美语中常用的66句口头禅（下）

 

资料整理：~Mark~

 

34. knock it off! 住手!（不要再做某）

A: Tim, knock it off, would you？ Your singing is killing me.

B: Hey! You're rude.

"Knock it off" 是叫(某人)停止做某事的意思, 与 "Cut it out!" 和 "Stop it!" 都是同样的意思。

注：knock it off 指的是别怎么怎么样了, 但是know-off handbags指的是仿造名牌的假包, 女童鞋应该都知道. 但是He is the one who knocked her up--这里knock up指的是让某人怀孕, 有一个电影就叫knocked up.而know out连在一起作名词的时候, 指的是大美女--wow, with that new red dress you have, you are gonna be a knock out at the party.

35. my ass 才怪!（表示强烈的质疑）

A: Honey, this is going to be my last cigarette. I'm not gonna smoke again, I promise.

B: This is going to be your last cigarette, my ass.

"my ass" （原意:我的屁屁）是一个用来表示对对方所说的话强烈的不相信的用语。很像中文里的“才怪!”之类的话。也有美国女童鞋会在"ass"前加个"little", 而成"my little ass"(我的小屁屁), 也很可爱的。

36. big time 非常；很；大大地

A: Oh, no. I completely forgot about my appointment with Mrs. Anderson at 2 o'clock.

B: You know she's gonna complain about that big time, don't you?

"big time" 也是常听到的一个口语。它的意思就相当于 "very much" ， "extremely"。

前面谈到"Got You!"(骗到你了吧!)一词。如果你跟你的朋友开了一个很大的玩笑, 结果他真的被你唬得一楞一楞的, 你就可以很得意地对他说: "I got you big time."（我把你骗得乱七八糟的吧!）注：They won big time--他们大比分获胜.

37. the man (the Man) 大哥；厉害的人

A: OK. Your car is fixed. There should be no more problem(s) now.

B: You've got it taken care of just like that? You're the man

38. country bumpkin  乡下人

A．Micheal,why am I not able to understand that girl?

B．Yeah, she was definitely a country bumpkin. She had a bit of a country accent.

country bumpkin指生活在农村的很淳朴的人，不是汉语中的乡巴佬，没有贬义。“乡巴佬”在美语中一般用“redneck”来描述，侧重指美国南方哪些性格粗暴、思想顽固，而且种族观念很深的白人农民，属于美国保守派争取的对象。

注：有两个有关“农村”的词需要区分。一个是countryside，一般指rural regions，乡下，农村。另一个是boonies，离都市很远的农村，口语中经常使用。如That place is way out in the boonies.

39. cutie-pie（形容一个人）长的很可爱

A:Professor’s little daughter is really a cutie-pie.

B:Yeah,her faces look like two red apples.

cutie-pie 多用来形容小盆友非常可爱，如果要夸一个大盆友很善良、很热心，很nice，可以使用sweetie-pie。第一次在生活中使用这个词语是在北海公园散步，遇到一位美国妈妈带着一对儿女在湖边玩耍。情不自禁赞美了一下两个可爱的小家伙，妈妈一听非常高兴。看来，cutie-pie 还挺好使，呵呵。

40. whatever floats your boat 爱干什么就干什

A：I want to go shopping this weekend.It’s said that there will be a clothes sales exhibition.

B: I don’t understand why you like shopping so much, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

whatever floats your boat，你爱干什么干什么吧，有时候可以在句子中间使用，如If that’s what floats your boat, then it’s fine with me.  如果你觉得行，我也没意见。

41. cash cow很赚钱的生意，也就是中文里的“摇钱树”

A：Wow! This Mexican restaurant a real cash cow! Look how crowded it is! 

B：Yeah,I hope I could have a business like this in future.

cash cow 能产现金的奶牛，译做“摇钱树”，非常形象。北京很多饭店的大厅，总会摆放几株金枝玉叶的“摇钱树”，大概也是想祝福自己的饭店是一头“cash cow”。

注：money maker是指很善于赚钱的人。money在口语中有时候并不指钱，比如Washington is going to win. Michael Jordan will make the last shot. He is money.麦克·乔丹是钱？这么翻译是不对的。这里的money是“能够保持高水平”，“非常棒”的意思。

42. buns 屁屁

A: Hey! What are you doing staring at that girl's buns?

B: I'm not. I just like the skirt she's wearing.

