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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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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。 5 M& A$ |0 g: L: Q7 r
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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
# I+ K* l& 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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! p" e4 H; Y5 {+ y 解小便
# s* t4 d' V5 i, f# | 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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; n, H4 t7 {) X1 A3 | 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: # b+ V: R9 q# T }5 ?
5 m8 E( ^/ J, H8 G+ I: ` * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
3 M$ y) O$ Y z, o: r * 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: 3 R2 z8 w7 y. j7 k
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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。)
: b( z, g6 L v1 s& i7 R * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) $ |' D4 u1 ?3 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。)
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: ' k' U W6 m/ S5 \( N' R
6 A1 m3 `' B; p8 `! l6 y g7 C * The boy needs to pee. 5 a; G6 n# A* \& z$ p. A
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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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/ o$ X: W$ ^2 I/ K 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: 1 }; R6 ?& o: G' b2 p
$ R) X1 M/ b% M2 L1 W7 P * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. i0 A4 M! n! C* L
* 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: & J3 i9 a8 O. x' r
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) 6 }1 X+ d3 N# I( x4 _
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
8 b: P9 @4 J6 C2 a1 l6 d6 F0 ~ * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
/ N" Q& [: m# M* y; P$ y6 h1 V * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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8 }) S9 A9 _) |5 ?, p! ?7 J 解大便 - G4 i) V' H- {
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」) " g. n" s" b. A8 u) f( B' I
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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: 9 w3 {8 }4 i: i2 k' f0 a
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* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
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4 Q8 C3 L1 _% E# O- \; f1 ]4 T 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。) ( K+ w" J8 O) g- P+ v7 P' {7 e
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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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. |3 h: i4 N" U7 K3 v * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) . O0 s6 e- f* P8 N6 R& s4 e
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* _% c7 |+ r0 v, l 放屁 . K/ N/ E9 x8 a: @$ r1 l5 x! N
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 3 K+ R) a T. T& `" D* y& @5 e7 Q, v
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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?) # E3 u& [3 u) X( {7 U" Z
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) , H# e5 b- {0 ]1 q0 @
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) 7 n; A# a( a+ W+ l- P' s
* 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 ~; j7 W& u, ~- G6 ?) A( \
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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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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& D0 k/ J, R! t' x/ P! p! \ * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. % [. u! H. z& t
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
! P7 `+ y+ A; {5 U& ~, j: r8 r1 P, t! P * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
4 i! v' w( k$ C1 Z2 y * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
3 L4 r& z C4 Z * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 0 V2 e- d. ]$ K8 i$ D- A
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 % e' F7 ]3 Y; M2 [ `
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days. 2 D3 `4 l8 y* t- \
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
8 U3 c7 l( R: @, d- t" S4 y * 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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