“中意、看中”怎么译？

汉语中有“相中”、“看中”、“中了某人的意”等说法，这篇小文章通过几个例子，让你了解“中意、看中”的种种译法。

原句：我看中了那幅画，于是就买了下来。

误译：I caught a fancy of that painting , so I bought it .

正译：

1) That painting caught / took my fancy,so I bought it.

2) That painting was to my liking , so I bought it .

解释：to catch / take one's fancy 和 to be one's liking / taste 的意思是"合意"或"中意"，即"让人看上"，其逻辑主语应该是"被看上的人或物"。 如：

1. 那个叫玛丽的女孩很中他的意。

The girl named Mary has caught his fancy.

2. 他查遍旅馆广告，直到有一家中了他的意。

He looked through the hotel advertisements until one of them took his fancy.

3. 饭菜合您的意吗，夫人？

Was the meal to your liking, madam？

4. 这件夹克正好中我的意。

This jacket is just to my taste.

"看中"、"看上"和"相中"等表示"经过选择而合意或满意"。英语可以译为 to take a fancy to , to take a liking to 等，其逻辑主语是"看上别人或物的人"。如：

5. 那个男的如果能看上你就好了。

1) It would be fine if that man should take a fancy to you.

2) It would be nice if that man took a liking to you.

"看中"等还表示"经过深思熟虑而决定选择"。英语可以译为to settle on , to choose , to make a choice of 等。如：

6. 她在商店看上一件红色女装。

In the shop, she settled on a red dress