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一名中国留学生初到美国,在机场找厕所,问老外:「Where is W.C.?」老外听不懂。一名中国太太到医院生产,洋护士问她:「Did you have a bowel movement?」她却听不懂。还有人学了几十年的英语,还不晓得英语里的「大便」、「小便」、「放屁」真正应该怎么说……
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1 O, w4 {: e7 ?- M: N至于性毛病,更是老中难于启齿、欲语还羞的尴尬。见到洋医生,窘迫万分,不知如何开口才是,真有「犹抱琵琶半遮面」的感受。 $ N- N* {3 T5 k f3 T e
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以下为一些「禁忌」(taboo)的美语之整理。毕竟这些都是咱们日常生活的一部分,说不定有一天这些「禁忌」之语还能「派上用场」呢!
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厕所 ! @# A/ }8 T( N
在美国一般都叫rest room或bath room(男女厕均可)或分别叫做 men‘s room 或 ladies‘ room(=powder room),不过在飞机上,则叫 lavatory,在军中又叫 latrine。至于 W.C.(water closet)仍是过去英国人用的,在美国,几乎没有人使用。
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解小便 : l3 q. W. I4 a. G* _* z
最普通的说法是 to urinate(名词是 urination),如果去看病,护士为了化验小便,就会给你一个杯子说:「Will (could) you urinate in this cup?」医生或许也会问:「Do you have trouble urinating?」=Do you have difficulty voiding?(小便有困难吗?)
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此外,还有其他的说法:to piss = to take a piss = to take a leak = to void = to empty。 例如: : @) y, y; q/ u3 h
3 R; |) r0 T; T * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
, g: h4 V( s2 U `, ? * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) " _- M/ x$ O* `& ?
) P, N8 U8 O# w0 A* {2 ~% x4 I 此外,john(j 小写时,不是男人名字)是 bath room 或 toilet 的意思(也叫 outhouse),这通常是指在户外工作场地所使用的临时或流动性厕所(有时前面也加 portable 一字)。不过也有老外把家里的厕所叫做 john。 例如:
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* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) S5 C) A( e% r4 {7 ?% O( N3 v
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) , u$ d' s' y: A, C2 h7 S. g- Z
* The manual labours have to use (portable) johns during their working hours.(劳动者在工作时间内需要使用流动性厕所。) ( ]8 I0 ?# R0 J5 `7 t+ {! R
7 k! d1 q. i- L: N* @. U! r 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: 0 m: a/ Q% a6 [1 Z
# c! Q- r+ \, I7 V * The boy needs to pee.
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然而,「小便检查」又叫做 urine test,因为这里的 urine 是化验的样品(specimen)。 例如: 3 w+ S& \; m8 q L, i( b, [% n
0 ?* I; N/ s" C( t* Do I need a urine test? ! a# m; }8 A2 [
9 ?) i! w* f$ i9 V; H 注意:to piss off 是片语,又是指对人生气或对事物的不满。不过这是不礼貌的片语,少用为妙。 例如: / Y" m: y' M8 _& N T! A/ k0 y( D
5 m" g3 [( A/ ^' K * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
2 B. J; ?- z- E. h% B# @9 L * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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7 C! Z9 D% l4 O* V 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
0 J0 k! e/ z6 K4 Y& b" H$ K/ T2 G * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) ' o4 P' W4 y2 e. @/ D) W
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
% r6 ]" h' L# S7 P * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) . y& H. R! T, {5 A! ?: w
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) 5 d! O5 v; L5 M/ ]
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: s6 J m; f6 Y6 o6 x8 v' T 解大便 - `" k) l7 g1 v j8 L
一般是用 to make(或 have)a bowel movement 或 to take a shit。如果看病,医生常问:「Do you have regular bowel movement?」(大便正常吗?)(说得斯文些,就是「大肠在转动」)
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9 m# ^% q- ? C6 [& [4 \ 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: ' B' P, |, C( c& f
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* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) $ C6 Y) F) a1 ~# p9 X2 a4 E9 Y9 D
2 u. h) ~& ?& G0 J- a/ k5 Z 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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1 F# k* o$ c4 ]% x% T$ g# k * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) t4 H2 ~4 A# w( H& |( i5 B# _
" j! }# h' _" S6 t5 \! f P( m- z 但是「大便检查」倒叫做 stool exam,因为 stool 也是一种化验的样品。 例如: % u) H% u& `- N# c# O
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* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) ( A7 D% ~5 F* @, y0 p0 C& O0 b
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放屁
4 z [6 J I0 Y5 S1 y. p 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 9 B0 N6 y' m, z( P/ \3 R
" y& h( Z+ i% d& Y$ ^ * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
( g$ a9 g1 k* {1 U2 w) @8 } * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) 3 H0 V, |/ K: t& H8 ~- a3 D
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
" G; x& |% T# w * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) ! U* H6 P, Q7 E: F
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) 5 P& P$ U4 U0 M& O1 E
5 z! x: b! v& \$ D) t5 R 至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如:
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) Z4 v- T0 `( C8 I' P * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
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) L7 Z& ~8 z/ E- o! q (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
; G+ v, |/ M8 K) Y5 ~ * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
4 M* Q# y& w2 C7 w * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
4 y* V# O* |4 u7 V; r- _$ }- d * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 5 N0 l: a1 x- \
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 ! |- Q' j0 X2 ?: ]) C; T
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
+ N% P4 c- k( m( h2 } * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
{& o: ~/ d; n6 i * He can see trace of blood and pus or mucus in his stool(或 bowel movement)(大便时可看到血丝和粘膜。) |
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