托福詞匯之與Body相關(guān)的習(xí)語(yǔ)
point a/the finger at somebody
我們?cè)谥肛?zé)別人的時(shí)候,是不是總喜歡拿手指指著對(duì)方嘞?所以point a/the finger at somebody有“指責(zé)、怪罪”之意,例如:
The article points an accusing finger at the authorities.
那篇文章譴責(zé)了當(dāng)局。
lay a finger on somebody
我們中文里在警告別人不要傷害某人的時(shí)候,是不是喜歡說(shuō)“你敢動(dòng)他一根手指試試!”Lay a finger on somebody這個(gè)短語(yǔ)跟我們中文的表達(dá)很像,是“動(dòng)某人一指頭、碰某人一根汗毛”的意思。例如:
If you lay a finger on me, I'll call the police.
你敢碰我一下,我就報(bào)警。
give somebody the finger
豎中指的手勢(shì),情感色彩應(yīng)該是中西一致的吧…… 好了,那就不解釋了。例句:
It is very impolite to give someone the finger.
對(duì)別人比中指是非常不禮貌的。
have two left feet
想象一下,如果一個(gè)人有兩只左腳,是不是走起路來(lái)會(huì)很笨拙。所以,這個(gè)表達(dá)就是“形容舉止笨拙、笨手笨腳”,尤其是在跳舞或者從事某項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)的時(shí)候。例如:
Encourage sports participation even if your teen has two left feet.
即便你家小孩沒(méi)有什么運(yùn)動(dòng)細(xì)胞,也應(yīng)鼓勵(lì)他們參與體育運(yùn)動(dòng)。
have eyes in the back of your head
“后腦勺長(zhǎng)眼睛”應(yīng)該就是這種意境了吧!眼光敏銳、任何細(xì)節(jié)都能覺(jué)察到的人,就可以用這個(gè)表達(dá)來(lái)形容了。例如:
You can’t get away with anything in her class. She has eyes in the back of her head.
在她的課堂上,你休想做了壞事卻不受處罰。她腦袋后面準(zhǔn)是長(zhǎng)了眼睛,什么都知道。
hold/put a gun to somebody’s head
我們?cè)谑艿酵{的時(shí)候,可能總會(huì)脫口而出“不!你拿刀架在我脖子上我都不干!”不過(guò)人家要是拿著搶指著你滴后腦勺嘞… 這個(gè)表達(dá)表示“威脅某人,脅迫某人就范”,不難記吧。例如:
He didn't hold a gun to the editor's head and force him to use the picture as cover.
他沒(méi)逼著編輯非得用這張照片做封面。
off the top of your head
Off the top of one's head是說(shuō)一個(gè)人對(duì)某件事沒(méi)有準(zhǔn)確的信息,只是根據(jù)自己腦子里的大概記憶或猜測(cè)來(lái)發(fā)表意見(jiàn)。當(dāng)我們沒(méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)仔細(xì)的思考或求證,很快的回答對(duì)方的問(wèn)話之前,可以用上這個(gè)表達(dá)??梢愿鶕?jù)語(yǔ)境翻譯成“不假思索地、立刻想到地、我的第一反應(yīng)是……”之類(lèi)的話。比如:
I can’t remember the name off the top of my head, but I can look it up for you.
我沒(méi)辦法一下子就想起來(lái)那個(gè)名字,不過(guò)我可以給你查一下。
have the face to do something
這個(gè)跟我們中文完全對(duì)應(yīng),可譯成“有臉做某事”,比如:
I don’t know how you have the face to complain after everything they’ve done for you!
在他們?yōu)槟阕隽四敲炊嘀?,我真不知道你怎么還有臉抱怨!
not have the heart (to do something)
這個(gè)跟中文也算是十分對(duì)應(yīng),翻譯成“不忍心做某事”。最常見(jiàn)的搭配就是I don’t have the heart to tell him that… 我不忍心告訴他…。比如:
He is certain of success, and I don’t have the heart to undeceive him.
他確信他會(huì)成功,我不忍打破他的美夢(mèng)。
somebody’s heart is in their mouth
我們?cè)诰o張的時(shí)候或者被嚇一跳的時(shí)候,是不是會(huì)“我的小心臟都跳到嗓子眼兒了!”。英文中也有類(lèi)似的表達(dá),somebody’s heart is in their mouth可以表示“提心吊膽”??磦€(gè)例子:
My heart was in my mouth as she opened the envelope.
她打開(kāi)信封的那一刻,我的心都提到嗓子眼兒了。
one's heart is not in something
我們形容某人心不在焉,會(huì)說(shuō)“他的心不在這兒”,“他的心沒(méi)放在這方面”。是不是跟中文又完全吻合了!One's heart is not in it意思是對(duì)某件事缺乏熱情,或是不感興趣。請(qǐng)看例句:
My job as a stockbroker paid me a good salary but my heart just wasn't in it. So, I've decided to quit my job and follow my dream.
作為一個(gè)股票經(jīng)紀(jì)人,我的工資很可觀,可是我對(duì)這個(gè)工作缺乏熱情,所以我決定辭去這一職務(wù)去追求自己的夢(mèng)想。
be written all over somebody’s face
當(dāng)朋友跟我們說(shuō)“I’m fine, don’t worry.”的時(shí)候,有人可能會(huì)反駁“拜托!你的情緒全寫(xiě)在你臉上啦,你一點(diǎn)兒都不fine啊!”這個(gè)“寫(xiě)在臉上”就是上面的表達(dá)啦。比如:
Guilt was written all over his face.
他滿臉愧色。
many hands make light work
這句俗語(yǔ)完美滴翻譯了我們的“人多力量大”。來(lái)看個(gè)例子:
Cleaning the room will not take long if we all help. You know, many hands make light work.
若是大家都幫手的話,打掃房間不會(huì)花很久。俗話說(shuō)得好,人多力量大嘛。
know somebody/something like the back of your hand
學(xué)會(huì)這個(gè)表達(dá),是不是“了如指掌”也可以輕松翻譯了呢!請(qǐng)看例句:
This is where I grew up. I know this area like the back of my hand.
這是我從小長(zhǎng)大的地方,我對(duì)這片地方了如指掌。