词汇掌故：关于昆虫的美式表达

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。

There are many American expressions about insects -- like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around in their homes, or hives. So you might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house.
美式英语中有许多关于昆虫的表达，例如说蜜蜂。蜜蜂被认为是一种勤劳的昆虫。它们总是显得非常忙碌，在蜂箱附近飞来飞去。如果你周末打扫了自己的房子，你可以说，你忙得不可开交（as busy as a bee）。

In fact, you might say your house was a beehive of activity if your whole family was helping you clean. You also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn.
事实上，如果全家在帮助你打扫房子，你可以说，你的房子是一个忙碌的蜂箱（a beehive of activity）。如果你直接会某个地方，你可以说，你径直（made a beeline）做某事。

Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the nineteen twenties. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bee's knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!
以下是一个已经不常被用到的关于蜜蜂的表达，但无论如何我们喜欢这个表达。我们认为它的首次应用是在上世纪二十年代。如果某物是同类中最好的，你可以说，它是出类拔萃的（the bee's knees）。我们现在承认自己不知道这个表达如何出现的，事实上我们甚至不知道蜜蜂是否有膝盖。

If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet. If someone asks you a personal question, you might say "that is none of your beeswax." This means none of your business.
如果你的朋友无法停止谈论一些东西，因为她认为它是非常重要的。你可以说，她脑子里有怪念头（a bee in one's bonnet）。如果有人问你一个私人问题，你可以说，不关你的事（that is none of your beeswax）。

Speaking of personal questions, there is an expression people sometimes use when their children ask, "where do babies come from?" Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about the birds and the bees.
谈到私人问题，有一个父母有时在孩子提问时用到的表达。孩子问“婴儿从哪里来的？”讨论性和生殖的父母会说，这有关两性的基本常识（the birds and the bees）。

Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are mad as a hornet. And if you stir up a hornet's nest, you create trouble or problems.
黄蜂是一种类似蜜蜂的昆虫，有时会攻击人类。如果你真的生气了，你可以说，你非常愤怒（mad as a hornet）。如果你捅了马蜂窝（Stir up a hornet's nest），就是说你惹了麻烦。

Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have butterflies in your stomach. That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have ants in your pants. That is, to be restless and unable to sit still.
蝴蝶是一种美丽的昆虫，但你不会希望have butterflies in your stomach，这意味着做某事时非常紧张，像在人群面前发言。你也不会希望 ants in your pants，它的意思是说坐立不安。

Here are some expressions about plain old bugs, another word for insects. If a friend keeps asking you to do something you do not want to do, you might ask him to leave you alone or "stop bugging me." A friend also might tell you again and again to do something. If so, you might say he put a bug in your ear.
以下有一些关于plain old bugs的短语。plain old bugs是昆虫的另一种说法。如果你朋友一直让你做你不想做的事情，你可能会要求他，让我一个人呆会，别烦我（stop bugging me）。朋友还可能一再告诉你做某事，如果这样，你可以说他提醒了我（put a bug in your ear）。

If you were reading a book in your warm bed on a cold winter's day, you might say you were snug as a bug in a rug. And if you wish someone good night, you might say, "sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite."
如果寒冬的一天，你正在温暖的被窝里看书，你可以说，你非常舒适（ snug as a bug in a rug）。如果你祝某人晚安，你可以说，睡个好觉（sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite.）

as busy as a bee：忙得不可开交,像蜜蜂一样忙碌

a beehive of activity：忙碌的蜂窝

made a beeline： 径直

the bee's knees：杰出，出类拔萃

sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite."
tight作副词表“紧紧地”，bug指“小虫”，“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.”面指“睡得紧紧地，别被床上的虫子咬到。”由于古时候床铺是用绳子（rope）搭成，须把绳子绑紧才能睡得安稳，因此sleep tight指“睡得香甜”。tight也有“安稳地（soundly）”、“酣然地”之意，故 sleep tight即指“睡得好”。从前的确有小虫子会趁人在睡觉时爬到床上去咬人，吸人血，因此这说法即“祝人一夜好眠”，不会被小虫咬之意。
(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)