“You are a chicken”

听到这句话

估计很多人特别是女孩子,心里都会冒起火吧

没办法,鸡在中文里的代指实在是一言难尽

不过虽然这句话的实际意思没有中文直译那么恶劣

但也的确不是好话

do you want chicken 否定回答(Youarea)(1)

1

You are a chicken 是什么意思?

chicken 除了表达鸡,鸡肉

还可以表达另外一个意思

来看英文词典的解释

Meaning/Usage:

Being afraid or scared

意思/用法:

害怕;恐惧

Explanation: Chickens are very timid, afraid or scared of many things. It is common to use animals to express traits such as "sly as a fox" or "strong as a bear."

解释:因为小鸡很胆小,会恐惧或害怕很多事情。我们常用动物特征来比喻人的某些特质,比如“像狐狸一样狡猾”或“像熊一样强壮”等。

所以

You are a chicken

你是胆小鬼(懦夫)

例:

Come on , don't be a chicken. You can do it!

加油,别做胆小鬼,你可以的!

I'm scared of the dark. I'm a big chicken.

我很怕黑,是个十足的懦夫。

do you want chicken 否定回答(Youarea)(2)

2

“胆子大”英文怎么说?

相反,要表达一个人胆子大

可以用bold胆大,无畏的

例:

She is bold and determined. I really admire her.

她大胆又果断,我真的佩服她。

“胆大心细”

bold but cautious

cautious [ˈkɔːʃəs] 小心的; 谨慎的

注意:用 but 连接,不是and!

例:

Being bold but cautious is his work style.

胆大心细是他的工作风格。

do you want chicken 否定回答(Youarea)(3)

关于chicken的俚语还有不少

3

spring chicken

spring chicken 大家可不要直译成 “春天的鸡”哦

这个短语一般用来指年轻人;小鲜肉

之前小酱还分享过一个相关用语

no spring chicken=no chicken

意思是“不再年轻

例:

I'm no spring chicken anymore.

我已青春不再。

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4

play chicken

比试胆量,互相挑战和威胁

(以吓住对手为目标的危险游戏)

例:

When you're driving, you'd better not play chicken with bigger cars.

你开车的时候最好避开大车。

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5

chicken and egg

因果难分的局面

(先有鸡还是先有蛋的情况)

例:

You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. It's a chicken and egg situation.

现在找工作都需要有经验啊,但是没有工作哪来的经验,真是让人头大。

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6

like a headless chicken

像只没头的鸡

(类似中文里的没头苍蝇似的)

例句:

Instead of running around like a headless chicken, make a list of the things you need to finish and then work on them in that order.

别像个没头苍蝇似的乱转啦,赶快想一想接下来要做什么,列个单子,按着顺序加油啦。

do you want chicken 否定回答(Youarea)(7)

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