汉语中有许多习语都和身体部位有关,英语也不例外,下面一些例子供大家参考。
1. An eye for eye, a tooth for tooth.以眼还眼,以牙还牙。例如:
A: Are you going to tell John’s supervisor what he did?
B: Sure. He told my supervisor when I did the same thing.
A: An eye for eye, a tooth for tooth.
此句源自《汉莫拉比法典》,指用对方做事的同样方法来报复。这与汉语中的说法十分相似,很好理解。
2. get cold feet 胆怯;例如:
A: What happened to Jim? I thought he would go skydiving with us.
B: He got cold feet.
有人会因为脚浸入海水觉得冷而放弃游泳,“get cold feet”由“脚变凉“而转到“胆怯”之意,十分形象。
3. I need that like I need a hole in my head.完全不需要。例如:
A: I’m having a hard time deciding what car to get.
B: Look at this one. Why not buy it?
A: I need that like I need a hole in my head.
在头上除了眼,鼻,口之外,不需要别的“洞”了,因此就转为“完全不需要”的意思。此句生动有趣,在口语中运用一下很不错哦!
4. It’s as plain as the nose on your face.很明白,很清楚。例如:
A: Do you think Nancy is going to quit? She hasn’t said anything.
B: It’s as plain as the nose on your face.
直译为“就像看你脸上的鼻子一样,我看得很清楚。”
5. Let’s not split hairs.不要拘泥于细节。例如:
A: Well, I don’t agree. I should get $5.02 and you should get $4.48.
B: Let’s not split hairs, OK?
这句话直译是“不要把头发劈开。”本来就很细的头发还要再分开是没有必要的,实际是指不要过分拘泥于细小的事情,斤斤计较。
6. The blind leading the blind.盲人指路。例如:
A: Kate asked Henry to help her start a business.
B: The blind leading the blind.
A: Yeah, Henry doesn’t know anything about business.
其实这句话是“If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”的省略形式,源自《圣经》。常常指没有实力的领导者进行领导是不会有什么好结果的。
通过这些习语,我们可以了解到英语国家人们的风俗,历史甚至思维方式,对于我们来说是很有好处的。