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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…… ( I* I% _: }: s; F" o8 H
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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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9 b4 ?1 T T9 O) Q7 B8 z4 Q" m# t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! 9 m5 g+ m9 y0 ?& W2 W6 k
4 I6 p8 y+ i% B# K 厕所
9 A9 Q: b8 U! b! s: v1 K 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
8 N# \ b& {, f5 @6 G8 U4 a# U4 a 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?) + g8 _0 {! V0 y2 E* w
, o6 z1 X" U% F0 z# e- C. V. e) H 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: : q' L5 e5 Y$ Y9 c% v
3 k1 e; B, t! m- E+ u8 j' u * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. + `/ O& n- I% `$ q
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) / `7 ?) ~( Y0 |2 U# M$ u! |& |
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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: / C4 ?2 o$ D2 b$ m9 l& Z
1 q K7 m# Y3 ?# k * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) 8 F5 @( A* E$ N9 D" Q* w
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) 1 @( P; h$ L( i) W' e( }
* 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。) " c) t3 K0 H1 h0 d$ ^
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如:
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* The boy needs to pee. 0 x* t% \4 X* t4 [+ y j7 F" u5 i
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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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/ n) j; m' h' _* w3 E 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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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry. " f1 D5 u' Y) J# ^1 B
* 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: 8 f. a( n! \- ] w }& l
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) o/ m/ U, Y4 L" e
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) & z% d% ^0 |9 \' {. J
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) , t; b8 g+ E+ p
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) 0 D$ f }. A2 F
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解大便
" H7 J. T7 \4 k* P9 q& z k# e 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」) * D% K- Z X! U# \2 R, j5 c
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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)
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不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: ( ]" j- V$ Y5 V |: A
) L2 W$ C) L+ ]# h. B1 w * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) ' S7 J8 f7 k2 s
0 W M; r7 D6 q+ N4 p" K 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: $ o3 u* m% }/ \
' }( J& r+ q9 R0 z * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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2 p q# \9 U. W; z W, k1 f 放屁 6 d' b' J. l, V8 D4 s0 \' e
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 1 Q d8 D; y5 u
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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?) 1 B5 ? }" A, M4 q) E
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) ; H1 k6 e0 V( f: D4 j# \" P
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
3 K) I2 i& @% 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。)
2 l" I/ q% S/ s/ ?6 t$ I# d * Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) 1 V. T9 ^; C' @
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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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) K7 K( o N+ }+ Q * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. ( B4 f& } I: Q0 k" G( _
4 a6 `6 C& g" ]1 m" h (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
0 _+ M: u. e L: l5 k% L * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
) v* k1 A2 _" V% e4 S [ * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 4 a9 ?& a) F; v5 h/ x0 u9 c5 i
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 ( T/ R! }& v4 w' n' V3 [9 }
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
! B" [. F. M- Y3 V8 Q* h * He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
( ~+ g- O# b( ~7 A1 e/ R' X * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) % p& n+ I7 V+ [9 H, r
* 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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