"bun" 本来是“圆形面包”的意思, 不过二个“圆形面包”(buns) 一起是否跟屁屁看起来有点像呢?

还有一个很有意思, 也是由"bun"的形状衍生而来的俚语是"have a bun in the oven"。这个俚语按字面上看来好象是“有个面包在烤箱里”, 不过它真正的意思是指“怀孕”。所以当要表示“Sally 正在怀孕中”, 我们就可以说"Sally is having a bun in the oven."。这个应该在形状上和意义上都很贴切!

43. pissed（off）非常生气

A: Are you angry at Nancy because she kept your video too long?

B: No. I lent her my favorite tape and she recorded over it. That really pissed me off.

"pissed off" 是“很生气”的意思, 在程度上要比 "angry" 强烈。"I'm so pissed off at you."就是“我对你很生气”的意思。

"piss" 其实是“尿尿”的意思(= pee)。从这里也可以看出来这不是个很高雅的词语, 即使很多人都用, 而且包括女童鞋。但严格地说, 如果是在需要 "watch your language"的地方, 你还是不要用的好。

注：表示生气你可以说He really pissed me off. 或者说, I am really pissed. 这是非常口语的说法, 不适合在正式场合用. 正式一点的场合可以用mad, 当然最好还是用angry.

44. kick back 轻松休息

A: I'm really beat. I wish I could be kicking back at the beach right now.

B: Me, too.

听听音乐、看看电视等“放轻松”就是这里说的"kick back and relax"。还有一个词组叫 "lay back", 它的意思也是“放轻松”的意思。

注：I am really beat 的意思是累死我了. 类似的说法还有--oh man, i am totally wiped. Iam exhausted. 如果想说我脑子已经不转了, 你可以说, my brain is totally fried. 或者直接说, mybrain is not functioning. Brain是具体的脑子, 而mind相对抽象. 你说you are on my mind,而不是you are in my brain. 有一个好玩的说法, 说年龄就是mind over matter--if you don'tmind, it doesn't matter.

lay back 和 kick back and relax 都很常用. 另一个常见的说法是-You should cut yourself some slack. 你应该给自己放松一下/别对自己要求这么高

45. okay 不错的

A: How do you like your new roommate?

B: He is an okay person. I like him.

"okay"、"all-right" 和 "decent" 都是指“不错的”的意思。通常用来形容人的时候, 有暗指和对方并不算熟识, 但大致上说来, 对方还算是个蛮不错的人。

"okay" 还有一个用法是指一个东西的品质还可以(在可接受的范围内), 但不算非常非常好(excellent)。好比常常我们可能会因为预算的关系, 买了一个也许不是我们最想要的物品, 但总算是自己觉得还可以的。这时如果朋友问我们:“你买了什么样的电视啊?我们就可以在回答他们品牌后, 再补一句:"Well, it's not exactly my dream TV., but it's a decent one."要注意的是, 上面这个用法是用在形容“事物”的时候, 用"decent"来形容“人”时, 并没有暗示对方不是最好的意思!

注：decent 总的来说是一个很好的词, He is a decent guy 他是一个很好的人(尤指品质上), 同样可说He is asolid guy. Okay and all right 都表示还行. How are you doing? I am okay.就是我们常说的凑合.

46. shake a leg 赶快

A: All the furniture in the store is on sale today?

B: Yeah. The whole place is packed. You'd better shake a leg before it's all gone.

"shake a leg" 并不是“抖腿”的意思, 虽然大部份因为紧张或会习惯性抖腿的人的确是只抖一只腿。用"shake(shaking) one's legs" 来表示抖腿倒是可以的。总之, "shake a leg" 是“赶快”(hurry)的意思。

另外，不只是“人”的满可以用"packed"来形容, 停车场里满满是车也可以用。 好象你开进停车场里, 发现放眼望去一个停车位都没有, 你就可以说"Oh, man. The whole parking lot is packed."。

注：最常见的说法是我们中学就学过的, hurry up. 顺便说一句, 加急订单在英语里不是urgent order, 而是rush order. 你会在电话购物的时候听到sales representative 这样的说法-- Mam, I am sorry that this item is currently out of stock but I have put in a rush order for you.

47. pull one's leg 开玩笑

A: Did Richard really go to Italy this summer?

B: No way. He was only pulling your leg and you believed him?

