1. Hot potato 棘手的问题“烫手山芋”
情景:
公司让你做财务总监,然而你对数字特别迟钝,你的朋友说:sounds like it could turn into a hot potato for you.
比如the position turns into a hot potato for me.在这里hot potato 翻译成热土豆显然是不合适的,这里的意思可以理解成棘手的问题a problem for you,中国人喜欢用成语“烫手山芋”来形容这样的事情。
2. Red tape 繁文缛节,官僚作风
情景:
This one here is for my local council. I need to apply for planning permission. And then they want lots of supporting documents to make sure it fits in with building regulations.这段话的大概意思是:我想把房子扩建一下,不过申请手续非常繁琐,得填写无数表格。
I hate red tape. If i could cut through this red rape it would be brilliant.
结合以上情景,red tape 不能翻译成红色胶带纸,意思是我讨厌这些繁琐的事情,中文成语中用繁文缛节,官僚作风。
由来:
Some people say this expression might come from the 16th century, when bundles of documents were held together with red tape.
据说,早在16世纪的英国,所有官方的文件会用红色布带系成一扎一扎的,从而也就出现了red tape.
3. a steal 物美价廉就像是白送的
I got this designer shirt in the sales at $50 cheaper than the original price. It's a steal.
我买了件设计师T恤,比原来要便宜50刀呢。A steal 在这里的意思应该是东西好很便宜的意思,中文的“物美价廉”。
That was just a sound effect. In English, when you say something is 'a steal' you mean it's a bargain–so cheap that it is almost as if you haven't paid anything for it.
这是个口语化的表达,在英语中,当人们觉得一件东西买的又值又特别便宜的时候可以说它是a steal, 就好像是白送的。
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