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不管是英語還是漢語，我們都常常會用動物的一些特性來表達人類的性格。
在漢語中，用“孺子牛”形容那些心甘情願為人民大眾奉獻的人；用“笑面虎”形容笑臉相迎卻背後兩面三刀的人；用“替罪羊”形容無辜承擔罪名的人……
而在英文中，用動物或者事物來比喻的短語也不少，不過畫風就有點搞笑了：
比如“像根黃瓜一樣酷”(as cool as a cucumber)；“像熊一樣頭疼”(like a bear with a sore head)；“死得像個門釘、死得透透的”(dead as a doornail)……
是不是覺得好玩，卻有點摸不著頭腦？
彆著急，牛津英語詞典官方網站為大家總結了
10個英國人常用的動物比喻類短語（10 British animal idioms and expressions），今天東方君就來給大家詳細分享一下吧！
本文僅限學習交流使用，由東方君翻譯。
https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2016/09/06/animal-idioms/
如果同學們在口語中加入一些常見的英式表達，You'll soon sound like you've been speaking British English for donkey's years（很快，你就會聽起來好像已經說英式英語很多年了）。
當學習英語時，如果有一個英國朋友用“貓咪的鬍鬚”（cat's whiskers） ，甚至是“狗狗的胡扯”（dog's bollocks）來形容你，你很可能會疑惑甚至是生氣——但是你知道嗎，這兩種說法其實都是褒義哦！
有學者認為，在一戰結束後，英語中的新詞處於爆發時期；而動物類尤其是小貓小狗，被大量而廣泛地運用到口語中，比如“貓咪的睡衣”（cat's pyjamas）, “蜜蜂的膝蓋”（bee's knees）等等。
註釋：
1. donkey's years：形容非常長的時間，類似於中國俗語中的“猴年馬月”。
2. cat's whiskers：an excellent person or thing，字面意思是貓咪的鬍鬚，實際上是指一些傑出的、優秀的人。
3. cat's pyjamas：與上面的cat's whiskers相似，形容妙極了，了不起。
4. dog's bollocks：原意指狗的生殖器官，後來引申為狗的胡扯、狗的糞便，在牛津詞典中解釋為“A person or thing that is the best of its kind”，指在某一類別中最優秀的人或事物。
5. bee's knees：形容出類拔萃的人或事，可以用“outstandingly”來形容。
接下來，就來看看牛津英語詞典總結出的這十個好玩的英式動物短語吧！
1. Make a pig's ear of something
笨拙地、錯誤地做某事
Have you ever seen a pig's ear? While in Britain these fatty, hairy appendages have traditionally been given to dogs as a treat, their use in international cuisine is starting to have an impact on the London restaurant scene.
你見過豬耳朵嗎？從傳統意義上來說，在英國，這些多脂肪又多毛的（豬身上的）附屬品通常是給狗狗吃的，但它們在國際烹飪中的應用卻開始對倫敦餐館產生影響。
It's quite possible, however, that pig's ear was originally pig's rear – which perhaps makes more sense.
不過，這句話中的“豬耳朵”（ear）最初很有可能指的是“豬屁股”（rear）——因為這樣更能說得通。
If you make a pig's ear of something, you make a mess of it！
如果你“做了一個豬耳朵”,那就代表著你把事情搞得一團糟！
"We were meant to be having a fry-up for breakfast, but Nick made a pig's ear of it."
“我們本來打算早飯吃一些煎炸食品的，可是尼克把它們搞得一團糟。”
To sound even more British, add a right:
"Sharon made a right pig's ear of that presentation!"
如果想要聽起來更像英國人，可以加上“right”這個詞:“莎倫把那個報告給搞砸了！”
2. Have kittens
心煩意亂、焦躁不安
Sweet, cuddly, cute: what's not to love about kittens, the most watched animals on the Internet? But giving birth to them might be a different experience altogether.
甜美、可愛、惹人憐：小貓咪作為網絡上最受關注的動物，有哪裡不值得愛呢？但生下他們卻是完全不同的體驗。
Apparently, back in medieval times, a woman who suffered pains during pregnancy would often be advised by the local witch that she was, to her misfortune, carrying kittens, and that the only remedy was a magic potion to destroy the unhappy litter.
顯然，在中世紀的時候，如果一個女人在懷孕期間遭受巨大的痛苦，她通常會聽取當地女巫的建議；但如果她不幸懷上了小貓，唯一的補救辦法就是用一種魔法藥水來摧毀這隻令人煩惱的幼崽。
If you're having kittens, you're panicking.
如果你“懷了一隻小貓”，你就會驚慌失措、惴惴不安。
"Have you got that report ready yet? The boss is having kittens!" "We're so late – my mum'll be having kittens."
