英語里還有這么多委婉語，快長點心吧，說話別太直了

含蓄的東方人總覺得西方人都粗線條，實際上歪果仁也是比較容易玻璃心的……所以，說英語的時候可別太直爽，碰到敏感的(sensitive)、私人的(personal)、禁忌的(taboo)話題，還是要講究點技巧的。今天小編就來跟大家說說英語里的常見委婉語(euphemism)。

 

一、廁所

身體機能是文雅人士需避免的話題。

1. restroom

Can I use the restroom?

我可以用下洗手間嗎?

Where can I wash my hands?

哪兒有洗手間?

2. public conveniences

Are there any public conveniences nearby?

附近可有公共衛(wèi)生間?

3. ladies / gents

The ladies and gents are down the corridor on your right.

女士和男士衛(wèi)生間就在你右手邊的走廊里。

還有一些幽默表達：

4. the smallest room of the house 房子里最小的一間屋，這種詼諧說法于20世紀30年代出現(xiàn)在英文里，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)有些過時，較少被使用。

I'd like to pay a visit to the smallest room of the house.

我要去“參觀”一下廁所。

5. powder my nose 女士用補妝來委婉表達上廁所，當然愛開玩笑的男士也可以這么說。

Where can I powder my nose?

我上哪兒能補個粉?

6. see a man about a dog 這種說法原始意思是指為賽馬或者賽狗下注，后來通常作為離開或缺席的借口。原因通常是去上廁所，或者買酒。

He's gone to see a man about a dog.

他去方便了。

二、失業(yè)

1. between jobs 在前一個和后一個工作之間，也就是待業(yè)啦。

Interviewer: Tell me about your current position.

面試官：請告訴我你目前的職位。

Job candidate: I'm between jobs right now.

求職者：我目前暫時待業(yè)。

2. a resting actor 這種說法多指演員。

Harry's a resting actor.

哈利是個待業(yè)演員。

三、懷孕

1. expect 即期待嬰兒出生。

His wife is expecting.

他妻子懷孕了。

She is expecting in March.

她預產期是三月。

2. have a bun in the oven 烤箱里有面包了。英式英語，詼諧用法。

Have you heard that Katy has a bun in the oven?

你聽說沒，凱蒂有啦?

3. in the family way 這是比較老式的說法。

Have you heard that Jean's in the family way?

你聽說沒，簡懷上啦?

They plan to get married now that he's put her in the family way.

他弄大了她的肚子，倆人只好結婚。

四、喝醉

1. tired and emotional 這是一種較為禮貌和幽默的方式表示某人喝醉了。

You must excuse me, I'm a bit tired and emotional just now. I think I'd best be going home.

請原諒我，我眼下醉意朦朧，最好還是回家吧。

2. have a bit too much to drink 也就是喝多了。

He had a bit too much to drink last night.

他昨晚喝多了。

3. to be a bit worse for wear “The worse for wear”是指衣服穿久，破爛不堪的樣子。如果某人喝太多，走路東倒西歪，形象全無，那么你就可以用這個表達來形容他醉的程度。

The three came stumbling in, the worse for wear again.

這三人跌跌撞撞進門，又是爛醉如泥的。

John looked a bit worse for wear as he got home.

約翰到家的時候看起來醉得一塌糊涂。

五、撒謊

economical with the truth 很少提供實情的，謊話連篇的。

I discovered that my boss had been economical with the truth when she said that the company was making money.

我發(fā)現(xiàn)老板說公司盈利其實隱瞞了真相。

六、爭吵

1. full and frank discussion 表面意思即深入而坦率的探討，這是一種禮貌的說法，表示爭吵或責難(reprimand)。

The directors had a full and frank discussion in the meeting.

主管們在會上爭執(zhí)不休。

2. have words with someone Words(注意是復數(shù))有口角、爭論(altercation)的意思。這個表達指可以指吵架，也可以指訓斥某人。

Elaine had words with Tony over his driving habits.

