10个世界日常用语的由来
正文翻译
“Into the mouth of a wolf” is a very popular Italian phrase that’s similar to our “break a leg,” and perhaps much more understandable. You’d say it to someone facing a tough trial or nerve-wracking performance, such as an exam or a concert. But don’t say “thank you” in response: it’s bad luck. The correct answer is “may the wolf die.”
“掉进狼嘴里”是一个非常流行的意大利语短语，类似于我们的“break a leg”（打断一条腿），也许更容易理解。你可以对一个正要参加一场艰难考验或紧张表演的人说这句话，比如他正面对一场考试或演出一场音乐会。别人对你这么说时，你不能说“谢谢”作为回应：这是坏运气。正确回答方式是“哦，狼可能死了”。
While more cryptic than just saying “not my problem”, the Polish expression “not my circus, not my monkeys” makes perfect sense, and is a lot more fun to say. Poland can offer a traveller some difficulties in terms of cultural customs — holding your thumbs means good luck, not crossing your fingers, for example. You’ll probably need a bit of luck, what with all those monkeys running around.
说波兰语中的“不是我的马戏团，不是我的猴子”比说“不关我事，和我无关”更神秘，也非常有意义，而且说起来更有趣。在文化习俗方面，波兰可以给旅行者提供一些困难——比如，在他们的文化中，不是交叉手指，而是握住拇指意味着好运。你可能需要点运气，因为那些猴子到处乱跑（意思是你不注意别人的文化和习俗，可能会惹上事）。
We all know that Asian countries have the best proverbs. Well, they also have some fantastic idioms, too. “Having a wide face” means you have lots of friends and are well liked. It could be based on reality, as men with wide faces supposedly earn more money and are more attractive to women. Or it could come from the Chinese concept of “face”, which is where we get our own term, “losing face,” from.
我们都知道亚洲国家有最好的谚语。嗯，他们也有一些奇妙的成语。“脸面大”意味着你有很多朋友，而且很受欢迎。它可能是基于现实的，因为据称宽脸的男人会 赚更多的钱， 并且 对女人更吸引力。或者它可能来自中国的“面子”概念，这是我们自称“失面子”的地方。
-----（译注：总感觉这个是我们的“面子大”）
For the funniest idioms, look no further than our cross-channel neighbors in France. “To have the midday demon” means “to have a midlife crisis.” And what better way to explain reaching 50 and suddenly swapping the suit and tie for a ponytail and a Harley than demonic possession?
最搞笑的成语，莫过于我们在海峡对岸的邻居法国。“拥有正午恶魔”意味着“陷入中年危机”。还有什么比拥有恶魔更好的方式来解释年满50岁突然要把西装和领带换成马尾辫和哈雷的呢？
Portugal’s variation on the Bible’s advice about pearls and swine, “don’t feed the donkey sponge cake,” means don’t give fine treatment to those who don’t deserve it. After all, why should we have to sit around chewing raw oats because some idiot’s given all the cake to the donkey?
葡萄牙对圣经中关于珍珠和猪的建议的不同意见是“不要喂驴海绵蛋糕”，意思是不要给那些不配的人以优待。毕竟，我们为什么要坐在那里嚼生燕麦，就因为有个白痴把蛋糕都给了驴子？
“A cat’s jump” is in the minority of German idioms in that it doesn’t refer to either beer or sausages. Katzensprung simply means a short distance away, or “a stone’s throw” as we’d say in English. Use whichever one you’d prefer, it’s all sausages to us.
“猫跳”在德语成语中并不通用，它不像啤酒和香肠那样随处可见。Katzensprung 简单地说就是一段很短的距离，或者我们在英语中所说的“a stone’s throw”（丢一块石头的距离）。你想用哪一种都行，对我们来说都像香肠一样，随处可见。
As we’re sure you’ve guessed, “to give someone pumpkins” means to turn somebody down. It’s just one example of the colourful idioms you’ll find in Spain, and it originates from Ancient Greece, where pumpkins were considered an anti- aphrodisiac. Try eating one seductively, and you’ll probably see why.
