1.eggplant 茄子
The eggplant (also called an aubergine in UK) got its name back in 18th century Europe from the farmers who grew them, because some varieties of eggplant actually look like off-white/yellowish goose eggs.
茄子(在英国有不同的叫法) 的这个名字,是由18世纪种植茄子的欧洲农民那里得到的,因为有些品种的茄子看起来像是灰白色的鹅蛋:
2.kiwi 奇异果
kiwifruit is native to north-central and eastern China. The first recorded description of the kiwifruit dates back to the 12th century China during the Song dynasty.
猕猴桃的原产地是中国中北部地区的湖北省,最早记载可追溯到宋朝。
Kiwi Fruit,一般来说就是我们常见的猕猴桃,培植历史悠久;而奇异果是猕猴桃的一个人工选育品种,久而久之便也成了猕猴桃的代名词啦!
那么Kiwi 是什么意思呢?其实,这本来是新西兰对几维鸟的称呼。几维鸟的叫声很像“kiwi、kiwi”,是新西兰特有的珍稀物种,被他们视为国鸟。但几维鸟因为翅膀退化,不能飞行;双腿反而粗壮有力,非常适合快速奔跑。
那么一只鸟和一个水果怎么是同一个名字呢?有人说,因为几维鸟毛茸茸的很像猕猴桃啊!拿这张恶搞的图片来看,还真的有点像呢:
但实际上,故事是这样的:
原产自中国的猕猴桃在古代经常被当做“野果”,在李时珍的《本草纲目》中写道,因为猕猴喜食,所以被称为猕猴桃。
后来它被一个新西兰人带到了自己的国家,竟然长势喜人,结出的果子香甜多汁,所以被广泛种植;在将猕猴桃出口到美国时,大家要想一个好听好记的名字,还要考虑到瓜果关税的因素——
所以猕猴桃就有了 kiwi fruit 这个非常富有新西兰特色的名字啦!而奇异果便是这个名词的音译。
3.winter melon 冬瓜
冬瓜的原产地就在中国南部以及印度,所以在传入西方的时候,就有了很多种译法。有的是直接将“冬瓜”这两个字翻译 winter melon(在美国的农贸市场上,你一说人家就懂得),还有wax gourd(有着蜡一样表面的葫芦状的瓜),以及学名:Benincasa hispida.
Winter melon, or Benincasa hispida, is a large Asian fruit that can grow beyond one foot long and weigh over 40 pounds. It resembles a large watermelon with its oblong shape and dark-green, waxy skin.
冬瓜,学术名称为Benincasa hispida,是一种大型的亚洲植物,可以长到一英尺(约30厘米)长,重超过40磅(约18公斤)。它就像一个大的西瓜,长着椭圆形的形状和深绿色的蜡状皮肤。
Inside the flesh and seeds are white. Its name probably comes from the fact that while grown during the summer and autumn, it can be stored and eaten during the winter months.It is used in the making of a soup in China, often containing vegetables and pork and served in an intricately carved melon shell.
它的名字可能来源于这样一个事实:冬瓜在夏季和秋季生长,而在冬季可以储存和食用。在中国,它经常被用来制作冬瓜汤,这种汤中会有蔬菜和猪肉,并被盛在一个雕刻精美的冬瓜外壳中食用。
4.Daisy 雏菊
雏菊一直都是圣洁美丽的象征。它们在早春的草地上肆意开放着,娇小可爱、天真烂漫。正因为雏菊的这种气质,一直为意大利人民所喜爱,被推选为意大利的国花。
Daisy was called "day's eye". A beautiful and apt name for this little flower. They took note of how at sunset the flower closed its petals over its yellow centre, its "eye", to unfold them again at dawn, as if it were re-opening the eye. Appearing to them, refreshed after what seemed a good night's sleep, the flower prompted them to describe someone who enjoyed a good rest as feeling "as fresh as a daisy".
雏菊被称为“Daisy”是从古英国开始的,他们描述这种美丽的小花是"day's eye"(日之眼)——因为它们发现,雏菊在日落时分会闭上它们的花瓣,在太阳升起时才会打开,像极了一个人在睡饱了之后缓缓睁开双眼。
所以他们会这样描述人们享受了一夜好眠之后精神抖擞的样子:“as fresh as a daisy”(像雏菊一样清新)。
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