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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…… - J+ P F; K6 B) p
* Q) }! h9 @& S1 M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! 0 c0 ~: {6 D/ X3 _ g7 I7 @5 o, J
) I, U. _# ?. q) H 厕所 / J! `8 x8 Q. b. `) m7 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。 7 f+ ?6 B5 I$ r
7 C- F* U6 `: B8 O$ H% I7 f. L5 X) i 解小便 9 M4 e$ a5 ?# I O- O. b
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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$ s- R/ |& f+ Z8 O( m; @ 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 N7 s: P" u M; t8 t. a * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. # \+ C0 G1 ^1 ]: V' {0 c
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) 0 k. |* w& x; r @' f/ U5 e1 f
8 b/ K. h9 F/ d# u% O' d& }( v3 t" ?' _ 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。) 6 q; Z& ?) J7 Q$ k6 M
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
) k7 k6 f! V9 o9 c; S" x( J * 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。) / D4 H5 p% z g3 z& z
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: # [" G; H8 G% M, k8 o
( r ^* x- k3 N8 }" ~ * The boy needs to pee. ! ?$ }" t* ]) Q! u8 w: v' S
8 r# m( b F1 ]& l! D) I9 ]2 `) U 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: ( t" Z1 D6 y) f" {$ D. M
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* Do I need a urine test? 0 z4 U0 @3 N' u
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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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; U' s/ w4 A2 r * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. 5 Y' e0 O9 E9 ?) e. |9 s
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) ) ~: |+ i( R5 t4 G% e/ G
$ N* L0 @6 |7 S 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
4 _5 B. c. l* |2 `/ @; Q# c * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
. V0 Z& W( u2 U# h6 m1 T * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
, h' |: @ }( w r# f' k * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) ! W' E+ r" I+ S" I9 e; m* k, V
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) 3 g( n6 e ~ s1 L6 \
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解大便 / Z4 u; ^+ ?1 K8 ?$ z
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) 1 {) x4 p: t6 A* G& ~) p! z
, R0 V( y' W9 ] `1 j 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: % W, v: L$ q; Z9 w T3 l
% y/ M" h2 t# u [8 x" ~) {. X * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
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# x. s/ ?# m# }, r, o0 l 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: & \5 a. g, o7 z- w/ X4 H( Y
A; Y$ f8 d0 L0 ?2 w' @0 S+ N * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) % a( t H. S: f) T, t- ?$ Z x8 L7 [+ Z
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% n, f# K9 T- h; `8 h 放屁
0 I& @: ^+ B, H6 k# e! B 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
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9 e: l& c4 t& F: y% l * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
1 M. X, U8 @7 r* t6 k6 ^5 G * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
! e( z7 a6 x$ q/ o: u * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) $ P2 h' m' l4 s- k& v4 T+ 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。) ' @- K }* d, Z9 v# y0 ~7 t
* 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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; M+ |5 l8 |, _" i( J0 D+ v" I * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. ( f9 a r/ }7 s. H+ P
& I3 F" w2 m% p I% w) O: K (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
/ m" K) c% _) K6 D5 _* q$ F * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) - a$ C$ \& c. w! P5 B% C7 b/ }
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
0 b+ w5 |! J9 G p* Y * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
* z% L/ n U8 E. ?7 b- p/ _ f * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
$ b) h. ~% m2 X' x, F# V# t; J7 c; {" q * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. 7 [- P( P0 S/ O/ }, s d3 I4 u/ B
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
% j/ n. q1 S/ }% k2 B * 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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