Today wewill talk about expressions that use vegetables and fruits.
For example,a cucumber is a long, green vegetable thatpeople often eat in salads. You might say a person is ascool as a cucumber if he never seems to worry about anything and stayscalm in a stressful situation. If you put a cucumber in a solution of vinegar and spices for a long time, it becomes a pickle. But if you are in a pickle, you are in trouble or a difficult situation.
cucumber:黄瓜
ascool as a cucumber: never seems to worry about anything and stays calm in astressful situation镇定自若
vinegar:醋(注意拼写)
pickle:泡菜
ina pickle: 处于困境之中
If 2 peopleare very similar, you might say they are like 2peas in a pod.
twopeas in a pod:一个豆荚里的两颗豌豆,表示两人相像
There areseveral expressions about beans. If someone is very energetic, you might sayshe is full of beans. If you say something does not amount to a hill of beans, you mean it isof little importance. I might say you don't knowbeans about a subject if you do not know anything at all about it. Butif you spill the beans, you tell somethingthat was supposed to be a secret.
fullof beans: 精力旺盛
doesnot amount to a hill of beans: 一文不值
don'tknow beans about a subject:一窍不通
spillthe beans: 泄密
Potatoes area popular food in many areas. But something is considered small potatoes if it is not important. Youprobably would not want to hold a hot potato in your bare hands. This also means a problem or issue that no one wants todeal with. Someone might call you a couch potato if you sit and watch television all day and get little or no physical exercise.
smallpotatoes:小人物,不重要的
hotpotato:烫手山芋
acouch potato:懒人
【参考译文】
今天,我们要讨论的是那些使用了蔬菜名和水果名的俗语。
比如,黄瓜是一种长型的绿色蔬菜,人们常在沙拉中吃到。当一个人从不为任何事担忧,或在紧张的形势下仍能保持冷静,你也许会说这个人“as cool as a cucumber(镇定自若)”。如果你长时间把黄瓜放在醋和辣椒的混合液中,它会变成为泡菜。但如果你正“in a pickle(处于困境之中)”,那就是说你有了麻烦,或者遇到了困难。
如果两个人长得非常相似,你会说他们就像“two peas in a pod(一个豆荚里的两颗豌豆)"。
关于豆子的俗语有好几个。如果一个人精力充沛,你可以说她“full of beans(精力旺盛)”。如果你说某样东西“does not amount to a hill of beans(一文不值)”,你的意思是说它并不重要。如果你对某件事情一无所知,我可能会说你“don’t know beans about a subject(一窍不通)”。但如果你“spill the beans(泄密)”,那你说了某些本该是秘密的事情。
在很多地方,土豆是一种很受欢迎的食物。但如果某个东西是不重要的,那它则被认为是“small potatoes(小人物,不重要的)”。你大概不想徒手捧着“hot potato(烫手山芋)”,这代表了没有人想去处理的难题。如果你成天坐着看电视,很少锻炼,也许会有人称你为“a couch potato(懒人)”。