013: 赘肉

Jessica 在北京学汉语，她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教她。今天是于苗要问的：赘肉。

Jessica: 于苗! You look so cute in this red dress!

YM: 真的么？难道你不觉得这件连衣裙有点瘦么？

Jessica: Ah....it's....a little tight. Just a little!

YM: 唉，我去年买这条裙子的时候，穿着还有点肥呢，今年居然紧成这样，看来我这赘肉真是没少长啊! 

Jessica: Don't be upset, Yumiao. You may have a little extra meat on your bones, but trust me, you still look good!

YM: extra meat on my bones？骨头上有多余的肉？这在中文里就叫"赘肉"。唉，I really want this "extra meat" gone! 尤其是这腰上的赘肉，真是讨厌的“救生圈”啊!

Jessica: I know! No one wants that "spare tire". It's our worst enemy! 

YM: spare, s-p-a-r-e, spare; tire, t-i-r-e, tire, spare tire 不是指“备用轮胎”么？原来，中国人把腰上的一圈赘肉比喻成“救生圈”，美国人则把它比成“spare tire”备用胎。

Jessica: That's right! We also call the extra fat around your waist line "love handles". 

YM: 腰上的赘肉还可以叫 love handles？ love 爱情；handle, h-a-n-d-l-e, handle 把手。这肥肉也能跟爱情挂上钩吗？

Jessica: Well, think about it. When your boyfriend wraps his arms around you, he can hold on to these like handles?!

YM: 啊？太可怕了。我可不想要 love handles. I'm going to the gym, starting TODAY! 

Jessica: Well, before you go, tell me what you've learned today!

YM: 第一“赘肉”在美语里叫 extra meat on the bones; 第二，形容腰上的赘肉，可以说 spare tire; 第三，腰间肥肉的另外一种说法是 love handles.