导读:在中文口语中,很多常用说法都跟人的身体部位有关,比如披头散发、七嘴八舌、胸有成竹、手忙脚乱等等。其实在英语中也有很多关于身体部位的习语,有一些特别有意思。“head”是重要的人体部位之一,今天AAE(美国英文学院)跟大家分享一些与人的头部(head)有关的一些英语俚语:
1、big-headed/bigheaded
千万别直译为“大头”,这个美国常用俚语在口语中表示自大/傲慢。英语俚语里跟它意思相同或相近的短语还有a big head(也作a swollen head),在有些场景下,它的中文释义也有自负、傲慢或自我膨胀的意思。
例句:
He is so big headed that everyone in the village keeps at a distance with him.
他是如此骄傲自大,以致于村里的每个人都对他敬而远之。
He really has a swollen head. He always thinks he is right.
他真的是自以为是,总是觉得自己是对的。
2、soft in the head
soft是柔软、温和的意思,部分英语初学者可能会把soft in the head理解为“放松心情、头脑轻松”,事实上这个美国俚语表达的中文意思是“愚蠢的,弱智的”。
例句:
You're soft in the head if you think I'll go along with that.
如果你以为我会同意的话,那你也未免太蠢了
Is the boss going soft in the head?
老板的脑子是不是进水了?
3、use one's head
字面意思是“用你的脑子(思考)”,这个美国俚语用作动词的引申义为好好想想。
例句:
You know the answer. Use your head!
你知道答案的。好好想想!
You shouldn’t buy a new car until you’ve paid off the debt from your student loan. Use your head!
在还清助学贷款之前,你不应该买新车,动动脑子!
4、over one's head
这个俚语用作形容词的意思是表示:(1).难以理解的(最常用的意思);( 2).越过某人去找他的上司(少用) ;(3). 一直困扰着某人,使他担心(少用) 。
例句:
This stuff is too hard. It’s over my head.
这东西太难了,我弄不懂。
I tried to take in what he was saying about nuclear fusion, but most of it went over my head.
我努力去理解他所说的核融合,但大部分内容都让我无法理解。
She just wouldn’t listen to me, so I had to go over her head to her boss and complain about it.
她就是不肯听我的话,所以我不得不越过她去找她的老板,向老板申诉。
I’m so glad that exam is over. It’s been over my head for months.
这考试终于结束了。它已经困扰我好几个月了。
5、talk one's head off
这个俚语用作动词的意思是表示喋喋不休/说个不停(尤指劝说或争论,通常声量还很大)。
例句:
I talked my head off trying to convince them.
我不停地劝说,竭力想说服他们。
6、stand on one’s head
字面意思是“站在某人头上”,你可能会把它理解为“欺负/打击某人”,然而这个美国人常用的俚语一般解释为:1. 字面解释是:倒立;2.含义为:竭力工作去给别人一个好印象。
例句:
I’ve never able to stand on my head for more than a couple second.
我倒立从来没能超过2秒。
You don’t have to stand on your head to succeed in this office. Just do your assigned work on time.
在这办公室,你不需要疯狂工作来给好印象。只要你能按时完成交个你的任务就够了。
类似的有:standing on one’s head(意思是:轻而易举、易如反掌)
It’s the sort of program Andrew could write standing on his head.
写这种程序对于安德鲁而言是小菜一碟。
7、rocks in one’s (或the) head
这个美国俚语用作名词的意思是表示愚蠢/智力低下/神经不正常,常与get或have连用。
例句:
You got rocks in your head for sending us out on this cockeyed flight.
你们一定神经不正常,派我们作这次荒唐的飞行。
Do you want me to lend the money to a guy like him? Have you got rocks in your head?
想让我把钱借给像他那样的人?你有毛病阿?
You must have rocks in your head if you think the bank will approve you for another loan。(如果你认为银行会批准你的另一笔贷款,那你一定是脑子进水了。
8、bury your head in the sand
字面意思是把你的头埋在沙子中,引申义为逃避现实。
据说,驼鸟遇到危险时就会把头钻到沙子里去,认为这样就能避开危险。 hide / bury one’s head in the sand 是鸵鸟的一个习惯动作。把头埋在沙堆里,这样,它就可以无视周围发生的一切了。不仅是鸵鸟,有些人有时也会这样做。他们这样做是为了自欺欺人,拒绝承认他们不想接受的客观现实。自然,这是一种不明智的做法!
bury one's head in the sand常用来指“不正视现实”或“逃避现实”的“驼鸟政策”。
例句:
Cheer up. It's no use burying your head in the sand.
振作起来,在困难面前采取驼鸟政策是没用的。
You can bury your head in the sand if you want to, but Bruce is stealing, and sooner or later we’re going to have to deal with it.
如果你愿意,你可以面对现实,但是布鲁斯在偷东西,我们迟早要对付他。
9、have your head in the clouds
其字面意思是“脑袋在云里/把脑袋伸到云彩里”,喻指 “想法飘飘然/天马行空/热衷于幻想而脱离实际/做美梦”,其反义词就是:have one's feet on the ground; be down-to-earth(脚踏实地)。
此外,have your head in the clouds,这个短语,有时也指“心不在焉/开小差”。
例句:
A good artist should have his head in the clouds sometimes, but his feet should always be on the ground.
一位好的艺术家有时应富于幻想, 但始终要脚踏实地。
The report he wrote was very optimistic; I think he has his head in the clouds.
他的报告写得非常乐观;我看他太理想化了。
Don't always have your head in the clouds when you're having a class. Remember?
上课的时候别总是心不在焉,记住了吗?
10、off the top of one's head
从字面上看,它是指在我头脑里最先蹦出来/想到的,这个美国俚语用作副词的引申意思是不假思索地/随口而出地/即兴地。
例句:
I can't tell you the figures off the top of my head. I'll have to check it up.
我无法马上告诉你具体数字,我还得查一下。
She recited the poem off the top of her head.
她即兴背诵了诗歌。
结束语
认识了解这些俚语英文表达,说不定在未来的某个关键时刻,能实实在在地帮到你,增加自己在人群中脱颖而出的筹码!