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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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3 y1 B+ X2 P' [% Y: }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。 # o! ?: \- C6 u7 W; @3 G8 V+ ?
2 N1 B5 ?* }) W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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8 v! {/ ^9 }5 W3 E( I 厕所
0 T/ ?. \# ~9 i" {6 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。 / l* e) w5 E% p. d* c
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解小便
. k, A# P8 ~2 D/ X 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?) ' p" Q( F; x. K! [3 t3 j
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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: " ]8 I# F7 h5 ^0 V
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* I need to piss = I have to take a leak.
4 n# l5 r7 B+ H: Q# L. p, x E. L * How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) 3 {$ f* d6 Q, t) ~
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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: ( D/ W9 o$ F. l& B- h# F. K5 A1 [
f4 ^8 G: U# h/ ?' r2 ?- X * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) h3 x: _4 Y+ k/ O. I5 v( o* z3 {
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。) . _1 x. U& j. U- H
* 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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* 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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L* ^2 P* j1 Q, p* Do I need a urine test? ' x$ A. c3 \' t& d' F8 H7 P. x
, b) Z0 B7 D: E% 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:
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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry. 9 ?9 Z4 Z/ p* h4 v9 ?
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满)
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5 O" F: v; h! Y& C 如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说: - J: L/ Q! Y1 m) C' M1 V
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) 4 E1 `9 [3 t7 O. N6 v; I
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) J/ f1 ]1 \' Q
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病) : k. |- V; E, W) J: H
* I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) # ~: W3 h8 V' f v8 G7 O& Q
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. q: v3 P$ p" X+ J1 Z( z1 S 解大便 6 G _) F! U& }2 q: F: 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」) + M& Z; ^4 I! j/ x* m
3 d8 Z. d* z" a 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: ! l! o5 O( n! A2 ]
1 w0 @0 _5 S9 c9 f$ p8 y * 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: / ^4 q5 j! |/ S1 Y: r& E
2 K! f7 K$ [ T3 T. B+ X * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) 6 M7 ^8 p2 i2 M7 H; v8 R: Z
$ {$ z5 N3 a2 C 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。) 8 U! Q* i- V5 U
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: ~$ U6 |: v* l$ W 放屁 & L$ E8 [0 s- U
在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如: 3 O$ z) p' L4 E" U- |! Z- v; H
/ E0 q! z0 k5 d! W( v! O * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
3 P7 R8 D3 n& t) H/ S6 f+ @ * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch) 3 t/ Y; n. g5 A! T
* He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
X) r: y/ ^3 y1 N9 K1 V# N1 p* b * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) # p% I# ~+ s% O: L2 U y
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。) " S( y! R3 G4 e; D* h* j% F/ Z. _) V
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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: & l$ a# C6 a' @1 m: n
3 O0 C) z+ z& A1 E* V * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. ; m7 W0 j. Q/ N5 |
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(注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) * ^% {& J8 [; Q* O9 P+ h8 a; y
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 3 c" ]% w/ M/ d
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 y- E# T2 B. o
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或
; |* ^0 v4 r" ] * He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或 , Y9 W! J0 i) B6 k; |2 M
* He has no bowel movement for the past few days.
$ c; `# I4 m: x* j! `3 C4 C * He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
- h0 M; D7 T* a1 g * 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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