这也是一个跟“腿”有关的词语。也许"pulling one's leg" 看起来很容易令人联想到中文里的“扯后腿”, 不过它却是“开玩笑”的意思。

不知道为什么, "pulling one's leg" 和“扯后腿”的意思对美国人是完全无法联想在一起的。 他们倒是会用"trip one up"(把某人绊倒的意思)来形容像“扯后腿”这样的作法。

注：开玩笑还可以说joke around/kid around.你可以说, stop joking around. I am serious. 我是和你开玩笑呢另一种常见的说法是--I am teasing you. 不跟你开玩笑了, 说正经的在英语里可以说--Jokes aside, my opinion on this matter is....

48. booboo 错误

A: How did you do on the exam?

B:Oh,you won't believe it. I got all the questions right at first, andthenIdecided to go back and make some changes. Guess what? I ended up getting five booboos. I'm kicking myself for that.

我们常常不都这样吗? 再钟响前决定改一下答案, 结果反而错了。于是就很气自己, 想踢自己的屁屁吗?"booboo" 是“错误”的意思。

注：顺便说一句, end up 是结果怎么怎么样的意思, 非常常见. The ice cream so great that I ended up eating it all. End up with 是结果得到了XXX的意思. If you continue to be this rude, you will end up with no friends or whatsoever.

49. dynamite 极佳的; 危险的

A: Hey, dude. You did a good job. That was some dynamite presentation you gave.

B: Thank you.

"dynamite" 本来是“炸药”的意思, 不过口语里面有把它当作形容词“很好”的意思, 就像上面的例句一样。例句里的"some"在口语里有“相当地”的意思。

当然, "dynamite"还有跟“炸药”有关的意思, 也就是“危险的”的意思。好比有一件事是你绝对不应该提起的, 否则可能有什么不堪的后果, 旁人可能会提醒你:"Don't talk about it. It;s dynamite."

注：dynamite 本身是名词, 但是口语里常用作形容词. 你可以说, Hey， Qing, the introduction to your paper is dynamite.作为危险的话题讲的时候, dynamite的意思实际是 taboo.

50. lame 差劲的

A: How did you like that movie?

B: That movie was so lame. I didn't even stay through the whole film.

"lame" 原本有“跛脚的”、“不高明的”的意思。不过口语里常把它拿来形容“很差劲”的意思。跟"suck"的意思很像。要注意是, "lame" 是“形容词”, "suck" 是“动词”。如果要把例句中的"That movie was so lame." 换成用动词 "suck" 的话, 可以说成"That movie really sucked."。

注：或者当你找个借口骗你女朋友说 the only reason that I forgot about your birthday is because my mind was so occupied with you that I can't possibly seem to remember anything else. 这个时候, 你女朋友完全可以说, oh, that is so lame. 意思就是--what a load of crap!

51. flashback 忽然间勾起的回忆

A: What is it? Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?

B: Nothing. I just had a flashback to the day my ex-boyfriend and I broke up.

原来我在想"flashback"是不是该翻作“触景生情”, 不过我想它们还是不一样的。有时候一些过去的记忆就是会像闪光灯那样“啪!”, 一幕幕的忽然就浮现在我们的眼前, 倒并不一定是因为我们当时看到了什么。这里的"flashback"就是指这样的情形。我还很喜欢英文的这个用法, 觉得它的形容方式很贴切。

52. blow one away 棒得令人折服

A: Wow! That's a really amazing piece of art you're creating.

B: Talking about amazing? You've gotta check out Beck's. His work will really blow you away.

其实我们把"blow one away"翻作“棒得令人折服”可能不够贴切。它的意思是, 形容一个东西“棒得好象会把你炸到远方去”的意思, 虽然这个形容听起来好象夸张地很好笑, 不过还算很常用的喔!

注：之前提到过blew one's mind的用法. 有一个相近的词, 叫mind boggling--意思是something is so large or complicated that it becomes overwhelming. e.g., wow, the number of bicycles in beijing is mind boggling. 顺便说一句, 令人捧腹的, 在英语的直接的说法是hilarious(这个词比funny程度要更深), 或者你可以说, something/somebody always cracks me up--这个人/这件事总让我发笑.

53. fill in 替补

A: Justin just now called and said that he can't come in this afternoon.

B: Did he find anybody to fill in for him?

