漢語習(xí)語英譯1

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[不妙]something is to pay
    經(jīng)理感到事情有些不妙。
    The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
    漢語的“有些不妙”或“有點(diǎn)不對頭”的概念??捎胹omething is to pay的句式來表示。這一短語常和feel或have a hunch that連用。
    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.
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    [眼中釘]a thorn in someone's flesh
    不知為什么我成了他們的眼中釘了。我可從未錯(cuò)待過他們。
    I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.
    我們說的“眼中釘”與英美人講的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是一回事,雖比喻有異,但意思相同。與此說法相似的還有“刺耳的話”(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.
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    [饞得流口水]make someone's mouth water
    桌上的美味佳肴饞得他直流口水。
    The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
    “使某人流口水”指“使某人垂涎”,是地道的漢語口語。這一概念一般是用make someone mouth water的句式來表達(dá)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.
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    [胡說八道]shooting from the hip
    他說我迷戀上李麗了?這簡直是胡說八道!
    He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!
    漢語口語中的"胡說八道"曾被譯成break wind。其實(shí),英美人更習(xí)慣用shoot from the hip來表示這一說法。
    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!
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