图片来自网络
汉语词语,字面意思是“show one's hoof”,用于比喻“不小心暴露了隐藏的真相(to reveal a hidden truth carelessly or by mistake),或现原形(give oneself away)”,与英文习语“let the cat out of the bag”意思相近。
例句:
这个小偷因大量花钱而露了马脚。
The thief gave himself away by spending so much money.
他无意中露出了马脚。
He betrayed himself without meaning to.
打水漂
图片来自网络
原本指一种投掷石子的大众游戏,即将扁平石子沿水面水平飞出,石片碰到水面后向前弹跳数次(throw a flat stone horizontally over water so that it touches and rises off the surface several times)。现在用来比喻一个人对某件事投入金钱或者精力,却没有丝毫收益(work or money goes down the drain)。
例句:
我们看一个小孩在湖边打水漂。
We watched a child skimming stones across the lake.
他的投资全打水漂了。
He got nothing back from his investment.
龙套
图片来自网络
解释一:
是传统戏曲角色行当(type of roles in traditional Chinese operas),指跟班、随从、兵卒等小角色(actor playing a walk-on part [e.g. attendant or solider]),因所穿的戏装为龙套衣而得名。
解释二:
指在戏曲中扮演配角,后比喻做无关紧要的事(do things insignificant or trivial),起次要作用(play a minorrole),或专做跑腿、服务性工作(be a utility man)。现在也指电影里面的群众演员(extras in a film)。
例句:
刚开始我跑跑龙套,后来我演上了主角。
I started as a walk-on, and later played principal roles.
我只不过是个跑龙套的,不拿事儿。
My job is to run errands, not to make decisions.
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