汉语习语的英文说法

    1.【不妙】something is to pay

    The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
经理感到事情有些不妙。

    汉语的“有些不妙”或“有点不对头”的概念常可用something is to pay的句式来表示。这一短语常和feel或have a hunch that连用。

    Dialogue

    Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?

    Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.

    Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.

    Sue: I had too much confidence in him.

    Bob: But he ruined your business.

    Sue: Well, if I knew there would be something to pay, I wouldn't should chalk it up to experience.

    Bob: Well, you should chalk it up to experience.Sue: You're right.

    2.【眼中钉】a thorn in someone's flesh

    I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.

    不知为什么我成了他们的眼中钉了。我可从未错待过他们。

    我们说的“眼中钉”与英美人讲的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事虽比喻有异，但意思相同。与此说法相似的还有“刺耳的话”（a flea in someone's ear）。

    Dialogue

    Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.

    Betty: You mean your boss?

    Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.

    Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.

    Frank: But why should that make him hate me?

    Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.

    3.【馋得流口水】make someone's mouth water

    The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.

    桌上的美味佳肴馋得他直流口水。

    “使某人流口水”指“使某人垂涎”，是地道的汉语口语。这一概念一般是用make someone’s mouth water的句式来表达的。

    Dialogue

    Sue: Wow! What a gracious table! Everything looks so beautiful.

    Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.

    Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.

    Bob: I feel itching, too. Let's start and try these delicacies.

    4.【胡说八道】shooting from the hip

    He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!

    他说我迷恋上李丽了？这简直是胡说八道！

    汉语口语中的"胡说八道"曾被译成break wind。其实，英美人更习惯用shoot from the hip来表示这一说法。

    Dialogue

    Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.

    Mark: What did he do?

    Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men, which, of course,made my boy friend very suspicious of me.

    Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that! It was very vicious of him. You must not put up with him.

    Rose: Of course not! He will soon know what he deserves!