"fill in" 的"fill"有“填充”的意思。"fill in"(填进去)就变成了“替补”, 也就和"substitute"一字的意思很像。另外有一个字"replace", 虽然字意好象也有“替代”的意思, 但用法却和"fill in"不太一样。"replace"常用来指“长期的取代”。 好比某个主管因为在工作方面表现不尽理想, 公司方面可就会一番考量后找来另外的人来取代他的职位。这时用的词就会?quot;replace", 而不是"fill in"了。

54. fill someone in 告诉某人, 让他了解一些状况

A:Really?Youand Scott got married? Fill me in. It's been five years. Ithoughtyouused to think he was the biggest geek in the world.

B:Iknow.I was really an immature little girl back then. I neverreallycared toknow who he was. I'm glad that I finally grew up. Scottissuch awonderful person.

"fill someone in" 虽然看起来跟之前的"fill in"看来有点像, 意思倒是完全不一样。"fill someone in" 是告诉某个人一些事情(内幕、消息等), 让对方可以对一些事情的情况有所了解。

55. Get with it! 跟上(时势、潮流、事情的发现状况等)吧!

A: You know. I noticed that almost everyone in my class owns a cell phone.

B: Please! Cell phones are a necessity nowadays days. Get with it.

例子里的说法可能夸张了些, 不过年轻人当中可能就有不少会觉得没有手机是蛮落伍的事吧! 英文里的"with"有“一起”的意思。"get with it" 就就可以用来表示“跟上”(这里的 it 代表所指的事情)啰!"cell phone" 是"cellular telephone" 的简称。

56. the bottom line 最主要的

A:Iguessmy boyfriend and I are finally calling it quits. We live3000miles apartfrom each other. Long-distance relationships arejustimpossible.

B:That's notalways true. There are success stories. If both of you really share thesame goals and feel you want to pursue, then you can both have a futuretogether. The bottom line is - you have to want it to work.

写了一堆, 好象只是为了最后要冒出"the bottom line" 这个词来而已。不过, 很多时候别人也是叽哩瓜啦说了一堆话后, 才冒出一个真正重要的关键话来, 这也就是所谓的"the bottom line"了。

注：有的时候说最低的底线,你可以说bottom bottom line--把bottom重复两次有强调的意味. 如果你听到别人说 I think i just hit rock bottom--这个意思是, 我倒霉到家了.

57. go the extra mile 多付出代价; 多努力一点

A: Nobody will ever believe anything I say again.

B: In that case, you have to go the extra mile to prove your credibility.

"go the extra mile" 的原意是“多走一哩路”。口语里面把它用来指“多付出一分代价”也是很有意思的喔!

注： 你也可以说, go one step further, 意思相近.

58. in the driver's seat 掌有控制权

A: I should've hired somebody else to do this. A good designer should always listen to the voice of her clients.

B:Honey,youcan't always be in the driver's seat. I'm sure Lisa is a verygood designer. She knows what she's doing. Have some faith in her.

"in the driver's seat" 是一个很好玩的词语。当一个人坐在司机(开车的人)的座位上时, 是不是要把车开向左或向右都随他呢? 所以用"in the driver's seat " 来形容一个人对一件事掌有控制权实在是再恰当不过了, 不是吗?

59. 24-7 一天到晚; 全天候

A: Are you and Christina still together?

B: No. I'm not seeing here anymore. She's the kind of girl that likes to hang around 24-7. That was just too much for me, so...

"24-7" 指的是"24 hours a day, 7 days a week" 的意思。就变成“整天、随时”的意思了。念的时后就念 "twenty-four seven" 就好了。

注：在美国, 很多机构的customer service都是24/7, 念的时候就是twenty four seven.

60. missing the boat 错过(好机会、好东西等)

A: Jenny is not coming today. She decided to go shopping with her sister instead.

B: I see somebody is missing the boat. I wonder how she's going to feel once she finds out who's here tonight.

"missing the boat" 的原意是“错过要搭的船”的意思。在口语里常被用来指“错失”的意思。好比有的人可能觉得白米比糙米看起来漂亮, 就不喜欢吃糙米。但实际上糙米的营养价值是比白米高的, 选择吃白米可能也可以看成是一种"missing the boat"啰!

注：或者你可以说, the boat has sailed--一个意思.

61. screw around 胡闹；不作正经事

A: Quit screwing around and work on your paper, Max!

B: I don't want to. How can I write about something I never read?

