slang/idiom today (Dec.11 - Dec.17 05)

Dec. 11 05

Boys and gals, in the following week, I'll, as planned, go on with my introduction of slang and idiom. BUT! There's something NEW! Apart from the chinese explanation of the context and the english examples, to do us a favor, I'll bring in the equivalent Geman version. This will be definitely useful for our life here in Germany. Alright. Let's move on:

"Do not  count your chickens (before they're hatched)."

字面意思很简单:蛋还没孵出来先别数小鸡..引申下去呢,相信也不难猜出.可以通俗得解释为: 别高兴得太早;别过早乐观;事情还没干/还没完成,先别得意;别先打如意算盘;先别这么早就开始高兴;别那么自信;诸如此类的语境中.

examples:
A: I'm sure to win the prize. I'm going to buy a new house with the money.
B: Don't count your chickens (before they're hatched).
ps. 括号中部分平时表达时可以省略,也就是说,单纯说前半部分也是ok的.

A: I'm sure that I'll get an A in the exam.
B: Don't count your chickens.

German Version: Juble nicht zu frueh!

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Dec. 12 05

"Do not bite off more than you can chew."

Explanation: When you eat food, you first bite off a piece, then chew it, and swallow it. If you bite off more than you can chew, you have taken a bite so large that you cannot chew it. So this idiom means to take on a responsibility which is too large to manage.

Similar expressions are: "Do not attempt more than you are capable of."
                        or "Do not promise more than you can do."

中文来解释呢,可以适用于以下的语境: 贪多嚼不烂; 别妄想一口吃成个胖子; 没有那金刚钻,就别揽那瓷器活; 别接受超过自己能力范围的事情...等等...

Examples:
1. I thought I could finish my research paper within a month, but I bit more than I could chew. (Notice:动词时态应该随着句子本身做变化,比如这里就是过去时.)
2. A: I will be responsible for the organization of the Spring Festival party.
B: Do not bite off more than you can chew!

German Version: Nimm dir nicht zu viel vor!
         bite off = abbeissen
            chew = kauen
         swallow = schlucken

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Dec. 13 05

"Every dog has his day."

中文含义就是"人人皆有得意时;每个人总有些得意/幸运的时候."

Example:
A: Hi, Tom, I've heard you won the lottery this time! You lucky boy!
B: Yeah...Every dog has his day.

从这个idiom呢,我又联想到一个类似的用"dog"的表达方法:
就以前几天那位受到表扬的高同学作为例子:
A: I read a piece of news, it said that some  Mr. Gao from China won the scholarship to the Ruhr University Bochum.
B: What a lucky dog!

German Version: Jeder hat einmal Glueck!

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Dec. 14 05

"Do in Rome as the Romans do"

Similar expressions are: Do in Rome as the Roman does.
                              Do as the Romans do.
                              Do as they do in Rome.

中文有相对应的成语:入相随俗.

Example:
A: Yesterday I went to shopping with my boyfriend. I thought he would buy me the t-shirt I like most. But he didn't.
B: I know you're unhappy, but you know what. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Most German guys think that they earn their money all by themselves. They will sometimes invite you to dinner or movies, but they don't think they need to buy you everything.

German Version: Mit den Woelfen muss man heulen.

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Dec. 15 05

"Do as you would be done by."

Similar expression: Do not do unto others what you do not want to others do unto you.

中文也有很精炼的对应句:推己及人; 己所不欲,勿施于人.

Example:
A: The drink is too sour for me. Would you take it?
B: Oh, please, do as you would be done by. I don't like it either.

German Version: Was du nicht willst, dass man dir tu', das fueg' auch keinem andern zu!

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Dec. 16 05

"It never rains but it pours."

字面意思呢大概就是: (雨)不下则已,一下就下倾盆大雨. 引申开去就是:祸不单行.

Example:
1) I really feel sorry for Mike. First his wife left him. Next he lost his job. Then somebody stole his car. Like they say, it never rains but it pours.

2) Oh boy! You can't believe the trouble I had today. My alarm clock didn't go off, so I missed biology class. Then, I lost my home work assignment for math. I invited my girlfriend to lunch and after we ate, I found I'd left my wallet at home. It never rains but it pours.

German Version: Ein Unglueck kommt selten allein.

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Dec. 17 05

"You can't eat your cake and have it too."

字面意思呢就是:你不能既想吃饼,又想把饼保存下来. 也就是说两件事情不能同时完全兼顾. 大有"鱼和熊掌不能兼得"之意,也可以适用于"不能两全其美; 不能两头都想得到最好的利益"等等语境中.

Examples:
1)  You eat that much. You don't go to sport, but wanna keep a good figure. You can't eat your cake and have it too.

2)  A: My girlfriend asked me to dinner this weekend, but I have to finish my assignment by the weekend. It's really hard to decide.
   B: I know, but you can't eat your cake and have it too.

German Version: Mann kann nicht auf zwei Hochzeiten zugleich tanzen.

[ Last edited by Moses on 2006-1-4 at 14:13 ]