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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…… 1 k; T8 l1 V. a* }9 H$ k0 ]
1 _/ _, L9 K0 l7 r% V! U: W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。 8 l4 e8 i! J- |" w+ d
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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 X( L" P x4 }* A- Q1 Q, ~ E
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厕所 - M2 U7 ~; E% i1 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。
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解小便
; |! L& q" @" r/ ?$ C l0 I. k 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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% c+ E( \: Y) Z: s8 ]4 W 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: 4 {0 v0 C6 |( \ a! ~9 t2 Q
' T5 o, K6 f% i: m4 d% `0 } * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. 8 T* Y) g8 ~3 m$ O: B
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?)
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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: . u/ c2 L3 u4 Z, e! T: j$ n' p
" {* ]/ K! ?. ^5 f, t* Z * There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) 0 ~& A( C1 v; w+ J
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
* N; i# S2 E1 q" g: X+ M2 P) \ * 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。) # y$ P2 m- p; j2 T! u2 \0 E
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如:
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5 H- x- @) K" r# {+ ]( B * The boy needs to pee. 9 v; k( ?# ]: [, r. D& d* V1 E) k
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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: 5 z& ~! c8 B8 o- o- Z1 x4 L- ~! P& E
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* Do I need a urine test? + d5 w9 |- d$ \' @
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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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* He pissed me off. = He made me angry. 1 b/ \* Y9 i* X4 s- U: u4 k) E8 M
* 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: 0 {2 A" ^4 T' L: k% B, K
* My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重)
k/ x( I1 r( ]' |* H- k" A1 u * I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble)
5 U" L1 n: H P3 V* e8 B5 | * I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
- B; Y# T- d4 s) S3 @ * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少)
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解大便 # x( T, G$ w1 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」)
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$ t4 \7 W Y* v 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: 3 a5 M# l( I3 S0 l; ~# M
) x- ~% g7 X3 d2 z5 i& Z * The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement) % S# y9 ]( x* A
& t: R# V8 G% D3 \( V$ U M" l1 c( L& Z! r 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。)
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& @* ~, w2 [8 E3 Z/ Q' ] 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。) 9 ^4 f8 T6 V2 H" |7 W( U: ~
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放屁
: S7 M+ E+ h' {2 K2 A3 M 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
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: f- r( F* Q9 y( b * 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
' X: S8 G4 i9 n. }, x6 Y6 J3 j * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
: [( ~+ [/ i( H" k: v * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
, x4 a/ O+ x. c4 ^ * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) 7 g8 L3 A7 O9 ]; H
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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9 S( a$ L, k ^! M @3 D8 h 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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* I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion. 4 T; v! w" b; ]
, V. F$ @2 E$ y/ s% S0 h9 r (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) 6 n0 y3 Q1 K7 J8 t8 a
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。)
( X- v' D4 p0 V# r5 P * He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或
# s" @4 N9 y t0 Y; Y * He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 ; J3 R9 s4 S5 _* v6 H" _( T" g
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
2 k4 f' Q. k J$ e3 M& ` * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. ( _7 K! A0 n. y+ r. {1 y
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。) 1 B7 j, ?; ]; l$ C& X
* 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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