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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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- P8 |5 y& N4 @5 }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。 : H3 s& A8 |& e2 o& s/ P
4 v$ k( l6 ?; c1 _# m& C# g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! ! z" [' m# c7 F/ u
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厕所 6 Z8 L) {. y7 c- f! T
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。 . J" d% U0 A: f
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解小便 ! H$ T- ?, h% R
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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. W+ S6 C% j$ t* o& {! C 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: - | |& {4 _5 P8 K Z
5 m/ O' u, D; \: x4 F" s * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
8 w# V; z. p& D' c * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) : I: A1 U# a4 z% {/ P4 h% R
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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: " x% Y0 O3 Q/ J0 D
4 K) X( h- q& [3 x * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) ( K; l# R" f- e( N; l0 Q
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 7 @$ z! O# W n2 D$ V/ W
* 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。) * ~* h: s8 J! H* \% {% L
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如:
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7 V& c+ J/ `+ W- w' F * The boy needs to pee. , c9 \( a2 ?* R' `8 s
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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: ( h" W+ T0 h' D% Z2 I
9 h0 w' K: k y+ Y& {& C* Do I need a urine test? + V+ c8 e% f8 q8 R; O
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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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& [) }+ a3 Z0 y/ ?. T& n * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
' u; K" K+ p2 a; H% n; b; w8 P * 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: 0 V9 b5 G2 \( r# H
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
' ^5 v A& A6 J$ S9 D * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
) Y- o) p+ i5 H$ T+ V$ A * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) 6 t# J+ |/ m- i8 H9 H6 k( I
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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; M$ {. o' R1 I! R5 b 解大便
% e# g. ]; {3 S 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」) * R2 N& U5 z+ E& g& Y
/ o/ o3 O# L R1 W4 \ 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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3 B9 t8 J' h( I( N5 Q1 d * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) / ?$ [5 ^5 _7 Z4 C6 d5 q1 `
3 \. i" \& i+ G7 ~ 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: * x3 |( F+ o5 P# H/ T2 f
3 }3 O/ G! m; j/ X1 h * 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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* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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放屁 4 x# f T; T* ?- w; `+ Y
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 1 Q6 J: l' J1 Z8 l8 R
( D* l4 n8 [! a: @ * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
: e0 u; _* j7 J1 u/ S# e * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) % B' v! @2 g- G2 a- o* w5 Y
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
9 k) r+ R% z- }( P8 t * 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. G. K$ t l4 e9 g
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) 6 S7 ^/ \6 }3 h3 s" ?
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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:
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8 t8 u) V. R! W* x+ [ * 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) 4 o/ K6 l+ }! z8 q8 ~( j! y. W/ q
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
0 K6 G) i& u6 p4 D( i% Q g * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 . X+ t& z4 E+ M( Z
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
' I" d8 [+ K0 U * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 & t1 L' V2 i Q8 Z# u* `3 z
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days. * V8 G. U3 b$ p* C' v& p
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) + e3 _9 [: ?: d
* 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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