迷你對話
A: I cannot stand this situation anymore. Let’s beatour swords into plowshares.
我不能再忍受這種情形了,讓我們化干戈為玉帛吧。
B: OK. I have the same idea with you.
好的,我和你想的一樣。
地道表達(dá)
beat one’s swords into plowshares
1. 解詞釋義
Beat one’s swords into plowshares中的sword是指“戰(zhàn)爭”,plowshares是指“和平”。字面意思是把戰(zhàn)爭休止,讓情況處于和平狀態(tài)。那么漢語中的“化干帛為玉帛”就是比喻戰(zhàn)者能舍棄紛爭,追求和和平的行動。其英文解釋為:If people beat swords into plowshares, they spend money on humanitarianpurposes rather than weapons.
2. 例句拓展
e.g. The prime minister would like them to beat their swords into plowshares and abandonall plans for war.
該國首相希望雙方能夠化干戈為玉帛,放棄所有的戰(zhàn)爭計(jì)劃。
e.g. After years of quarreling we at last sent our cousins a Christmas card to beat our swordsinto plowshares.
我們與堂兄弟多年不和, 最後我們送給他們一張圣誕卡, 算是化干戈為玉帛。