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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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( _* Q' J; X% t* I/ S& f P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。
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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 ( Q# ^# s, k* T1 j( g/ [
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。 * B0 Z/ M" i* ?, Y0 J- v4 U- B
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解小便
& s5 a1 J" F* {3 `0 v4 H 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:
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1 l% }4 s7 Q6 Z6 D, V9 S# S * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
; ~1 c( d& e5 Z! y: R4 ^/ ]& k * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
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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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: Q( n; H( v8 i- x5 k * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。)
3 D, {5 w# w: ]. [5 E * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) - M8 n0 |# d7 L1 q( k/ |4 P
* 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。) : H2 |6 V) f0 r) f: e( L6 x
) }$ T5 K+ b1 O1 F 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如:
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- B) b) b- C1 q: Y; x0 t * 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:
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* Do I need a urine test?
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& n4 b u( {" d- D* e2 ~ 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: 2 ^, k' d5 I# T" q# b/ y
4 Y1 u) ^- f* K& g( I# h * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
1 J' r- N. y: m# y' G * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
- k! G+ L, Q4 I# Q. W% G/ k3 b * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
' {1 n( U8 `4 Z4 J * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) 7 V. S) Z! X1 A* T# o" R) M
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) A) K& q" [8 e- Q4 J8 m. O
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) & s5 k; |8 V0 c4 i
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: [: C9 W, ?* T. c 解大便 ' @ t2 W+ K: c% V2 `) G0 B3 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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此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如:
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* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) + V9 P3 q0 s) O9 N: H/ S# K* E
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不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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* The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) - `+ S& H. b: B$ v
% H/ b" o5 b( q& o3 h* C$ U& f4 w5 i 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: * k& l2 C @/ Y! M8 l7 q+ S$ U, p
; r+ k u5 _; f8 [ * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) , X: J- A0 }% M1 k. V( S$ v
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- v6 J0 ~1 x4 |8 o& I; W3 N 放屁
5 v n4 O7 K4 \" `# ` 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: ! ~% a9 D* I+ |, @+ B
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* 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) # b# i3 ^4 |6 v
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
8 k) R! l+ G3 M. _' a, Y) B * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) 8 i8 [: [8 P. u* U+ t! N
* He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
6 t2 D7 k$ i+ n ?8 m. V: D * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) , Q1 ?% H4 T( j% |- p* m
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至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: ) }% j( _2 h0 L2 h# V8 K
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* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) + k1 R' k, j' `2 p" N
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 2 N& w2 l. W4 _5 d) x7 S
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
+ i) ]% @/ V* F2 ~ * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
, |8 q: _& Q8 c$ x5 J* s * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 : U( N0 x8 w8 P4 \5 E9 @- ^) P5 w
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days. # U( b: P O1 K& X5 ^8 w4 G9 w+ b
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) : Y4 I- }2 g# K6 b; s. m# _; U
* 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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