漢語習語英譯
dcsh All Inspected
[不妙]something is to pay
經理感到事情有些不妙。
The manager had a hunch that something was to pay.
漢語的“有些不妙”或“有點不對頭”的概念常可用something is to pay的句式來表示。這壹短語常和feel或have a hunch that連用。
Dialogue
Bob: Didn't you see the writing on the wall?
Sue: I even didn't have the slightest hunch.
Bob: But you should be prepared for such an outcome.
Sue: I had too much confidence in him.
Bob: But he ruined your business.
Sue: Well, if I knew there would be something to pay, I wouldn't should chalk it up to experience.
Bob: Well, you should chalk it up to experience.
Sue: You're right.
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[眼中釘]a thorn in someone's flesh
不知為什麼我成了他們的眼中釘了。我可從未錯待過他們。
I wonder why I become a thorn in their flesh. I've never harmed them.
我們說的“眼中釘”與英美人講的a thorn in someone's flesh指的是壹回事，雖比喻有異，但意思相同。與此說法相似的還有“刺耳的話”（a flea in someone's ear）。
Dialogue
Frank: I don't know why I should become a thorn in the John's flesh.
Betty: You mean your boss?
Frank: Yeah. He seems to bear me a grudge.
Betty: That's because you are too much on the ball.
Frank: But why should that make him hate me?
Betty: That's because you put him in the shade.
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[饞得流口水]make someone's mouth water
桌上的美味佳肴饞得他直流口水。
The delicacies on the table make him mouth water.
“使某人流口水”指“使某人垂涎”，是地道的漢語口語。這壹概念壹般是用make someone mouth water的句式來表達的。
Dialogue
Sue: Wow! What a gracious table! Everything looks so beautiful.
Bob: This might be the best dinner you've ever had.
Sue: Surely it is. I can hardly wait. They make my mouth water.
Bob: I feel itching, too. Let's start and try these delicacies.
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[胡說八道]shooting from the hip
他說我迷戀上李麗了？這間直是胡說八道！
He thinks I've got the hots for Lily? It's shooting from the hip!
漢語口語中的"胡說八道"曾被譯成break wind。其實，英美人更習慣用shoot from the hip來表示這壹說法。
Dialogue
Rose: I didn't know Joe was two-faced. He stabbed me in the back.
Mark: What did he do?
Rose: He told my boyfriend that I had affairs with several men, which, of course, made my boy friend very suspicious of me.
Mark: I didn't believe he would shoot from the hip like that! It was very vicious of him. You must not put up with him.
Rose: Of course not! He will soon know what he deserves!
