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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…… 4 K9 {0 K" g. F m* Z
0 p; O# t1 q/ C6 w# s" i; P. 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。 r \7 K0 J3 _/ ~2 q5 Y
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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 t# G( c0 q8 d+ z3 l; n
( j% v9 O P# x* ?: A 厕所
, I1 U# ^& I) e2 U 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 T* ~) F, @1 t# W' _9 e
1 g3 a+ \ u4 b9 k8 m; V+ h 解小便
- `5 [# v) M3 G& 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?) ' Y' }4 Y3 g' A7 u
9 I9 v9 e, |0 ]! c! O: c) U! I 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 V: k" M0 s0 M. L: O
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* I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
, O; [: M2 O3 V+ B- v# B) u# Z * 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: * T0 N& K) v, h1 H& n7 P( m
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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。) # t8 R" V& [& d1 j" J) A
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) $ I2 _8 ?+ z5 {. Y
* 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。) 5 h' S* U w, A) V/ J7 L
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: ; x& q* n5 J4 z# y' Z, N
3 q3 a$ X) j8 B7 |' P: D0 j% j * 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: R# S2 I8 r0 I# ?% v
* r* ]6 T( T1 z" X1 b- ~* Do I need a urine test? % |1 o# C% _2 }5 w9 n- F0 O7 v- V' @; g
; \" C7 g" U; d( g5 \2 M; I 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 t( h2 k+ y$ ?+ Q4 L
9 W' b7 [: I* F* k! b# o* H * He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
9 n m* S! G. G, c+ Q9 a * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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3 L" _) N, v, Q4 l: D; Z9 i) _8 T 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说: 9 o; j, N5 D; a5 H! D
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
3 z4 c K4 [. O * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) $ B ]/ s8 l# F) G& n
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
. q7 [- ^! o/ w$ B" I/ d * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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6 {& p$ H) W) M- C2 S$ W 解大便 0 m# r/ @+ C& s6 o: @
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) W, K4 t3 k. V! O$ r
& C& V( c" m3 @4 ? 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) 7 {0 E, w- m! z6 ]1 }: E/ t2 E
5 h. F/ S0 _8 u' i+ i" }5 j4 M 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: 9 U6 A. J! ~, ^, ^+ @. Z( n
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* The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。)
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# Z' D B! T0 J; N8 x8 B9 P 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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. c2 {' a: Y. G8 h * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) p! i. k+ A3 { u
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- J% \3 s! ?' A9 P I3 T- ~ 放屁
# T( A! _$ d$ P; {( R 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 6 f! @% d- e' K4 \: U
+ G) f5 m( N9 ~. i2 V * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
6 j4 y5 G0 h X1 Q0 f * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
! ?2 z7 Z' p2 X * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。) ( U0 `3 E& M' ~: v( S9 p
* 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) ~. _1 m1 O j; {* S
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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2 V. v. e: t- g# a7 M1 K- ~- E" G 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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" S s. d/ H- R+ l- E7 h4 d ^0 d * 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)
+ r6 e. V' `4 Q% p1 G' J0 w# g: ] * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 2 P( J& n( L0 I, m
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
- T" i: b d: @8 K7 ?5 m9 d) G$ Q. W/ ` * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 % N$ {2 Y. f6 y- [$ p
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
6 |2 F; e' n" y1 F7 h * He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
: V$ X7 J- d! c * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) . g' V+ L, t4 @7 c7 ^
* 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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