我们确信你已经猜到了，“给某人南瓜”意味着拒绝某人。这只是你在西班牙能找到的丰富多彩的习语的一个例子，它起源于古希腊，在古希腊南瓜被认为是一种反传统的食物- 春药。试着诱人地吃一个，你可能会明白为什么。
As home to the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia probably has quite a few train-related idioms. “To ride as a hare” means to ride the train without a ticket, as we all know hares are prone to do. Apparently it comes from the fact that fare-dodgers would shake like a hare whenever the ticket inspectors would come round.
作为横贯西伯利亚铁路的故乡，俄罗斯可能有不少与火车有关的成语。“像野兔一样骑马”是指不用车票就可以坐火车，我们都知道野兔很容易这样做。很显然，这是因为每当检票员来检票时，逃票者都会像兔子一样发抖。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Finnish idioms have a lovely tone to them, often referencing Mother Nature and their homeland. Having “rye in your wrists” means to be physically strong, for instance, while “own land strawberry, other land blueberry” reflects Finns’ love for the motherland. “Letting a frog out of your mouth” means to say the wrong thing, which makes sense, as spitting a frog at someone is almost always the wrong thing to do.
芬兰成语对他们来说有一个可爱的基调，经常提到大自然母亲和他们的家园。举个例子，“手腕上有黑麦”意味着身体强壮，而“own land strawberry, other land blueberry”（我们的土地长草莓，别人的土地长蓝莓?）则反映了芬兰人对祖国的热爱。“让青蛙从嘴里出来”的意思是说错话，这是有道理的，因为向某人吐青蛙几乎总是错的。
A lot of Danish idioms will sound familiar to us — “not the sharpest knife in the drawer,” for instance. But Danes would “go absolutely cucumber” at you if you were to “have a stick in your ear.” This means to not listen to someone, which can be a very bad thing to do to somebody with a strong Viking ancestry.
很多丹麦成语对我们来说都很熟悉，比如“不是抽屉里最锋利的刀”。但是如果你“耳朵里有根棍子”，丹麦人会对你说“绝对是黄瓜（绝对对你不利）”。这意味着不听别人的话，这对一个有着强大北欧血统的人来说是一件非常不好的事情。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
The Origins Of 10 Everyday Expressions From World Languages
10个世界日常用语的由来
作者：Matt Lindley, HotelClub （作者应该是英国人）
写作日期：2015年1月16日
10个世界日常用语的由来
作者：Matt Lindley, HotelClub （作者应该是英国人）
写作日期：2015年1月16日
We use idioms to pepper our speech and writing, often without even realising we’re doing it. These odd little phrases are used to express a sentiment other than their literal meaning. It doesn’t really rain cats and dogs, as the world and his wife knows.
我们经常在演讲和写作中使用一些“成语”，很多时候我们自己都意识不到这一点。这些奇特的小词组除了表达其字面意义外，还用于表达一些言外之意。全世界的男人和他们的女人都知道“rain cats and dogs ”的意思不是“天上掉猫和狗”，而是“下着倾盆大雨”。
我们经常在演讲和写作中使用一些“成语”，很多时候我们自己都意识不到这一点。这些奇特的小词组除了表达其字面意义外，还用于表达一些言外之意。全世界的男人和他们的女人都知道“rain cats and dogs ”的意思不是“天上掉猫和狗”，而是“下着倾盆大雨”。
I’ve always been fascinated by foreign idioms; they give us a unique insight into the culture that uses them. Did you know that in German you can say “to live like a maggot in bacon” instead of “to live the life of luxury”? Idioms can tell us a lot about what matters to a nation. They’re a window to the soul.
