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一名中国留学生初到美国,在机场找厕所,问老外:「Where is W.C.?」老外听不懂。一名中国太太到医院生产,洋护士问她:「Did you have a bowel movement?」她却听不懂。还有人学了几十年的英语,还不晓得英语里的「大便」、「小便」、「放屁」真正应该怎么说……
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至于性毛病,更是老中难于启齿、欲语还羞的尴尬。见到洋医生,窘迫万分,不知如何开口才是,真有「犹抱琵琶半遮面」的感受。 ) v9 J6 T/ h% Y8 N' c
& t* S5 _7 x5 ~& z! a% i以下为一些「禁忌」(taboo)的美语之整理。毕竟这些都是咱们日常生活的一部分,说不定有一天这些「禁忌」之语还能「派上用场」呢!
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厕所
* y; L' e3 H; M! Y8 V0 G4 D 在美国一般都叫rest room或bath room(男女厕均可)或分别叫做 men‘s room 或 ladies‘ room(=powder room),不过在飞机上,则叫 lavatory,在军中又叫 latrine。至于 W.C.(water closet)仍是过去英国人用的,在美国,几乎没有人使用。
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解小便 & S8 e: H: h( X( ]7 S v: ?# H
最普通的说法是 to urinate(名词是 urination),如果去看病,护士为了化验小便,就会给你一个杯子说:「Will (could) you urinate in this cup?」医生或许也会问:「Do you have trouble urinating?」=Do you have difficulty voiding?(小便有困难吗?) - P5 O; G x# y6 O
t0 m3 d" K/ k& p/ p 此外,还有其他的说法:to piss = to take a piss = to take a leak = to void = to empty。 例如: 6 x5 Y K( O0 X, c2 |) }: e4 x
0 ?+ C/ u' p+ X. P * I need to piss = I have to take a leak. 3 E- A' r9 A7 `' d9 l! Y
* How often do you get up at night to void?(晚上起床小便几次?) 9 x; E0 G& B' O$ V+ f2 T" |7 c
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此外,john(j 小写时,不是男人名字)是 bath room 或 toilet 的意思(也叫 outhouse),这通常是指在户外工作场地所使用的临时或流动性厕所(有时前面也加 portable 一字)。不过也有老外把家里的厕所叫做 john。 例如:
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* There are several (portable) johns in the construction site.(在建筑场地有几个临时厕所。) 2 Q2 n2 P8 Y; A) Z; U. W' t
* He went to the john a few minutes ago.(他在几分钟前上了厕所。)
7 h/ b/ @9 t% e ^ g1 M0 U* b6 v9 ~, g5 ~+ x * The manual labours have to use (portable) johns during their working hours.(劳动者在工作时间内需要使用流动性厕所。)
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不过,小孩多半用 to pee 。例如: * j! c, d# {: N3 r! F5 i- U
e G1 P5 n! G * The boy needs to pee.
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然而,「小便检查」又叫做 urine test,因为这里的 urine 是化验的样品(specimen)。 例如: ! x5 A. l2 H2 s$ d5 C
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* Do I need a urine test? 8 f' x! K( ]$ h" A" |1 t* q0 w
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注意:to piss off 是片语,又是指对人生气或对事物的不满。不过这是不礼貌的片语,少用为妙。 例如: 0 I" ^9 z/ Z0 [) W- S
8 Y" e4 k' _% W * He pissed me off. = He made me angry. , X: Q0 j$ g g+ N1 D
* He always pisses off (at) the society.(对社会不满) 5 P/ I3 U+ ^6 z. |: r
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如果「小便」有毛病,也可以告诉医生说:
- q8 C7 F/ ]! h' i% p5 z * My urine is cloudy and it smells strong.(有浊尿,味道很重) 8 a' `) ^6 C; I4 A; ]; `
* I have pus (或air)in urine.(尿有泡沫) (pus = cloudy; air = bubble) ' i7 d' A/ ~& x7 X
* I dribble a little urine after I have finished urinating.(小便后还会滴滴答答。)(即失禁毛病)
2 ~& z7 U( R) W, O. X+ _ * I am passing less urine than usual.(小便的量比平时少) 8 m+ \5 l, p- G" z1 H0 ~( {
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( P2 U/ f6 v W' N- w( b; f( G2 K 解大便
( y& u$ j% _9 @6 F7 N9 O 一般是用 to make(或 have)a bowel movement 或 to take a shit。如果看病,医生常问:「Do you have regular bowel movement?」(大便正常吗?)(说得斯文些,就是「大肠在转动」)
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# Z% o$ S( b6 @4 q0 D1 f 此外,还有其他的说法: to defecate =to discharge excrement(或 feces)=to take feces (或 faeces)。 例如: & ~/ l5 F! M5 a5 ]* }" J5 }( ^
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* The patient needs to take a shit. (=to make a bowel movement)
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不过,小孩多半是用 to make a poo poo 或 to make a BM. 。 例如: % `: d# C9 j/ s: b3 o( R
% h, c% ]1 a I7 d$ u* N! j * The boy had a stinky BM.(大便奇臭。) : i9 {3 X8 [2 w# S; n; x! N5 u: o) u
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但是「大便检查」倒叫做 stool exam,因为 stool 也是一种化验的样品。 例如: ; g# N5 \4 X% X9 W3 O3 P2 I
, X1 ]. q$ U7 \9 l+ k. p9 e w* V * The doctor has to exam his stool.(医生要检查他的大便。)
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# g+ {9 r# L/ Z, M) D$ `6 l5 C" V$ V 放屁
3 u6 E5 L6 ~# O9 V 在美语里最常用的是 to expel gas 或 to fart 或 to make (或 pass)gas。 例如:
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* 医生有时问:「How often do you expel(或 make 或 pass)gas?」(你放屁的次数很多吗?)
; H" x" z0 Q& g W * Is the gas expelled by belching?(是否打嗝后就会放屁呢?)(动词是 belch)
+ ~/ c7 e" ~2 d" S: \, J, R1 p* x4 D" k * He said the more he ate, the more he farted.(吃的愈多,放屁也愈多。)
4 _3 m4 r, G# \# V% j5 L * He has passed more gas than usual within the last two days.(过去两天中,他放屁比平常多。) 5 x3 ~* d/ \# X1 N' m
* Be careful not to fart in the public.(注意在公共场所不可放屁。)
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至于消化不良,大便不通或拉肚子,也有不同的说法。 例如:
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7 u" \( O8 G4 M; X U6 F \" `7 Z, Q * I have an upset stomach.(消化不良) = I have heartburn. = I have indigestion.
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" Q! y h) ?$ J4 i (注意:Heartburn 是指胃不舒服,不是「心痛」(heartache) * D1 W$ y: d8 y7 O$ e/ f
* Something has upset my stomach for two weeks.(胃不舒服有两星期了。) 3 O( s" [7 v) R0 L7 R
* He has(persistent)constipation.(或 irregularity)(他经常便秘。) 或 ! P! k7 e& r" `' E
* He has been unusually constipated.(便秘很反常。)或 # @0 a" Y+ e; [0 L: A: T
* He is having problem with irregularity.(或 constipation); 或
! g+ n) ~8 q9 Z( ?2 a9 Q7 j0 r * He has no bowel movement for the past few days. - i6 `: ]% `% y
* He has bouts of diarrhea.=He is having trouble with diarrhea.(他拉了一阵肚子。)
8 s; D% g9 f; p$ [2 E5 e * He can see trace of blood and pus or mucus in his stool(或 bowel movement)(大便时可看到血丝和粘膜。) |
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