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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…… + k# a: V0 C- N. }! @
1 u5 Q" N Q6 J, E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。 1 T9 S& t# ~* J
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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
- j# X% N' l6 {( m3 A2 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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! [0 x% b) N% z1 S; A 解小便 7 Y3 K% i' p, j( N7 _
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?) ; G- K: P( E1 Q, V" `
: D* S, |: V3 U 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: , i. S! m/ ^# M
7 s6 I6 a! b* p' D * I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
. I9 m- m9 F2 p- _, {) u8 L5 N" O * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) , p( A7 h5 [* ^* e1 |( E
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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: 2 ^( [& \, }( C$ g' e, q
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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。)
; `5 m( w3 N. t! N: X1 Q% [, T * He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 4 b( M. j9 n" ^0 N" C% n; k
* 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 p. F& c1 e, c+ A: c4 y
# }- ?1 T7 i# n, [5 I 不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: ( j/ @8 G0 P7 d6 g2 I5 ^" d
4 `/ y& Y. {2 q8 A: y2 R * 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: + D: k! \% u5 o" [
9 N$ d2 N# ?) j7 K* Do I need a urine test?
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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: ' N' P+ M. p) ~
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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry.
) T9 k7 F% Q3 ~; f * He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) 7 A% T2 K7 v9 X
2 _ O2 [& r. i 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
' `) c/ g9 B1 r. ?; Z9 M/ H * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) ; r k( P4 C7 S# D: e
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) / I4 a3 a1 d6 M& v+ D- z, G
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
- I: \) j( S W n( ~3 W. q * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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解大便 ' `0 |( I9 b5 B8 T* u7 U
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」) " A* d- F4 N& K( j. }
% A# M* X6 D9 p q+ |4 d& V 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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6 i8 Q! ]6 ~! _+ {5 D$ g * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
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9 n6 F4 a+ L ]% V1 R6 q 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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7 y5 [* L* x8 l2 ]! Q& R/ A/ H * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) : E1 f6 `" w7 r7 M
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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。) ; ?( {. O# h+ M* C. {2 c5 X
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放屁
. |8 T& i6 i. `- l 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 1 [2 s; h x3 F( A
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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?) # w$ v8 {* e+ [. x
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
1 O# K4 z9 N9 n/ Y! ~: i * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
9 @' G8 t9 p. B3 @( n * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。)
) H" A) g. K: y# f3 c& T4 G5 k * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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- m# D4 d; y" J+ V9 Q4 `3 F* O f 至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: , a- w/ ^* x7 _& _: V, j8 ]; d2 G4 N
y& j: \: m0 S+ k( x * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. + q3 P, i) ?' ~& v* w' j2 W
* x) R5 l5 s( K+ ?4 o (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
' [ d: [1 m( r* q! ]% \ * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 8 d% G" _. W8 G7 ]5 C! r# k
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
: n) H4 f. Z# s" z * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 $ a3 _9 y# V8 D
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 3 a! D! O0 D7 N7 W) `& J
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
6 D3 O0 P) x6 m+ x * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) % q, k; R2 a: W% N r: Y/ v
* 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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