我一直对外国成语着迷；它们让我们对使用它们的文化有了独特的见解。你知道吗，在德语里，你可以说“活得像熏肉里的蛆”而不是“过着奢侈的生活”？“成语”可以告诉我们很多对一个国家重要的事情。他们是心灵的窗户。
我一直对外国成语着迷；它们让我们对使用它们的文化有了独特的见解。你知道吗，在德语里，你可以说“活得像熏肉里的蛆”而不是“过着奢侈的生活”？“成语”可以告诉我们很多对一个国家重要的事情。他们是心灵的窗户。
We wanted to explore the world in all its linguistic glory, so we asked artist and illustrator Marcus Oakley to draw some of his favourite idioms from across the globe. We hope they inspire you to learn the local idioms next time you travel.
我们想探索世界上所有的语言荣耀，所以我们请艺术家和插画家 马库斯·奥克利 从世界各地选一些他最喜欢的成语画成画。我们希望他们能激励你下次旅行时学习当地的成语。
我们想探索世界上所有的语言荣耀，所以我们请艺术家和插画家 马库斯·奥克利 从世界各地选一些他最喜欢的成语画成画。我们希望他们能激励你下次旅行时学习当地的成语。
1. “Into the mouth of a wolf”
Language: Italian
Translation: In bocca al lupo
Meaning: Good luck!
1、掉进狼嘴里
语言： 意大利语
翻译： In bocca al lupo
含义： 祝你好运！
Language: Italian
Translation: In bocca al lupo
Meaning: Good luck!
1、掉进狼嘴里
语言： 意大利语
翻译： In bocca al lupo
含义： 祝你好运！
“Into the mouth of a wolf” is a very popular Italian phrase that’s similar to our “break a leg,” and perhaps much more understandable. You’d say it to someone facing a tough trial or nerve-wracking performance, such as an exam or a concert. But don’t say “thank you” in response: it’s bad luck. The correct answer is “may the wolf die.”
“掉进狼嘴里”是一个非常流行的意大利语短语，类似于我们的“break a leg”（打断一条腿），也许更容易理解。你可以对一个正要参加一场艰难考验或紧张表演的人说这句话，比如他正面对一场考试或演出一场音乐会。别人对你这么说时，你不能说“谢谢”作为回应：这是坏运气。正确回答方式是“哦，狼可能死了”。
2. "Not my circus, not my monkey"
Language: Polish
Translation: Nie mój cyrk, nie moje malpy
Meaning: Not my problem
2、不是我的马戏团，不是我的猴子
语言：波兰语
翻译：Nie mój cyrk, nie moje malpy
含义： 不关我事，和我无关
Language: Polish
Translation: Nie mój cyrk, nie moje malpy
Meaning: Not my problem
2、不是我的马戏团，不是我的猴子
语言：波兰语
翻译：Nie mój cyrk, nie moje malpy
含义： 不关我事，和我无关
While more cryptic than just saying “not my problem”, the Polish expression “not my circus, not my monkeys” makes perfect sense, and is a lot more fun to say. Poland can offer a traveller some difficulties in terms of cultural customs — holding your thumbs means good luck, not crossing your fingers, for example. You’ll probably need a bit of luck, what with all those monkeys running around.
说波兰语中的“不是我的马戏团，不是我的猴子”比说“不关我事，和我无关”更神秘，也非常有意义，而且说起来更有趣。在文化习俗方面，波兰可以给旅行者提供一些困难——比如，在他们的文化中，不是交叉手指，而是握住拇指意味着好运。你可能需要点运气，因为那些猴子到处乱跑（意思是你不注意别人的文化和习俗，可能会惹上事）。
3. “To have a wide face”
Language: Japanese
Translation: Kao ga hiro i
Meaning: To have many friends
3、脸面大
语言： 日语
翻译： Kao ga hiro i （这里对吗？有日翻看下吗？）
含义： 有很多朋友
Language: Japanese
Translation: Kao ga hiro i
Meaning: To have many friends
3、脸面大
语言： 日语
翻译： Kao ga hiro i （这里对吗？有日翻看下吗？）
含义： 有很多朋友
We all know that Asian countries have the best proverbs. Well, they also have some fantastic idioms, too. “Having a wide face” means you have lots of friends and are well liked. It could be based on reality, as men with wide faces supposedly earn more money and are more attractive to women. Or it could come from the Chinese concept of “face”, which is where we get our own term, “losing face,” from.
