英文真的是一個很難懂的語言,一樣的詞語,卻有著不同的意思。「A piece of cake」、「Apple of one's eye」、「My cup of tea」、「Small potato」都是大家比較常用的諺語idiom,但下列15個你又聽過未?一齊學下有關食物的諺語,下次就不怕講錯被人笑啦~
1. have a beef with / beef about
去餐廳鋸扒講I want to have a beef?原來have a beef有另外一個意思,having a beef with someone有與人意見不合、有心結的意思,常用於爭執時,而beef about則有抱怨的意思。
例子:
”I have a beef with Peter.” 我和Peter之間有恩怨
“He is always beefing about his working conditions.”他經常抱怨其工作情況
2. butter up
butter up不是叫你搽牛油,butter someone up有阿諛奉承、討好之意,即係俗語擦鞋!
例子:
“Don't waste your time buttering me up!”不要浪費時間巴結我了
3. cool as a cucumber
As cool as a cucumber可能很多人都聽過,不是解作清涼,而是有冷靜之意,形容人處變不驚、泰然自若。
例子:
“The exam is in less than an hour, but I'm as cool as a cucumber.”考試不到一小時就開始,但我卻仍然十分冷靜
4. egg someone on
Egg someone on並不是掉人雞蛋,這個Idiom和雞蛋其實完全沒關係。Egg someone on有慫恿人去做某件事的意思,通常都是一些不智的事。
例子:
“She was egging him on to fight.”她慫恿他去打架
5. in a nutshell
喺個殻入面?聽起上來in a nutshell像是很小的意思,不過卻不是形容人很細的意思。In a nutshell有長話短說、簡而言之的意思。
例子:
“In a nutshell, you are fired!”簡而言之,你被解僱了
6. spill the beans
倒瀉籮蟹就聽過,但倒瀉盤豆呢?原來spill the beans同豆沒有關係,其實是解作洩漏秘密喇!
例子:
“We are planning a party for Peter, you'd better not spill the beans!” 我們要幫Peter辦派對,你最好不要說出去啊
7. chicken out
Chicken out有因膽小而臨陣退縮、放棄之意,用來形容膽小鬼,不是走雞的意思啊!
例子:
“I was going to go bungee jumping, but I chickened out.”原本我想去玩笨豬跳,但我還是太害怕所以臨陣退縮了
8. bigger fish to fry
不是去煎魚、炸魚,bigger fish to fry其實是有更重要的事情要做,簡單來說就是用來拒絕幫忙喇!
例子:
“It's really not worth my time. I've got bigger fish to fry!”這不值得浪費的時間,我有更重要的事要辦
9. salad days
Pizza Day、Sandwich Day,現在愈來愈多各式各樣的節日,不過Salad days原來不是沙律日,不要以為聽到Salad days就是有甚麼沙律半價優惠。Salad days一詞來自莎士比亞的悲劇,解作年少輕狂的日子。
例子:
“My salad days, when I was green in judgment, cold in blood., to say as I said then!”我年輕的時候,不懂事,冷血,所以才說出那樣的話 — 莎士比亞的<Anthony and Cleopatra>
10. go bananas
去啦,香蕉!不對,我們不是在寵物小精靈的世界,go bananas其實是發瘋、興奮到行為失控的意思。
例子:
“They really went bananas at the party.”他們在派對中玩瘋了
11. sour grapes
吃不到的葡萄是酸的,無錯!終於猜對一次~Sour grapes有妒忌的意思,指一個人因得不到想要的而憤怒。
例子:
“I don't think it's such a great job - and that's not just sour grapes because I didn't get it.”這份工作沒甚麼大不了—我並不是因為得不到這份工作而妒忌才這樣說啊
12. cut the mustard
Cut the crap有叫人收聲的意思,不過Cut the mustard卻有完全不同之意。Cut the mustard有合乎標準的意思,通常都用於否定句does not cut the mustard。
例子:
“He was fired because he couldn't cut the mustard.”他因未能合乎標準而被解職
13. a peach
You are a peach你是一粒桃?A peach除了解作一粒桃外,其實亦可解作友善、熱心,下次就不要誤會人笑你似粒桃喇!
例子:
“You are such a peach!”你人真好
14. storm in a teacup
《風波裏的茶杯》是香港以前的一個電台節目,那茶杯裡的風波呢?Storm in a teacup原來有小題大做的意思,為了小事而擔憂生氣。
例子:
“I really think you're making a storm in a teacup over this.”我覺得你在這件事上小題大做
15. tough cookie
Tough cookie有正反兩面的意思,可以用來讚賞人堅持、強悍不放棄,亦可以形容人難相處,要小心點用啊!
例子:
“Peter is a tough cookie – he is determined to do what he wants.”Peter是一個不易放棄的人 – 他決心要做到自己想做的事
資料來源:劍橋詞典、Wall Street English、BBC