今天我们来说两个比较有趣的英语表达,它们都使用了比喻,非常形象。
1.steal one's thunder
先来看一组对话:
A: You're avoiding me these days. What happened?
B: Nothing. It's just...you stole my thunder at my party.
A: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted everybody to enjoy your party.
A:It was MY party! You couldn't be the star!
看样子,steal one's thunder既不是偷了我的雷,也不是抢了我的迅雷。
很多同学已经猜出来了,这个短语其实是“抢风头”的意思。本来你才是party的主角, 大家的焦点应该都在你身上,结果有个人出来把你的“雷”给偷走了。也就是抢走了你的风头。
还有一个相似的表达是steal the spotlight。spotlight 是聚光灯的意思,舞台上聚光灯之下的人是万众瞩目的主角。如果有人抢了你的主角位置,你可以义正辞严地对他说:You are stealing the spotlight!
2. a pain in the neck
还是先来看对话。
A: It seems that you don't like the new guy.
B: Of course I don't. He's a pain in the neck.
A: How come?
B: He's always talking about his family. It's so annoying.
看到annoying大家应该就能看出来, a pain in the neck实际上就是“令人讨厌的人或事”,他们就像在你的脖子在同,非常地烦人。
看到这个短语很多同学都会想到汉语里的“眼中钉,肉中刺”,但a pain in the neck只是表达厌恶,还没到那么严重的程度。如果真的有人成了你的眼中钉,那么你可以说:
He's a thorn in my side.
或
He's a thorn in my flesh.
thorn [θɔrn] 是“荆棘”的意思,flesh [fleʃ] 是“肉体”的意思,嵌入身体里的荆棘,是不是就是“肉中刺”呢,是不是很形象?