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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。
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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! + {8 F$ I6 V2 Z% B, f G2 Z
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厕所 5 Q* B; o, T% L3 A7 N/ ?2 r4 p% j1 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。
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解小便
: z0 q0 P9 g$ V9 E5 Y 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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1 h9 m" s, T- F- U$ j" g, r3 U * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. . I) c% x$ S1 ~4 ^" C
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
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% R! Q6 ~0 c- V! c" U2 n X/ K 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: * s3 q/ ^ y' C+ @) a( S
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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。) ; e; c1 d* f* E4 M
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 7 c4 J( |' ^0 j3 G4 M
* 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:
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* n k6 Z7 ?6 P& g * The boy needs to pee.
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+ E8 o. L9 }) a 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? , j) l* `7 T; G. l u; N0 l5 P5 \
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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: 7 p$ z5 Y% e9 K5 d& x5 o
/ L/ o9 N1 v- L$ v! v * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. $ c3 d0 f7 S) @& p: I5 f4 r
* 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:
2 K, G% s; |! I$ E0 f* A * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
3 z0 _! l+ X0 u3 ], A& v( ~3 ] * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) 2 V& D- _9 s2 P6 X, u" `3 \ 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)
h, w9 D- d8 h) n% k0 o5 ] * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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解大便 - w4 U# v4 A n# R: Z, L
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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* d I# W+ ?6 K& Y. W- x 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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* l( ?$ X7 m0 Q; j1 P * 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: 1 p& B) j/ q1 N6 ~
( }+ L; w0 M; s: [) [ * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) 7 k" M3 J( [! A; S- E! {7 r
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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: : C3 G$ k: B+ r% i) l
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* The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。) ' u8 a9 o: ^1 `2 t& W
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放屁
( ^! R" }0 _/ |, B/ B' H6 G 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 8 c4 |* b; C2 C: O0 y- L" 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?) + V* N: ], i: y" w% ?% ~
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) * m% [& b4 g6 Q% l
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
' _' @! B [1 D0 P3 [$ \ * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
* C7 M1 Q( A# A! B * 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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( [4 \% y3 t, k: V * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. ; i7 q$ S% n5 B0 g
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
7 z$ M( j( P D. i * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
* o% Q, G8 x/ P3 o$ T5 S, D * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
( G o1 v# S, f$ X7 r * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
7 g; F$ J# D( x' { V2 l * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
) [, R. Y& e% b9 j+ X4 u * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. $ T& Y/ g, S% [) `; W" B4 _
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
$ F$ ]# {8 y1 Z: ?3 J% X% F& @ * 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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