“上厕所乃人生一大事,英语里表示“厕所的婉辞比中文更多。在多年前的英语课堂上,我们认识了washroom和WC(water closet的缩略语,原指“盥洗室)。这两个词如今在美国已很少被使用,现在美国人一般说restroom或bathroom,英国人则多说 lavatory(在美语中,只有火车或飞机上的厕所才被叫做lavatory)。此外,英国人常用toilet指厕所或马桶,而美国人则只用其指马桶。
一些文化人还给“厕所起了许多有趣的名称,比如:comfort station, cloakroom, retiring room, public convenience, house of amusement, chamber of commerce, old soldiers' home。
在英国,人们有时将“厕所称为loo,据说由于英国许多门牌号为100号的房屋多为厕所,loo与数字100形似,故而得名。
在一些非正式场合,表示“想去方便一下的说法则更多:
男士:I'd like / I want / I am going... (叹为观止啊,好多说法~)
to go somewhere
to go into retreat
to go to the bank
to go to the john
to go to my private office
to go to Egypt
to cash a check
to pluck a rose
to shake hands with an old friend
to ease oneself
to shoot a lion
to release one's nature
to water the lawn
to shake dew off the lily
女士:I'd like / I want / I am going...
to fix one's face
to powder one's nose
to freshen up
to get some fresh air
to go and see one's aunt.
在聚会时,英美朋友如需要去方便一下,他们有时并不明说,而是说 May I be excused? 或 May I adjourn? 这时,你千万不要问他/她要去哪里。当然,小朋友们通常会直截了当地说:I wanna pee pee/piss/make water/go to the pot. 如果你在外国朋友家做客,想去方便又不知道厕所在哪,不妨婉转地问主人:What is the geography/layout of the house?
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