初学英语时,那句“you're really a lucky dog”一直让我心里灰常不舒服~说人家幸运就幸运吧,为什么还不说girl?虽然老师明明说lucky dog是幸运儿的意思,但我心里还总忍不住念成“幸~运~狗”。
那么,根据动物们的外形or行动or文化特色老外们创造了哪些生动的英文俚语?今天,就随麦田君一起体验10种动物主题英文俚语的学习乐趣吧!
AS QUIET AS A MOUSE
爱偷人类粮食的“盗贼”小老鼠,总是在我们毫无防备之时盗窃成功。所以,我们形容描述动静非常轻very quiet时,可以用 as quiet as a mouse.
例如:Don't wake them up,be as quiet as a mouse!
不要吵醒他们,要像只老鼠一样安静!
AS FREE AS A BIRD
从很多年前开始,人类就已经开始羡慕鸟儿能够在空中自由自在地飞翔~所以,形容悠闲自得、无忧无虑(without any worries and duties)的状态时
就可以用 as free as a bird。
例如:Traveling makes you feel as free as a bird.
愉快地旅行可以让你自在地像鸟儿一样。
AS WISE AS A OWL
另一种鸟儿猫头鹰,虽然在我们的文化中总与不吉或凌厉挂钩,但在西方文化中却有聪明的含义~形容一个人聪明伶俐的时候,可以用as wise as an owl。意为very smart、very wise(非常聪明,非常明智)
例如:I always listen to that old man,he is as wise as an owl.
我经常听取那个老人的意见,因为他就像猫头鹰那样睿智。
AS BUSY AS A BEE
蜜蜂在中西的文化内涵中倒很一致,都是辛勤劳作、忙碌奔波的典型。当你形容一个人总是特别忙碌 very busy,就可以用as busy as a bee。
例句:She never has free time anymore,she is as busy as a bee with work.
她从没有闲下来的时候,总是忙忙碌碌工作。
AS SILLY AS A GOOSE
在西方的文化中,鹅竟然是愚蠢的象征!例如,《丑小鸭》里的鹅妈妈从来都认不出,它的孩子中还混着一只“白天鹅”~就如同我们东方语言里最爱吃猪肉又最爱嘲讽人“蠢猪”一样~鹅往往也是西方人餐桌上最肥美的一餐。
而那句“白毛浮绿水,红掌拨清波”却让中国人对鹅多少保存着一些古老的诗意~英语里,说人愚蠢的时候,就说as silly as a goose.意为very silly(特别蠢)
例句:You are being as silly as a goose.
你真是像个呆头鹅。
AS UGLY AS A TOAD
为了配合这个谚语,特意找了一只浮夸的癞蛤蟆~
在我们亲近自然、重视天、地、人和谐共生的文化历史当中,蟾蜍其实也是一种吉祥动物。只是在一个谚语中遭到了鄙视——对,就是那句“癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉”,但是大农场制、颜值控的西方银,只是注意到了癞蛤蟆那“丑陋粗鄙”的外形。所以他们形容人长得丑的时候,就会说as ugly as a toad。
例句:That fat man is as ugly as a toad.
那个大胖子长得像癞蛤蟆一样丑。
AS BLIND AS A BAT
蝙蝠因为谐音“福”字,所以在中国文化里也是比较吉祥的——
我国青铜器纹饰中就有一种“蝠纹”。
而看到蝙蝠直冲冲撞大树的西方银,这次又非常直接地说“as blind as a bat”.不过讲真,蝙蝠依靠超声波来辨别障碍物,对我们依靠视觉行走世界的人来说,
眼睛真好像是“白长了”~嘲讽别人眼神不好,或者视力不好受挖苦,也是这一句哦~
例句:Without glasses,
she is as blind as a bat.
不戴眼镜的她,简直就跟看不见的蝙蝠一样。
金山词霸的解释是“有眼无珠”,简直更狠一步~
AS STUBBORN AS A MULE
中西方文化中难得的、非常一致的“倔驴”,说一个人非常倔强固执stubborn的时候,就可以说as stubborn as a mule.
例句:I can't convince you to anything,you're as stubborn as a mule.
我不能在任何事情上说服你,你这倔脾气真令人无语。
AS RED AS A LOBSTER
说一个人晒得发红,生气发红等等那种肤色变化滴时候,就可以说“as red as a lobster”.画面感多强烈——你红得像只龙虾!
例句:Whenever he gets mad,he becomes as red as a lobster.
每当他发疯发狂的时候,他就变得像只发红的龙虾。
AS MAD AS A HORNET
注意,这里的黄蜂可不是汽车总动员中的大黄蜂哦~
这只黄蜂到底有多抓狂?看看图片黄蜂那尖利的尾刺就知道了~说一个人暴跳如雷、怒不可遏时,就可以说“as mad as a hornet”~
例句:If you are really angry,you might say you are mad as a hornet.
如果你真的很生气,你可以说自己愤怒得像只大黄蜂。
摘自 网络