IDIOMSAboutAnimalsLetusbegin•在英语写作中我们总是在思考怎么做到严谨与优美,但是我觉得有时在写作中也可以考虑加入一些趣味元素,比如用到一些关于动物的俚语。来给文章增添一丝情趣和幽默。当然因为东西方文化的差异,对于同一种动物我们会有一些不同的理解,下面就给同学们分享一些相关信息。Rat•汉语中的“胆小如鼠”,“鼠目寸光”等词皆有猥琐、卑微等意。作为英语俚语中的rat指人时喻意与汉语稍有出入,但也含有贬义eg.Icansmellarat.我觉得事有蹊跷Heratsmeout.他把我给卖了heisnotloyalandalwaystricksotherpeople.heissuchadisgustngrat..hedidn'tkeephispromiseandrattedonit.鼠辈,卑鄙小人,讨厌的人背弃诺言Cow&horse•中国人以牛比喻强壮、勤劳,而在英国马曾经是最重要的交通工具,牛则很少干活,故马在英国文化中是勤劳和吃苦耐劳的象征。eg.worklikeahorse力大如牛changehorseinthemidstream临阵换将•Iamsohungry.Icaneatahorse.•heeatslikeahorse.•whenfacingdifficulties,don'tcomplain.itistoflogadeadhorse•Iamfired.Ihearditfromthehorsemouth.•Ourprincipal,Mr.Williams,isthetopbananaatourschool.eatlikeahorse?toflogadeadhorse吃的很多eatlikeabird?徒劳,没用的...老板的口中头头,大老板haveacowtillthecowscomehomedon'thaveacow;itisnotabigdeal!don'twaitfortheresultanxiously.itwilln'tcomeouttillthecowscomehome.Whybuythecowwhenthemilkisfree?焦虑不安,暴跳如雷很长时间舍近求远tiger&lion•如果在中国文化中老虎是“林中之王”,那么在英美文化中这顶桂冠就要送给狮子。狮子隐喻勇敢、彪悍的人。•asmajesticasalion勇猛威严•TheBritishLion不列颠之狮(指英国)•thelion'smouth虎穴•alionintheway拦路虎Ifyoudon'tenteratiger'sden(兽穴),youcan'tgethiscubs(幼崽).fightlikeatiger?shefoughtlikeatigertoprotectherchildren.heistigerish.像老虎的,凶猛有力的thelion'sshare?lionhearted?momdividedthecakeintofour.Tomgotthelion'sshare.heislionheartedandfightslikealion.最大的一份勇猛的兔子几种表达:rabbit(家兔),hare(野兔)bunny(小兔子)。•兔子在中国文化中可谓有褒有贬,生性温顺老实,所以属兔的人多被认为高贵大方、深受爱戴。但“狡兔三窟”,“兔崽子”等词又可以看出它的不好之处。在英语中则常用作贬义。Rabbit•:heplaysthegamesobadly.•:yean,sucharabbit•herunslikearabbit.•evenarabbitwillbitewhenitiscornered.•Thefoxpreysfarthestfromhishole.rabbit在口语中指拙劣的运动员(尤指网球运动员)兔子逼急了会咬人runsveryfast.兔子不吃窝边草。harehegotonthetrainwithoutaticket;heisahare.hegrewsoangry,andasmadasamarchhare.madasamarchhare十分狂野的,野性大发的没有买票的人Sheep/Goat/lamb羊在中国上古人的眼中,形象漂亮,温驯忠厚,腼腆害羞,羊肉可口,因此便有了甲骨文的“美“善”“鲜”“羞”等汉字。西方《圣经》中把耶稣喻为羔羊,有时也把普通的基督教信徒比喻为羊。略有不同的是,耶稣常为未成年的“羔羊(lamb)”,而信徒们却是成年的“绵羊(sheep)”。羊具备许多人类所具有的高贵品质:心地善良、温良谦恭、纯洁无暇,本性上很少有挑衅性但却有宽容度,因而基督教徒对它的赞扬几乎达到登峰造极的地步。Shehadarathersheepishsmile.shecastssheep'seyesatme;sheseemstolikeme.hedrinksalcoholalot,fight;andgraduallybecomesalostsheep.alostsheep误入歧途的人向······送秋波温柔、害羞的•sheep作褒义时hewasascowardasasheep.nobodywantstobecalledablacksheep.•goat(山羊)指色鬼,淫荡的人anoldgoatheactsrudelylikeagoat.eg.separatethesheepfromthegoatsawolfinsheep'sclothing胆小鬼害群之马。行为莽撞的人分辨善人与恶人披着羊皮的狼Dog在中国文化中狗的寓意有褒有贬,狗虽忠实但有些用于形容人的词语都是贬义,比如:狗东西、狐朋狗友、狼心狗肺等。