汉译英难点——赞成与反对

1. 大吵大闹：yell bloody murder

My wife will certainly yell boldly murder when she learns how much I have spent for them.
如果我的妻子知道我为他们花了多少钱，她一定会大吵大闹的。

2. 很像：the spitting image of

Xiao Li is plain the spitting image of his father, who behaves just like a lamb in front of his wife.
小李真像他的爸爸，在老婆面前象条虫似的。

3. 绝交信：Dear John

Beck went plain crazy with anger on the day when he received his Dear John from his ex-girlfriend.
贝克收到他女朋友的绝交信的那天简直都气疯了。

4. 不能轻信：take something with a grain of salt

You must always take what he says with a grain of salt. He’s a born liar.
他说的话你可不能全信，他是个说谎不带脸红的人。

5. 告发，检举：blow the whistle

It’s said that those government officials who had blown the whistle also got transferred.
据说检举这件事的政府官员也被调职了。

6. 指控：charge somebody with
He was charged with raping and got arrested.
他被指控犯有强奸罪而被逮捕了。

7. 刮目相看：sit up and take notice

He has published a number of books and they all become best-sellers, the fact of which makes many people sit up and take notice.
他最近出了几本十分畅销的书，让很多人对他刮目相看。

8. 挺不错的：be hunky-dory

His girlfriend is hunky-dory, getting on nicely with almost everyone.
他的女朋友挺不错的，跟谁都合得来。

9. 断断续续：be off and on

I have been learning English off and on for 12 years.
我断断续续学了12年的英语了。

10. 亏你说得出来：I like that!

Did you say that a man should have several wives? I like that!
你是说男人应该娶几个老婆？亏你说得出来！

11. 闭上嘴：button one’s lip/ zip ones lips

Zip your lips. Can’t you see they’re annoyed?
闭上嘴！难道你看不出来人家不爱听么？

12. 真的啊：You don’t say!

—Li ling and I are married.
我已经和丽玲结婚了。
—You don’t say! You are lucky.
真的啊！你真幸运 。

13. 再合适不过了：suit somebody to a T

This color suits you to a T.
这个颜色对你再合适不过了。

14. 让人看不下去：an eye-sore

The two young guys’ caressing and spooning there are plain an eye-sore.
看那两个年轻人在那里又搂又吻的真让人看不下去。

15. 不能用了：be done for

Buy yourself a new coat. This one is already done for.
这件大衣不能穿了。买件新的吧。

16. 不理不睬：not even give a tumble

Xiao Li says that he likes Xiao Liu but she doesn’t even give him tumble.
小李三番五次的说他喜欢小刘，可是小刘对他不理不睬。

17. 拒绝某人的求婚：give somebody the mitten

She said that she had been given the mitten.
她说他拒绝了她的求婚。

18. 为……说句好话：put in a good word for

You may go to Lao Wang and ask him to put in a good word for you in front of the boss.
你可以去找老王，让他在老板面前为你说句好话。

19. 怎么也不…… ：can’t for the life of one.

I can’t for the life of me remember his telephone number.
我怎么也想不起他的电话号码了。

20. 绝对没有：I’d eat my hat if I had…

I’d eat my hat if I had disclosed the news to her.
我绝对没有把那个消息告诉她。

21. 算了吧：call it quits

I’d call it quits, and I would not remarry him for that he’s already had his new woman.
算了吧。他既然已有新欢，我也就不打算和他复婚了

22. 合格：be up to grade

Their new products are near up to grade.
他们的新产品基本上都是合格的。

23. 我同意：I’ll drink to it.

Did you say we’d eat out tonight? I’ll drink to that.
你是说我们今晚下馆子么？这个我同意。

24. 严加训斥：give somebody a dressing down

On hearing the news, the boss gave a dressing down to all those clerks that were involved in the business.
老板听到那个消息后严厉训斥了参与此事的职员。

25. 一个字也不说：not breathe a word

She’s tight-mouthed .So far she has not breathed a word about that.
她的嘴很紧，直到现在对那件事她也没有吐露一个字。