其實(shí),“dime a dozen”跟“一塊二毛錢(qián)”沒(méi)有半毛錢(qián)關(guān)系。它是一句常見(jiàn)的英語(yǔ)習(xí)語(yǔ),指的是something that is common and easy to obtain(天涯何處無(wú)芳草)。和中文的成語(yǔ)一樣,英文中也有數(shù)量眾多的idioms,如果望文生義,可能就會(huì)產(chǎn)生交流中的誤會(huì)。話不多說(shuō),下面我們就一起來(lái)看看英文中最常用、最有趣的十個(gè)習(xí)語(yǔ):
1. Piece of cake
例句:The assignment I just finished was a piece of cake.
這個(gè)例句說(shuō)的并不是我剛完成的作業(yè)是烤一塊蛋糕,而是指作業(yè)非常簡(jiǎn)單,a piece of cake就是指輕而易舉的事。
2. Cost an arm and a leg
例句:That Louis Vuitton bag costs me an arm and a leg.
如果在LV買(mǎi)個(gè)包包要砍下自己的胳膊和腿,那這個(gè)社會(huì)就太可怕了!其實(shí),在英語(yǔ)中,如果說(shuō)到某個(gè)東西要cost an arm and a leg,它表達(dá)的是某個(gè)東西非常expensive。
3. Break a leg
在你即將要走進(jìn)考場(chǎng)對(duì)付討厭的微積分考試前,你們班上成績(jī)最好的那個(gè)同學(xué)突然走過(guò)來(lái)對(duì)你說(shuō)了句“Break a leg!” “這個(gè)傲嬌鬼”,你忍不住在心里暗暗抱怨,“成績(jī)好就可以這樣詛咒別人嗎?” 但其實(shí)那個(gè)學(xué)習(xí)好的傲嬌鬼卻并不是在詛咒你,因?yàn)樵谟⑽闹?,break a leg 其實(shí)是good luck的意思!
4. Hit the books
例句: The final exam is coming, I might need to go to the library and hit the books.什么?你要去圖書(shū)館打書(shū)?!就算期末考再可怕也不能把焦慮發(fā)泄在書(shū)本上啊...如果你正這么想,那么你就誤解這個(gè)習(xí)語(yǔ)的意思了。其實(shí),hit the books 指的是study,所以例句說(shuō)的意思是:期末考試就要來(lái)了,我可能也該去圖書(shū)館看看書(shū)學(xué)習(xí)一下了。
5. Let the cat out of the bag
這個(gè)世界上怎么會(huì)有人把貓放在袋子里?親,要是你這么想就out了!在英語(yǔ)中,let the cat out of the bag means to disclose a secret that was supposed to be kept(爆料出某個(gè)秘密).
6.Hit the nail on the head
這個(gè)習(xí)語(yǔ)的意思是doing or saying something that is precisely right,中文中有個(gè)表達(dá)叫“正中紅心”,基本和hit the nail on the head是對(duì)應(yīng)的。
7. When pigs fly
大家見(jiàn)過(guò)豬在天上飛嗎?從來(lái)沒(méi)有吧?當(dāng)然我也沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)。其實(shí),這個(gè)短語(yǔ)說(shuō)的就是基本不可能發(fā)生的事。
例句:
-- Do you think you can ever win the lottery? (你覺(jué)得你會(huì)中彩票大獎(jiǎng)嗎?)
--Yes. When pigs fly. (等豬會(huì)飛的時(shí)候我就會(huì)中獎(jiǎng)了)
8. You can't judge a book by its cover
大家曾經(jīng)有沒(méi)有因?yàn)橐槐緯?shū)的封面好看而買(mǎi)書(shū)?小編我就屬于這樣的人。但是在英文中,judge a book by its cover 卻和書(shū)沒(méi)有太大關(guān)系,它的意思是“以貌取人”。
例句:"He dresses in plain clothes and drives an old car. Who would know he is the richest man in town?" "You can't judge a book by its cover."
9. Bite off more than you can chew
It means to attempt to take on a task that is too much for you to handle(眼大肚小).
例句:Our boss bit off more than she can chew when she promised the client we'd have the project ready by next week. It requires at least two weeks!
10. Scratch someone's back
撓背脊是件體力活沒(méi)錯(cuò)吧?既然給自己撓背脊都那么麻煩了,我們?yōu)槭裁催€要幫別人撓?那是因?yàn)檫@樣的話以后自己背癢的時(shí)候才會(huì)有人幫你撓。所以這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思就是預(yù)支自己對(duì)他人的幫忙,以防日后自己不時(shí)之需時(shí)可以有人情債可收。也就是中文中常說(shuō)的:投之以桃,報(bào)之以李。
例句:I don't mind driving this time, she's scratched my back plenty of times.