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标题: 英语中的十二生肖文化趣谈 [打印本页]

作者: 幽幽草    时间: 2007-1-11 16:45     标题: 英语中的十二生肖文化趣谈

十二生肖在中国可谓家喻户晓、妇孺皆知,是中华传统文化中不可或缺的一部分,而在英语国家,与这十二生肖属相相对应的动物也分别代表着特殊的含义,具有英语民族浓厚的文化特色和深远的历史渊源。以下是英语中特别是习语中比较常见的用法,供读者参考。





  1.子鼠Mouse / Rat

  a) Play cat and mouse with: to let someone think they are getting or doing what they want, then prevent them from getting or doing it像猫捉耗子似的欺负(折磨)

  b) look like a drowned rat: to look very wet and uncomfortable像落水鼠一样(狼狈)

  c) (inf.) rat bag: BrE, AustrE an unpleasant person令人讨厌的人

  d) (inf.) smell a rat: to guess that something wrong or dishonest is happening揣测出(异常事件或某人的不诚实)

  例:They know we hate them and will smell a rat if we try to be nice to them.

  2.丑牛Bull

  a) like a red rag to a bull: BrE very likely to make someone angry or upset像拿红布给牛看一样(极易激怒别人)

  例:Just mentioning his ex-wife's name was like a red rag to a bull.

  b) take the bull by the horns: to bravely or confidently deal with a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant problem挺身面对危险,毅然处理难局

  例:She decided to take the bull by the horns and ask him outright.

  3.寅虎Tiger

  a) paper tiger: an enemy or opponent who seems powerful but actually is not纸老虎

  例:All reactionaries are paper tigers.

  b) work like a tiger:生龙活虎地工作

  c) the four tigers of Asia:亚洲经济"四小龙"

  4.卯兔Hare/Rabbit

  a) as timid as a hare:胆小如鼠

  b) (inf.) BrE hare off/away: to run or go very fast off快速地跑开

  例:He hared off down the road.

  c) make a hare of somebody:愚弄某人

  d) (inf.) BrE rabbit on: to talk continuously, especially in an uninteresting or annoying way唠叨

  5.辰龙Dragon

  a) (inf.)a woman who behaves in an angry, unfriendly way凶狠的女人

  例:Casey's new teacher is a real dragon.

  b) dragon's pool and tiger's den: a dangerous spot龙潭虎穴

  6.巳蛇Snake

  a) snake in the grass: (inf.) someone who pretends to be your friend but does something to harm you潜伏的危险;暗藏的敌人

  b) have snakes in one's boots:AmE (slang)烂醉如泥

  7.午马Horse

  a) ride the high horse:(spoken)趾高气扬,耀武扬威

  b) be flogging a dead horse: (spoken) to be wasting time or effort by trying to do something that is impossible白费力气

  c) A good horse should be seldom spurred.好马不宜多加鞭

  8.未羊Sheep

  a) black sheep:害群之马

  b) a wolf in sheep's clothing:someone who seems to be friendly but is in fact, dangerous披着羊皮的狼

  9.申猴Monkey

  a) make a monkey (out) of somebody: to make someone seem stupid戏耍某人

  例:They got into the palace in broad daylight, and made monkeys out of the security men.

  b) a monkey on your back: (inf.) AmE a serious problem that makes your life very difficult, especially being dependent on drugs令人极为头疼的事

  10.酉鸡Cock / Chicken

  a) don't count your chickens (before they are hatched): (especially spoken) used to say that you should not make plans because you hope something good will happen别太指望没有把握之事

  例:It should be worth a few million, but I don't like to count my chickens.

  b) keep an ear cocked: (inf.) to pay close attention because you want to be sure you hear something you expect or think may happen集中注意力(听)

  例:She kept an ear cocked for the sound of Joe's key in the front door.

  11.戌狗Dog

  a) It's dogged that does it.天下无难事,只怕有心人

  b) a lucky dog:幸运儿

  c) a gay dog:喜欢玩乐的人

  d) a dumb dog:沉默不语的人

  e) help dog over a stile:助人度过难关

  f) rain cats and dogs:倾盆大雨

  12.亥猪Pig/Swine

  a) cast pearls before swine:对牛弹琴

  b) make a pig's ear of : BrE(spoken)to do something very badly干很糟糕的事

  例:Jon's made a complete pig's ear of the decorating.






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