廣東俗語精簡而富有趣味,巧妙地通過現代生活的語境,引出俗語,其實英文都一樣。今篇我們以食身為題,食物種類繁多,英文 Idioms同樣多。和廣東俗語一樣,可以精簡但又意味深長。以下 10 個例子,你聽過未呢?

1. Create a storm in a teacup

睇外國新聞見到 “Create a storm in a teacup” 以為解做風波裡的茶杯又或者係茶杯內製造風暴?錯喇,其實意思係「小題大造」,為很小事而勁嬲或勁擔心!

e.g. When people demonstrated rejection against the demolition of the Star Ferry pier, the government blamed political agitators, claiming they were creating a storm in a teacup.
市民為清拆天星碼頭表示強烈反對,政府因而指責政客,指他們小題大做。

 

2. Happy as a clam

花蛤 (Clam) 只會嚮海水潮退時才俾人捉到,潮漲時很難捉到嘅~所以英文有句短語 “as happy as a clam in mud at high tide”(像潮漲時嘅花蛤一樣快樂)。
“Happy as a clam” 就係嚟自呢句短語,意思係開心到飛起!

e.g. I’ve been as happy as a clam from the first day I moved in.
我從搬進來的第一天就開心到飛起了。

 

3. Save (somebody)’s bacon

相信大家都對 bacon(煙肉)一啲都唔陌生!鍾意食 All day breakfast 嘅你一定更熟悉~
當有朋友同你講 ”He saved my bacon yesterday.” 意思唔係「佢噚日留左我塊煙肉」咁簡單,而係有人救左佢一命 / 幫佢脫離左困境!

e.g. He saved my bacon yesterday. I forgot to bring my wallet yesterday and he lent $100 to me.
他昨天幫我脫離了困境。我忘記帶錢包,他借了 $100 給我。
P.S. 呢句 idioms 常用於英國非正式場合

 

4. Chicken out

路人 A:She is gorgeous! I wanna ask her phone number!(個女仔好靚呀!我想問佢拎電話!)
外國朋友:Just do it! Don’t Chicken Out!
咪以為 “Don’t Chicken Out” 係唔好走雞咁解!Chicken out 係解做放棄、臨陣退縮。
但加個 Don’t 嚮 “Chicken out” 前面就變左鼓勵人嘅說話,叫人鼓氣勇氣「唔洗驚!唔好放棄!」

e.g. I was going to go bungee jumping, but I chickened out.
我本身諗住去笨豬跳,不過最後因為太驚所以放棄左。

5. Top Banana

兩個簡單英文字 “Top” 同 “Banana” 可以擦出咩火花?
原來 Top Banana係指一個群體入面最高領導 / 最有影響力 / 最重要人物

e.g. Everyone agrees that Max is the top banana in the office.
人人都認同 Max 係公司入面最重要嘅人!

 

 

6. Tough cookie

很多 idioms 都不能單看表面直譯,tough cookie 唔係指好硬嘅曲奇,但你可以由一塊好硬嘅曲奇聯想到做人會係點。其實 Tough cookie 分別有正面同負面嘅意思:
可以形容唔會輕言放棄、不斷嘗試嘅人;但亦都可以形容一個好難相處嘅人!

e.g. Mary is a tough cookie – she is determined to do what she wants.
Mary 是一個不會輕言放棄的人 – 她決心做自己想要的事情。

 

7. Cool as a cucumber

大家都知道用青瓜嚟敷眼可以好舒緩好放鬆~咁延伸這個意思或用這個方法去記著這個 idioms 就更簡單喇!”Cool as a cucumber” 意思就係泰然自若,好放鬆。

e.g. I was as cool as a cucumber during the rollercoaster ride.
我坐過山車時鎮定自若。

 

8. Bread and butter

Bread and butter 除咗喺服裝品牌,其實亦係一個 idiom!
意思係指重點 / 最主要嘅嘢 / 必需品 / 生計

e.g. Teaching is bread and butter to Mary.
教學工作是 Mary 的主要收入來源。

 

9. Use your noodle

如果有人叫你 “use your noodle”,佢唔係要用你包麵,而係叫你要用腦,動腦筋!

e.g. You have to use your noodle for this exam.
你這次考試必須要動腦筋。

 

10. Where’s the beef?

“Where’s the beef?” 唔係問緊牛肉喺邊,而係而係質疑緊成效喺邊,亦代表一啲重要內容 / 實質嘅嘢。

e.g. Where’s the beef? This book has no content.
重點在哪裡?這本書沒有任何內容。

 

 

英文輕鬆學,想要自然地道,莫過於學一些潮語和俚語。多D和朋友練習,更可講得自然有自信!