你有没有发现, 当碰到一件很不想处理的事, 自己往往会用做其它的事来回避它? 好象你明明该坐下来用功读书, 但你却发现自己在网络上逛来逛去。这种该作正经事的时候, 却晃来晃去做别的事就是这里的 "screw around" 的意思。

"screw around" 还有一个意思是指一个人在感情上的不专情, 同时和很多人来往。例如: "After he met Susanne, he stopped screwing around." 就是“自从碰到 Susanne 后他就不再到处鬼混了。”

注：有两外两个相似的说法, jerking around 和fooling around, 意思都很相近.

62. screw around with someone 招惹某人; 对某人态度随便

A: A piece of advice. Don't screw around with her. She's got a terrible temper.

 B: She does? But she looks like a sweet little angel.

"screw around with someone" 这个词组基本上是从上面的 "screw around" 延伸出来的用法。像是对某人的态度轻慢、乱开玩笑就是这里?quot;screw around with someone" 的意思。

另外有一个跟 "screw around" 也有关系的词组是 "screw around with something"。它的意思是“胡搞某个东西”的意思。好比有人拿着你的遥控器乱玩一番, 你就可以请他 "Stop screwing around with the remote control."。

63. tell it like it is 实话实说

A: I shouldn't have called you for advice. You're cruel, rude and ..... Aarrgh!

B: Well, I always tell it like it is and, unfortunately, sometimes the truth hurts.

这个人真是太狠了。其实说话真是一门很大的学问。如何勇敢地说出自己内心的真正想法, 又不伤害到别人的自尊心并不是一件很容易的事。

注：在美国, as it is经常看见, 你从别人手里买一两旧车, 别人可能会和你签一个书面协议, 叫做bill of sale, 上面说--

I, Qing Zhao, hereby sell my car, 99' Toyota Camry (VIN NO. 4T1SK12E7SU59765) as it is to _________________ for the amount of ____________ US dollars in Nashville, Tennessee. As it is 在这里的意思是"是什么样儿就是什么样儿". 也就是说, 你要是买了车以后发现别的毛病车主概不负责.

64. go places (在社会上等)成功; 有成就

A: This kid is definitely going places someday. I could see a little YoYo Ma in him.

B: I don't know about that. I guess he can be anything he wants to be, as long as he's happy.

感觉上, 中国父母比较容易会从小帮小孩子计划他们的未来, 替他们安排各种课程, 为的是将来他们长大后能在社会上有成就。美国的父母通常比较不会这样作。也许他们也会让孩子去上一些课, 但一般都是主张让孩子自己来决定自己将来想作什么。

和"go places" 相反的词语是 "go nowhere", 哪里都去不了, 没有前途的意思。有些人骂人家以后不会有前途时, 就会说:"You're going nowhere."

注：以此类推, nobody就是小人物的意思, 你可以说, I am nobody.

65. beat around the bush 避重就轻; 回避某些话题

A: Anna, please quit beating around the bush. There's somebody else, isn't there?

B: I'm sorry, Bruce. I didn't mean to mislead you.B

 66. 补充一些骂人的说法, 这个经常很管用.

一般的大脑进水, 英语里说--air headed (she is one air headed lady), 或者说 she is an air head；

一般的不靠谱, 是loose canon. e.g., you know he is a loose canon. how could you give him such an important assignment?

常见的神经病可以说是 jerk, freak, creep, maniac, lunatic--这些前面提到过了；

更深的程度, 变态, 的说法通常有--freak show, nut case. 你可以说 Steve is a freak show 或是steve is a total nut case；

再深的程度就是--sociopath, psychopath--这个就有变态杀人狂的意味了；

你疯了吧? 在英语里, 你可以说--Are you crazy? Are you nuts? 或者Have you lost your mind?

 

学习建议：

英语口语关键在于使用，经常使用，很容易理解，也不会轻易忘记。建议喜欢练习口语的朋友应该主动找机会使用。大学校园里的英语角，城市里的咖啡馆及西餐厅等，都是可以练习的场所。如果实在没有外国朋友，自己跟自己说也是一种有效的方法。在我遇到第一个来自新西兰的外教Bonn之前（1996年），我都是跟自己练习，事实证明，还是很有效果。Believe it or not,just try it!

以上只是总结了一些具有代表性的资料，美语里的口头禅实在太多，勤奋一点，多去学习吧。