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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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; Q: p/ T3 o8 X, i# M3 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。
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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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! v" f1 x) R+ [8 Y% j2 b( N 厕所
2 x# k) D4 g8 a* R/ i# v 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。 / L/ \- }( N! |9 `8 @- U: V8 @8 t
5 L+ R& B0 L/ S e8 ]7 P 解小便 + a6 G4 R9 Y: {# ^2 A O k! g) s% w
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: q2 h3 m- C5 o& l# K
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* I need to piss = I have to take a leak. 7 r0 G' H( ^' \1 X$ l3 p
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) 9 {& K( Y* N* d- |
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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: 1 @9 @0 k2 t1 h. b# l" E$ ~
) Q- _% h3 P. T0 m% J* C* w- Q * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) * c& J7 k4 a J0 R/ f7 O' e0 B
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) & g) k" j8 N h/ [: X
* 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。) : Q6 _) l" ~) t+ X
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: ( j5 {/ \$ Q9 e7 ?, l
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* 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:
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* 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:
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7 _$ \! _3 V0 W, R: d * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. , U, m: P1 d+ [ l; s& y$ t
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) 1 x2 C( s- Q# h7 c) v: [$ L, v
% E( ]+ o7 J+ G- _4 s% ^ 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说: 8 F5 P6 K* O3 V' L" k1 K
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) 6 u/ B% T9 u; w1 }" r
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) 8 G$ @: [+ A, z) i w0 V+ c
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) 6 v' W9 `. D3 s! m' S/ B
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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, S' I% b* V! D7 s" k 解大便
' w' o4 Z& x! m7 W! _0 x 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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; j/ ]' ]- _0 k# I+ K6 K 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) 3 v) ^+ D, K) f7 C3 v& C
0 |5 q1 } R2 P& A9 M7 M( ?/ Y 不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如:
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* The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) ' M; R+ c% F! Q' ?; @
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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。)
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1 |, {2 Y; v2 A* I! N1 H 放屁 7 g! P- U$ e+ X) C$ |: `$ q3 L9 R" H
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: ) ] |/ f; H3 x5 Q* ^/ F- p
/ u3 z0 z# O9 k * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?) $ \% q. o F6 C) P3 m8 D
* Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) ! Q5 L) G6 M7 [+ l* g J9 D/ b
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
% O5 h4 _4 C* ?+ `# _ * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) 8 }/ K5 n: W4 U6 r3 [# \( `2 X
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) 5 T3 K. H) K- Z
. N4 `/ x6 F Q! [" P- e1 x6 W; z 至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如: g5 U6 _/ o3 H$ ~9 C% H
* J" Y8 [* ~- W6 i * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. # y* E+ G9 G0 ]* A' S* E! {; y4 P5 e
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache)
% f0 c3 E# L; p3 I5 v+ O: d" v * Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
" M1 `/ H1 W9 I& }! t; H * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 : S6 @( ?* b' X4 U9 H: \
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 ( P2 ^. X! F% w" d# O+ X1 }/ h: ?
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 , W2 l M9 r. D' _
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
# E2 y: K9 B: O0 m * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
; K X$ V9 A# w* m) D, m W, S * 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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