而在西方文化中,狗是家中的宠物,可享受较高的待遇,是人类最好的朋友,也是人们寄托感情的对象。Dogdoesnoteatdog.同类不相残sickasadog病得厉害topdog最重要的人物asfaithfulasadog像狗一样忠诚anolddogbarksnotinvain(老狗不乱吠)比喻“老年人做事有经验”heisaluckydog.Lovemelovemydog.Barkingdogsseldombite.Everydoghashisday.Anolddogwilllearnnonewtricks.爱屋及乌爱叫的狗不咬人凡人皆有得意时老狗学不了新把戏Cat•猫在中国人眼里温顺可爱,中国人喜欢猫,而在西方文化中,猫是魔鬼“撒旦”的化身,是中世纪巫婆的守护神。尤其是黑猫让西方人深恶痛绝。cat在英语中喻指“可鄙的女人”、“恶妇”。•eg.oldcat脾气坏的老太婆Acathasninelives.猫有九条命;吉人天相Catshidetheirclaws.知人知面不知心。Theyleadacat-and-doglife,sotheydecidedtoseparated.•Theyarelikecatsanddogs.•catsanddogs是指猫狗打架的时候嘈杂的声音it'srainingcatsanddogs.经常吵架的生活他们水火不相容下着倾盆大雨。•Iwantedmother'spresenttobesecret,butmysisterletthecatoutofthebag.•shewaslikeacatonhotbricksbeforedrivingbricks.•whenthecatisaway,themicewillplay.letthecatoutofthebagacatonhotbricks泄露机密坐立不安猫儿不在,老鼠玩的自在.指管事的人不在,下面的人玩的痛快。Pig/Swine猪,贬义,提及猪意味着自私、贪吃、迟钝、懒惰、固执、粗鄙、肮脏。如“死猪不怕开水烫”。Whatcanyouexpectfromadogbutagrunt?猪除了咕噜还能指望什么?teachapigtoplayonaflute(长笛)赶鸭子上架hecanwinamillionpound?pigsmightfly./whenpigsfly.Ihadaboxofchocolatesandpiggedalot.太阳从西边升起;不可能吃的过量,大吃特吃let'spigout.Fox指诡计多端,狡猾的人Heisanoldfox.HeiscrazylikeafoxhealwaysplaysthefoxAnoldfoxisnoteasilycaught老狐狸不会被轻易捉住耍花招Sheisafox.Sheisfoxy.她是很迷人的女郎,她非常地性感。thequestionsfoxeventheexperts.imustiamtotallyfoxed.把...难倒;使...猜不透困惑的背口诀记单词有一个year(年)天空很clear(晴朗)下有个bear(狗熊)被割掉ear(耳朵)气跑了dear(爱人)想起了swear(誓言)流出了tear(眼泪)把眼镜wear(戴上)啃一个pear(梨)心里很fear(害怕)老虎在near(附近)可能会hear(听见)马上就appear(出现)赶快找spear(矛)Bear在中国人的心目中,熊的形象一般是“行为缓慢”,具有“呆傻”之态。指人时常说“熊样”,股市中有“熊市”之说。•InEnglish,suchasabad-temperedorbad-manneredperson(粗鄙、鲁莽之人)•belikeabearwithasorehead脾气暴躁Killtwobirdswithonestone.Abirdinthehandisworthtwointhebush.Birdsofafeatherflocktogether.Theearlybirdcatchestheworm.一箭双雕;一举两得。双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。物以类聚,人以群分。(早起的鸟捉到虫。)捷足先登。others•asbusyasabee.忙碌至极•cat’spaw.•被人当爪牙利用的人;受人愚弄的人•Don’tcountyourchickens!•不要打如意算盘•till/untilthecowscomehome.•遥遥无期;无限期•letsleepingdoglie.莫惹是非•likeabullinachinashop.•非常笨拙卤莽•alittlebirdtoldme.•有人私下告诉我•otherfishtofry.•另有要事;有更重要的事要干seehowthecatjumps.•观望形势;窥探虚实•aspoorasachurchmouse.•一贫如洗•thesheepandthegoats.•好人与坏人•letthecatoutofthebag.•露出马脚;泄露秘密。•hang-doglook.•卑鄙的摸样;惭愧的脸色•whiteelephant.•无用的而且累赘的赠品•donkey-work.•沉重的苦活儿•don’tcountone’schickensbefore•theyarehatched.•不要过早乐观•breakabutterflyonawheel.•小题大做Thanksforlistening