伊蓮和托尼因為后者的開車習慣問題而吵起來。

If Pete keeps on pushing Billy I'm going to have words with him.

如果皮特老這樣逼比利，我可要好好找他談談了。

七、窮

1. be disadvantaged，即處境不利的，生活條件差的、經(jīng)濟地位低下的……

The government is introducing new schemes to help the disadvantaged.

政府引入了新計劃，幫助條件差的人群。

2. financially embarrassed 經(jīng)濟拮據(jù)、財產情況窘迫的

I'm afraid I can't come to the restaurant with you. I'm financially embarrassed at the moment.

抱歉我不能和你去下館子了，我目前手頭拮據(jù)。

八、死亡

1. pass away 過世，這是很常見的代替die這個詞的表達，帶有哀悼和尊敬的意味。

Her uncle passed away last year.

她叔叔去年過世了。

2. lost his/her battle 被病魔打敗，一般指人和病魔抗爭，最終沒能戰(zhàn)勝病魔而死去。

My brother lost his battle with lung cancer years ago.

我哥哥幾年前在和肺癌的抗爭中去世。

3. meet one's Maker 去見造物主，這是稍微詼諧一點的說法，注意這個Maker要大寫，有造物主的意思，所以去見造物主了就是靈魂回歸了，就像我們會說某人“去見馬克思了”。

He knew that he came into the world with nothing and that he would go to meet his Maker with empty hands.

他知道自己一無所有來到世上，也將會兩手空空離開人間。

He's gone to meet his Maker.

他去見造物主了。

4. six feet under 六尺之下，這是指人死后被埋在六尺黃土之下，也不是特別嚴肅的說法。

I won't worry about money when I'm six feet under.

我入土了以后，也就不用再為錢財勞心了。

5. pushing up daisies 墳頭長草，這種說法的意思是，人被埋入地下后，墳墓上會長出野花來。通常用在將來時中，不是嚴肅的用法。

I'll be pushing up daisies before this problem is solved.

等這問題解決了，我差不多也該告別人世了。

If you talk to me like that again, you'll be pushing up the daisies.

你要再敢這么跟我說話，你就死定了。

6. in one's box 進棺材，非正式說法，俚語。

When I'm in my box you can argue all you like about the inheritance.

等我進了棺材，你再去爭遺產吧，想怎么爭怎么爭。

九、寵物安樂死

寵物也是家庭成員，如果養(yǎng)的寵物正遭受病痛折磨，很多主人會考慮讓它們解脫痛苦(put it out of its misery)，也就是animal euthanasia(安樂死)。

1. put down

We had to put our cat down as she was very ill.

我們不得不讓我們的貓安樂死，她已經(jīng)病入膏肓了。

2. put an end to its suffering

We put an end to her suffering.

我們讓她解脫病痛了。

十、胖/瘦/老

外貌年齡高矮胖瘦和年齡也是人們的敏感點，fat、thin、old這種詞當面最好還是不要說，太容易冒犯人(cause offense)。

下面給出一些機智的替代詞(alternatives)，注意在使用的時候，最好再加上些緩和語氣的修飾詞，比如"a bit"或 "a little" 。

胖(fat)還能怎么說：

1. overweight; heavy 體重偏重

2. plump 豐滿

3. a bit chubby 圓乎乎的，chubby 尤其多用于形容小朋友

4. curvy; curvaceous (指女性)曲線豐滿

5. statuesque 高大結實

6. well-built / a big man (指男性)結實、高大

瘦(thin)還能怎么說：

1. slim; slender 苗條纖細

2. petite 嬌小，尤指女性

3. wiry 瘦而結實(一點脂肪都沒有)

老(old)還能怎么說：

1. a pensioner 領養(yǎng)老金者，退休老人

2. elderly 長者

3. a senior citizen 年長公民

4. middle-aged 中年人