我们都知道亚洲国家有最好的谚语。嗯，他们也有一些奇妙的成语。“脸面大”意味着你有很多朋友，而且很受欢迎。它可能是基于现实的，因为据称宽脸的男人会 赚更多的钱， 并且 对女人更吸引力。或者它可能来自中国的“面子”概念，这是我们自称“失面子”的地方。
-----（译注：总感觉这个是我们的“面子大”）
4. “To have the midday demon”
Language: French
Translation: Le démon de midi
Meaning: To have a midlife crisis
4、 拥有正午恶魔
语言： 法语
翻译：Le démon de midi
含义：陷入中年危机
Language: French
Translation: Le démon de midi
Meaning: To have a midlife crisis
4、 拥有正午恶魔
语言： 法语
翻译：Le démon de midi
含义：陷入中年危机
For the funniest idioms, look no further than our cross-channel neighbors in France. “To have the midday demon” means “to have a midlife crisis.” And what better way to explain reaching 50 and suddenly swapping the suit and tie for a ponytail and a Harley than demonic possession?
最搞笑的成语，莫过于我们在海峡对岸的邻居法国。“拥有正午恶魔”意味着“陷入中年危机”。还有什么比拥有恶魔更好的方式来解释年满50岁突然要把西装和领带换成马尾辫和哈雷的呢？
5. “To feed the donkey sponge cake”
Language: Portuguese
Translation: Alimentar um burro a pão-de-ló
Meaning: To give good treatment to someone who doesn’t need it
5、喂驴海绵蛋糕
语言： 葡萄牙语
翻译： Alimentar um burro a pão-de-ló
含义： 对不需要的人给予良好的治疗
Language: Portuguese
Translation: Alimentar um burro a pão-de-ló
Meaning: To give good treatment to someone who doesn’t need it
5、喂驴海绵蛋糕
语言： 葡萄牙语
翻译： Alimentar um burro a pão-de-ló
含义： 对不需要的人给予良好的治疗
Portugal’s variation on the Bible’s advice about pearls and swine, “don’t feed the donkey sponge cake,” means don’t give fine treatment to those who don’t deserve it. After all, why should we have to sit around chewing raw oats because some idiot’s given all the cake to the donkey?
葡萄牙对圣经中关于珍珠和猪的建议的不同意见是“不要喂驴海绵蛋糕”，意思是不要给那些不配的人以优待。毕竟，我们为什么要坐在那里嚼生燕麦，就因为有个白痴把蛋糕都给了驴子？
6. “A cat’s jump”
Language: German
Translation: Katzensprung
Meaning: A short distance away
6、猫跳
语言： 德语
翻译： Katzensprung
含义： 不远处
Language: German
Translation: Katzensprung
Meaning: A short distance away
6、猫跳
语言： 德语
翻译： Katzensprung
含义： 不远处
“A cat’s jump” is in the minority of German idioms in that it doesn’t refer to either beer or sausages. Katzensprung simply means a short distance away, or “a stone’s throw” as we’d say in English. Use whichever one you’d prefer, it’s all sausages to us.
“猫跳”在德语成语中并不通用，它不像啤酒和香肠那样随处可见。Katzensprung 简单地说就是一段很短的距离，或者我们在英语中所说的“a stone’s throw”（丢一块石头的距离）。你想用哪一种都行，对我们来说都像香肠一样，随处可见。
7. “To give someone pumpkins”
Language: Spanish
Translation: Dar calabazas a alguien
Meaning: To reject somebody
7、给某人南瓜
语言： 西班牙语
翻译： Dar calabazas a alguien
含义： 拒绝某人
Language: Spanish
Translation: Dar calabazas a alguien
Meaning: To reject somebody
7、给某人南瓜
语言： 西班牙语
翻译： Dar calabazas a alguien
含义： 拒绝某人
As we’re sure you’ve guessed, “to give someone pumpkins” means to turn somebody down. It’s just one example of the colourful idioms you’ll find in Spain, and it originates from Ancient Greece, where pumpkins were considered an anti- aphrodisiac. Try eating one seductively, and you’ll probably see why.
