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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…… 3 i4 b( s7 {$ ]6 Q2 [! c1 _
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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。 8 v+ ?% ?2 f" G9 O
, ]3 N4 }0 g% v" \2 F# S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! $ D& S& X4 L& t
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厕所 , R: _4 z/ r* |" M: j1 r0 X
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。 $ o% b/ g6 s: k' a, X! h$ O2 o- R: [
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解小便
; Z; ~) r6 K# s5 C" g 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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7 m* ?/ r% u* o! D * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
/ k1 f% b6 I! V* _; ^$ S- I& F6 L * 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: 9 M) b) Y' B* k1 j( G( |. w1 q
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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。)
1 R+ f" L B. M5 s- Y8 ?5 t* `* V * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) . _# T2 X# G0 ? Y6 }$ I
* 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。)
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: 5 O) a( e1 e; L9 R
0 \# {0 g8 j& ~+ k& L. a4 C * 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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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:
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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry. 0 `1 v# ~6 H( [8 l# W( S
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) , H7 u# j/ X0 z+ l) ^
% z% u1 K9 Q+ ] 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
- { O# f9 Y: Z; I * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) - P1 N$ Z+ P# V; E: n2 ^2 L0 z5 p
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
4 J) n2 @+ N0 V2 {3 R5 x3 b * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) # J3 o, w" J; a: p7 c4 U+ ?
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) % l$ ~, x1 F2 h) v1 l- c: [6 _
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解大便
5 b4 C" c0 r6 L+ @9 \0 L9 L8 t+ g 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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& e$ X# z4 w" d& c1 C, v2 h) l( N 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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. b1 G# y& @; l/ @8 J b# c * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
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不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: : }& X: s2 s9 f! w. c, W. C3 I
+ O1 |3 t0 y' @ K; @ * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
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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:
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6 }7 u3 R3 o5 C& | * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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+ p. L. L: `" k r) H) ]+ m2 o$ A 放屁 ) B; V: ]3 ^2 S) ~/ O$ u# n: c* D
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: - N. R3 V& X; k; {9 [, n0 ^7 {
5 f) H- v. p3 Y' m. | * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
# x7 x. r$ @" F/ K * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) 2 H# K- c) I5 Z0 N, y/ e/ T. i
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
5 K9 c! B" I6 Z; i- U, h" 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。)
+ E: w3 _: v9 y% f/ i3 k- ? * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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5 ^9 x7 p! t( _+ ]" Z 至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: ( ^2 M" O2 N0 M7 [. t8 Q/ g
$ ?2 v1 T: z( L% B' E7 ? * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
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, C7 ?) r0 }- `7 z (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) * _. W: `0 [# M3 _' Z) E1 h' b3 O
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 9 P2 A: h' m; H ^9 a+ k
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 6 W, J9 F7 O, z3 N2 K
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 , x+ W. m) }# A6 M% {
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
) Z. r5 G5 _2 U- v: W' \1 L1 { * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. 2 I9 c0 P* e$ R$ d. e6 k
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
& b" u. f9 v7 m# _2 j4 L3 X( ^ * 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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