英语PK台 第465期:英语中各类"颜色"俚语

 　　Dialogue 1

　　Jingjing: Hey, Mark, I forgot. Can you tell me one more time? Does the party start at 7:00 or 8:00?

　　京晶：嘿，马克，我又忘了派对几点开始了。你能再告诉我一次吗？7点还是8点？

　　Mark: Geez, do I have to tell you until I'm blue in the face? Look on the invitation letter, it's written in black and white. It says 7:00!

　　马克：天啊，我都告诉你多少遍了？看看你的邀请函，白纸黑字写着呢，7点！

　　Jingjing: Hey, black and white. Those are my two favorite colors.

　　京晶：嘿，黑色和白色。这是我最喜欢的两个颜色。

　　Mark: Okay... That was random¹...

　　马克：好吧……真会岔开话题。

　　Jingjing: Well...? What about you?

　　京晶：那你呢？

　　Mark: I've always been a fan of blue.

　　马克：我一直是蓝色的死忠粉。

　　Jingjing: Yeah? Well, that explains why you're so soft, compassionate², and caring.

　　京晶：是吗？那这就解释了为什么你如此温顺、富有同情心和爱心。

　　Mark: What do you mean?

　　马克：什么意思？

　　Jingjing: Well, I read somewhere that people who like blue like to be admired for their steady character and wisdom. They are faithful, but are often worriers with somewhat inflexible³ beliefs.

　　京晶：我读到过，说喜欢蓝色的人具有稳重的性格和智慧。他们很忠实，但往往因为坚定的信仰而忧心。

　　Mark: It's true. That describes me to a T.

　　马克：这倒是真的。一点儿不差。

　　Jingjing: They're very positive comments, you should be flattered!

　　京晶：这些都是非常积极的评价，你应该高兴！

　　Mark: I am. And I've got some more good words for you: Since you like black, it means you are dignified⁴ and impressive.

　　马克：我是很高兴。我还有一些好消息告诉你：你不是喜欢黑色吗，这意味着你很有尊严，而且令人印象深刻。

　　Jingjing: I don't just like black, you know. I said I liked black and white!

　　京晶：我不只是喜欢黑色，你知道的。

　　我说我喜欢黑色和白色！

　　Mark: Oh, that's right. Well, then this will make you jump for joy: white is symbolic⁵ of purity. Sometimes it indicates a desire for perfection, and sometimes it means a desire for simplicity⁶.

　　马克：哦，对了。那么你还是个快乐的人：白色象征纯洁。有时它表现在对完美的追求，有时也意味着对简单的向往。

　　Jingjing: Speaking of colors, I'm going to the beach now to get brown as a berry. I'll talk to you later.

　　京晶：说到颜色，我得去海边把自己晒黑点儿了。回头见。

　　Mark: Peace.

　　马克：回见。

　　New words: 习语短语

　　Do something until you're blue in the face.=做某事直到脸色发青，指很长一段时间尝试做一件事情却还是失败了。

　　black and white=白纸黑字，非常清楚

　　be a fan of something=是某事的粉丝，喜欢或欣赏某事

　　do something to a T=完全和彻底地做到了一些事情，通常用于记忆或了解某事

　　jump for joy=雀跃，开心得不得了

　　simplicity=[名词]简单

　　brown as a berry=晒得非常黑

　　Dialogue 2

　　Mark: You know, I was thinking about it. There's so many things that we say in the English language that are related to colors.

　　马克：我在想，英语里我们说的很多东西都与颜色相关。

　　Jingjing: Yeah? Like how you're the black sheep in your family?

　　京晶：是吗？比如你是你们家唯一的一只“黑羊”？

　　Mark: Haha, very funny. No, I mean like, when someone looks sick we can say they are blue around the gills.

　　马克：哈哈，很搞笑。我的意思是，比如有人生病了，我们可以说，他们脸色发“青”。

　　Jingjing: Yeah, or how about when someone is really angry, we can say they see red.

　　京晶：是啊，或者当有人特别生气时，我们可以说，他的脸都烧“红”了。

　　Mark: People who are really envious⁷ of others are green with envy.

　　马克：特别嫉妒别人的人可以说“嫉妒得发绿”。

　　Jingjing: And people who are good at gardening are said to have a green thumb.

　　京晶：擅长园艺的人可以说他们“有个绿拇指”。

　　Mark: Haha, I'm just tickled⁸ pink that there are so many sayings that have to do with color.

　　马克：哈哈，我觉得太好玩儿了，颜色有这么多种说法。

　　Jingjing: You know what? It's strange how the term "black and white" refers to very clear and specific details, yet gray area refers to things that are unclear and have no obvious answer.

　　京晶：不过奇怪的是，为什么 “黑与白”指的是非常明确和具体的细节，而灰色地带却是指不清楚不明白的事情呢。

　　Mark: And having a gray existence is to lead a dull, meaningless life.

　　马克：而且“灰色存在”还是指沉闷、毫无意义的生活。

　　Jingjing: Hey, I'm gonna take this golden opportunity right now to finish up my work. How about we catch up later?

　　京晶：嘿，我要抓住这个“黄金时机”来完成我的工作。要不我们下回再聊吧？

　　Mark: Sounds like a plan. Take care!

　　马克：好的，保重！

　　New words: 习语短语

　　black sheep=害群之马，说话做事和思考不按照社会普遍规定的人，非主流的人

　　blue around the gills=脸色发青，生病或身体不舒服

　　see red=生气

　　green with envy=非常嫉妒的

　　green thumb=绿拇指，指擅长园艺

　　tickled pink=笑得脸都粉扑扑的了，捧腹，觉得非常好玩或快乐

　　gray area=灰色区域，一件事不清楚，没有明确的答案

　　gray existence=沉闷的和无意义的生活

　　golden opportunity=黄金时机，千载难逢的机遇，不该错过的极好机会

1 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

2 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。

3 inflexible   

adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的

参考例句：

• Charles was a man of settled habits and inflexible routine.查尔斯是一个恪守习惯、生活规律不容打乱的人。
• The new plastic is completely inflexible.这种新塑料是完全不可弯曲的。

4 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

5 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

6 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

7 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

8 tickled   

（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐

参考例句：

• We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。
• I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。