“你準備好那份報告了嗎？老闆現在特別焦慮！”“我們來得太晚了——我媽媽會擔憂的。”
3. All dressed up like a dog's dinner
過分打扮、花枝招展
The Brits love their dogs – they're the most popular pet in the UK. Dogs' dinners, however, are not usually very appealing at all – in fact, the expression a dog's dinner on its own also means a mess.
英國人熱愛他們的狗——狗是英國最受歡迎的寵物。然而，狗狗們的晚餐卻一點都不吸引人——事實上，“狗狗們的晚餐”就意味著一團糟。
If you're (all) dressed (up) like a dog's dinner, however, you look very smart – which (the expression suggests) is probably unusual for you.
如果你打扮得像要去參加“狗狗晚餐”，那就說明雖然你看起來很時髦，但這種穿搭可能對你來說是不合時宜的。
"Where are you off to then, all dressed up like a dog's dinner?""Look at him – dressed up like a dog's dinner. Honestly."
“你穿的好像要去參加狗狗晚餐似的，要去哪兒呢?”“看看他——老實說，他真的打扮得像要去參加狗狗晚餐。”
4. A cold fish
一個高冷的、冷漠的人
Although in theory any adjective can be put before fish, cold is by far the most common one.
雖然從理論上來說，“fish”這個單詞前面可以加上任何形容詞，但“cold”是目前而言最常見的一個。
If you're a cold fish, you're unemotional, and perhaps even unfriendly.
如果你是“一條冷漠的魚”，你就不會有太大的情緒波動，甚至可能會顯得不太友好。
To sound even more British, add a bit of: "I tried talking to Rachel at the party, but she's a bit of a cold fish." "What did you think of him?" "Bit of a cold fish, wasn't he?"
為了聽起來更像英國人，（在造句時）可以加上“有點”：“我試著在聚會上和瑞秋說話，但她反應有點冷淡。”“你覺得他怎麼樣?”“有點高冷，不是嗎?”
5. Like a bear with a sore head
暴躁易怒、心情惡劣
Brown bears have been extinct in Britain for over a thousand years, but, like wolves, they have left their mark in our fairy tales: it seems wise to stay well away from one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
在英國，棕熊在一千多年前就已經滅絕了，但就像狼一樣，它們也在我們的童話故事中留下了印記：遠離這種世界上最危險的動物之一，似乎總是一種明智的選擇。
If you're a like a bear with a sore head, you're in a very bad mood.
如果你“像熊一樣腦瓜疼”，就說明你的心情很糟糕。
Interestingly, this phrase is more often used to describe men than women.
有趣的是，這個短語在很多情況下是用來形容男人而不是女人。
"I don't know what's up with Mike—he's like a bear with a sore head today!"
"He's like a bear with a sore head if he doesn't get his cup of tea in the morning."
“我不知道邁克發生了什麼事——他今天超級暴躁！”“如果他早上不喝杯茶的話，他就會心煩意亂。”
6. Not give a monkey's
毫不在乎、毫無關心
Monkeys are often associated with mischief and defiance in English: maybe your little brother is monkeying around, or your friend's a bit of a cheeky monkey.
在英語中，猴子經常與惡作劇和挑釁聯繫在一起：也許你年幼的弟弟在胡鬧，或者你的朋友有點耍嘴皮子。
This euphemism – there's some debate over what the original missing word was (a monkey's what?) – captures both those characteristics.
而這個委婉語——雖然關於最初缺失的那個單詞是什麼（猴子的什麼？）還存在爭論——抓住了猴子的這些特徵。
"I don't give a monkey's what he thinks – I'm not doing it." "I don't give a monkey's!"
“我才不在乎他是怎麼想的呢——我也不會去在意的。”“我才不管呢！”
7. Like a rat up a drainpipe
迅雷不及掩耳之勢、迅速的
Pity the poor rat – a shrewd but shunned animal in Britain, where it's often said that "you're never more than six foot away from one. "
多可憐的老鼠啊——在英國，老鼠被認為是一種精明的動物，但人們卻避之不及。人們常說:“你離一隻老鼠的距離永遠不會超過6英尺。”
Rats are known to be able to squeeze through the tiniest of openings and are often found in sewers, so this expression is, as the Brits would say, spot on.
眾所周知，老鼠能夠鑽過最細小的開口，而且經常出沒在下水道里，所以就像英國人說的，這個表達，恰到好處。
If you move like a rat up a drainpipe, you move extremely fast.
如果你“像老鼠一樣爬上排水管”，就證明你的移動速度是非常快的。
"Where did Steve go?" "I don't know – he just took off like a rat up a drainpipe." "I told him Sophie was single and he was in there like a rat up a drainpipe, buying her drinks."
