如何啊?還是你臨陣脫逃了?)
8.(to) go over (someone’s) head
意思一:不太了解對方說的話、超過某人所能理解的
ex. “Sorry! That went straight over my head! Can you say it again? ”
(不好意思!這超越了我能的理解範圍了!你能再說一遍嗎?)
意思二:與一個更重要或強大的人說話、跨越到更高的職銜得到你想要的
ex.If he doesn’t start behaving like a manager and treating his staff fairly, I’ll have to go over his head.
(如果他一開始沒有表現的像一個經理,公平地對待他的員工。我必須越過他。)
圖片來源:Pezibear
除了上面文章內容,你還可以參考下方更多相關英文教學。
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