“五顏六色”的英語習語
2014-04-29 00:00:00王凱琳
新校園·上旬刊 2014年11期
摘 要：由顏色詞形成的英語習語豐富多彩，用法眾多，內(nèi)涵深刻，帶有濃厚的西方文化色彩。因此，能夠正確理解和使用這些習語，對于理解文化差異和有效溝通交流大有裨益。
關(guān)鍵詞：顏色；習語；文化
“赤橙黃綠青藍紫，誰持彩練當空舞?！蔽覀冊谟⒄Z學習中經(jīng)常遇到一些由顏色詞形成的習語，這些“五顏六色”的英語習語形象鮮明，內(nèi)涵深刻，帶有濃厚的西方文化色彩。因此，能夠正確理解和使用這些習語，有利于理解中西文化差異并進行有效溝通交流。
一、red：常表示喜慶、歡樂、惱怒、暴力、害羞等情感
1.The president was treated to the red carpet in Rome.
總統(tǒng)在羅馬受到了隆重的接待。
2.It was a red-letter day in the history of Chinese revolution.
這是中國革命史上值得紀念的日子。
3.A thief was caught red-handed in the act of breaking open a lock.
一個竊賊在砸開鎖時被當場抓獲。
4.When he started criticizing my work，l really saw red.
當他批評我的工作時，我就冒火、發(fā)脾氣。
5.I always seem to be in the red.
我似乎總是欠債。
二、white：英美民族通常把白色看成一種神圣、純潔、幸運、善意的顏色，有時形容心理情感的變化
1.Though you’ve told a white lie，lie is a lie.
盡管你說了一個善意的謊言，但謊言就是謊言。
2.They choose a white day for their engagement.
他們選擇吉日訂婚。
3.I'll never buy a car，for it's only a white elephant to me.
我決不買汽車，因為它對我只會是一個累贅。
4.She was watching a horror film and went white as a sheet.
她在看恐怖片，臉嚇白了。
三、green：生命之色、青春之色，還用來表示沒有經(jīng)驗、嫉妒等意思
1.The couple are really having an old green age.
這兩口子真可謂老當益壯，精力充沛。
2.lf you want to be a successful gardener，of course you've got to have green fingers.
假如你想當個稱職的園工，那你就得有園藝技能。
3.She is a green hand in teaching English.
在英語教學中，她是個生手。
4.I was green with envy when I heard she was going to London for a month while I had to stay here and work.
聽說她要去倫敦一個月而我卻留在這工作，我很嫉妒。
四、black：表邪惡、沮喪、恥辱等意思
1.I have been very careful about spending money lately，so now my account is in the black.
最近我用錢很仔細，所以銀行賬戶有存款了。
2.He went black in the face when I told him I had crashed his car.
我告訴他我把他車子毀了時他滿臉怒氣。
3.The black dog is over him.
他意志消沉。
4.Next time l see him，l'll give him a black eye.
下次我見到他一定打他一頓。
5.Everybody may have a black letter day，I think.
我覺得每個人都會碰到倒霉的一天。
五、blue：代表高貴地位、有才氣，或憂郁、下流、不道德
1.He is proud of his blue blood.
他因出身名門貴族而驕傲。
2.I woke up feeling blue.
我醒來就心情不好。
3.True blue will never stain.
真金不怕火煉。
4.She gave him a dirty look when he told the blue joke.
他說完這個黃色笑話以后，她露出一副厭惡的表情。
六、pink：在西方文化中，粉紅色象征健康、快樂、上流、女性等
1.Today I sure feel in the pink！I had a good night's sleep，a walk in the fresh air this morning，a good breakfast，and I feel like I can get a whole lot accomplished today！
今天我感覺精力充沛！我昨晚睡了個好覺，一早又在清晨的新鮮空氣里散了步，好好吃了頓早餐，所以我覺得自己今天能完成好多工作。
2.I’m tickled pink to hear that Bob's asked Susan to marry him.
聽到鮑勃向蘇珊求婚的消息我感到萬分高興。
七、purple：含有高貴、運氣的意思
1.From a very early age the princess was aware that she was born in the purple.
公主在年紀很小時就已經(jīng)知道自己出身顯貴。
2.He was enjoying a purple patch and scored 11 goals in 14 games.
他正福星高照，14場比賽進了11球。
八、grey：有消極、保守、黯淡、衰落之意
1.The tested results show that the new medicine used to fight Aids has grey prospects.
檢驗結(jié)果表明：這種抗艾滋病新藥前景暗淡。
2.Jo was the first to wake in the grey dawn of Christmas morning.
圣誕節(jié)一早，天剛蒙蒙亮，喬便第一個醒來。