“史蒂夫去哪兒了?”“我不知道——他剛才飛奔出去了。”“我告訴他蘇菲還是單身，他就像是老鼠爬排水管一樣飛快地給她買飲料。”
8. Be up with the lark
早起
The lark has a special place in British wildlife — its silvery song inspired the piece that, according one recent poll, has become the country's favourite piece of classical music.
百靈鳥在英國野生動物中有著特殊的地位——根據最近的一項調查，它銀鈴般的歌聲啟發了一首曲子，而這首曲子已經成為英國很受歡迎的古典音樂。
We have long associated the lark with daybreak, even before Shakespeare wrote the lark, the herald of the morn: a person who gets up early is known as a lark, as opposed to an owl who prefers to stay up late.
其實從很早之前，我們就將百靈鳥與黎明聯繫在一起，甚至比莎士比亞寫《百靈鳥》的時代還要早；早起的人被稱為百靈鳥，相反的，喜歡熬夜的人被稱為貓頭鷹。
If you're up with the lark, you're awake and up and about very early.
如果你“和雲雀一起起床”，就代表你起得很早。
"We were up with the lark this morning because we had a plane to catch." "On Christmas Day, my sister and I would always be up with the lark."
“今天早上我們起得很早，因為我們要趕飛機。”“聖誕節那天，我和妹妹總是早起。”
9. The lion's share
最大的份額、最大份
The lion has been a symbol of England for more than nine hundred years, and traditionally represents bravery and strength.
900多年來，獅子一直是英格蘭的象徵，長久以來象徵著勇敢和力量。
We see the shadow side of these qualities, however, in Aesop's fable of this name, which tells the story of a lion, a fox, a jackal, and a wolf who go out hunting together. After dividing their prey into four equal parts, the lion claims all the spoils for himself.
然而，我們在伊索寓言中，卻看到了這些品質的陰暗面，其中講述了一隻獅子、一隻狐狸、一隻豺狗和一隻狼一起出去打獵的故事。在把獵物分成四等份後，獅子把所有的戰利品都歸自己所有了。
The British expression used today has a slightly different meaning: if you get the lion's share of something, you get most of it (rather than all of it).
而現如今，人們使用的英式表達稍微有點差別：如果你得到了“獅子的分成”，就意味著你得到了大部分（而不是全部）。
"Well, I think you got the lion's share of the cake there, Pete!""She'll get the lion's share of the payout – the rest of the money will go to charity."
“好吧，我想你得到了最大的那份蛋糕，皮特！”“她將得到最大份的分紅——剩下的錢將捐給慈善機構。”
10. Stag night or party
hen night or party
（男生、女生）告別單身派對
stag night or party (and hen night or party): a celebration held for a man (or woman) who is about to get married, attended by his male friends only (or her female friends only).
公鹿之夜或派對（以及母雞之夜或派對）：男人（或女人）準備結婚時，只有他的男性朋友（或她的女性朋友）參加的慶祝活動。
Britons have their own colourful terms – stag (a male deer) and hen (a female bird, usually a fowl) parties – for the pre-wedding celebrations known in America as the bachelor or bachelorette parties respectively.
英國人有他們自己豐富多彩的詞彙——牡鹿（公鹿）和母雞（母鳥，通常是家禽）派對——這種婚前單身派對在美國分別被稱為“單身漢派對”和“單身女派對”。
It's thought that both stag and hen festivities can be traced back to ancient Greece, but have evolved differently. Whereas the stag night has always involved raucous partying and practical jokes, the hen night has a precursor in a calmer, more reflective pre-marriage gathering where the bride's female relatives would formally mark her transition to adulthood.
人們認為，不管是“公鹿聚會”還是“母雞派對”都可以追溯到古希臘，只是演變方式有所不同。雖然男生們的單身派對總是充斥著喧鬧和惡作劇，但女生們的派對卻有一個前奏，那就是在一個較為平靜、更加深思熟慮的婚前聚會上，新娘的女性親戚會正式慶祝她的成年。
The modern concept of the hen night as a wild farewell to freedom – to match the stag night – has its roots in the much more recent sexual revolution of the 1960s. These days, both events sometimes last an entire weekend. If you're invited to a stag night or a hen night, be prepared for some pretty wild partying.
現代觀念認為，女生婚前單身派對是對自由的瘋狂告別——正如男生婚前單身派對一樣——源於20世紀60年代發生的性革命。如今，這兩項活動有時會持續一整個週末。如果你被邀請去參加一個男生或女生的單身之夜，準備好去瘋狂吧！
To sound even more British, you can say "hen do" and "stag do" (in British English, a do is an informal term for a party).
要聽起來更英式，你可以說“hen do”和“stag do”(在英式英語中，do是party的非正式用語)。
"I've been invited to Lucy's hen night!" "Ben's out on a stag do. We've no idea when he'll come home."
“我被邀請去參加露西的婚前單身派對！”“本出去參加男生們的單身派對了。我們不知道他什麼時候會回來。”
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