我们确信你已经猜到了，“给某人南瓜”意味着拒绝某人。这只是你在西班牙能找到的丰富多彩的习语的一个例子，它起源于古希腊，在古希腊南瓜被认为是一种反传统的食物- 春药。试着诱人地吃一个，你可能会明白为什么。
8. “To ride as a hare”
Language: Russian
Translation: Exatj zajcem
Meaning: To travel without a ticket
8、像野兔一样骑马
语言： 俄语
翻译：Exatj zajcem
含义： 无票旅行
Language: Russian
Translation: Exatj zajcem
Meaning: To travel without a ticket
8、像野兔一样骑马
语言： 俄语
翻译：Exatj zajcem
含义： 无票旅行
As home to the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia probably has quite a few train-related idioms. “To ride as a hare” means to ride the train without a ticket, as we all know hares are prone to do. Apparently it comes from the fact that fare-dodgers would shake like a hare whenever the ticket inspectors would come round.
作为横贯西伯利亚铁路的故乡，俄罗斯可能有不少与火车有关的成语。“像野兔一样骑马”是指不用车票就可以坐火车，我们都知道野兔很容易这样做。很显然，这是因为每当检票员来检票时，逃票者都会像兔子一样发抖。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
9. “To let a frog out of your mouth”
Language: Finnish
Translation: Päästää sammakko suusta
Meaning: To say the wrong thing
9、让青蛙从你嘴里出来
语言：芬兰语
翻译： Päästää sammakko suusta
意思：说错话
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Language: Finnish
Translation: Päästää sammakko suusta
Meaning: To say the wrong thing
9、让青蛙从你嘴里出来
语言：芬兰语
翻译： Päästää sammakko suusta
意思：说错话
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
Finnish idioms have a lovely tone to them, often referencing Mother Nature and their homeland. Having “rye in your wrists” means to be physically strong, for instance, while “own land strawberry, other land blueberry” reflects Finns’ love for the motherland. “Letting a frog out of your mouth” means to say the wrong thing, which makes sense, as spitting a frog at someone is almost always the wrong thing to do.
芬兰成语对他们来说有一个可爱的基调，经常提到大自然母亲和他们的家园。举个例子，“手腕上有黑麦”意味着身体强壮，而“own land strawberry, other land blueberry”（我们的土地长草莓，别人的土地长蓝莓?）则反映了芬兰人对祖国的热爱。“让青蛙从嘴里出来”的意思是说错话，这是有道理的，因为向某人吐青蛙几乎总是错的。
10. “To have a stick in your ear”
Language: Danish
Translation: At have en pind i øret
Meaning: To not listen to someone
10、把棍子插在耳朵里
语言： 丹麦语
翻译：At have en pind i øret
含义： 不听别人的话
Language: Danish
Translation: At have en pind i øret
Meaning: To not listen to someone
10、把棍子插在耳朵里
语言： 丹麦语
翻译：At have en pind i øret
含义： 不听别人的话
A lot of Danish idioms will sound familiar to us — “not the sharpest knife in the drawer,” for instance. But Danes would “go absolutely cucumber” at you if you were to “have a stick in your ear.” This means to not listen to someone, which can be a very bad thing to do to somebody with a strong Viking ancestry.
很多丹麦成语对我们来说都很熟悉，比如“不是抽屉里最锋利的刀”。但是如果你“耳朵里有根棍子”，丹麦人会对你说“绝对是黄瓜（绝对对你不利）”。这意味着不听别人的话，这对一个有着强大北欧血统的人来说是一件非常不好的事情。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处
评论翻译
无
很赞 2
收藏