摘 要:由顏色詞形成的英語(yǔ)習(xí)語(yǔ)豐富多彩,用法眾多,內(nèi)涵深刻,帶有濃厚的西方文化色彩。因此,能夠正確理解和使用這些習(xí)語(yǔ),對(duì)于理解文化差異和有效溝通交流大有裨益。
關(guān)鍵詞:顏色;習(xí)語(yǔ);文化
“赤橙黃綠青藍(lán)紫,誰(shuí)持彩練當(dāng)空舞?!蔽覀?cè)谟⒄Z(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)中經(jīng)常遇到一些由顏色詞形成的習(xí)語(yǔ),這些“五顏六色”的英語(yǔ)習(xí)語(yǔ)形象鮮明,內(nèi)涵深刻,帶有濃厚的西方文化色彩。因此,能夠正確理解和使用這些習(xí)語(yǔ),有利于理解中西文化差異并進(jìn)行有效溝通交流。
一、red:常表示喜慶、歡樂(lè)、惱怒、暴力、害羞等情感
1.The president was treated to the red carpet in Rome.
總統(tǒng)在羅馬受到了隆重的接待。
2.It was a red-letter day in the history of Chinese revolution.
這是中國(guó)革命史上值得紀(jì)念的日子。
3.A thief was caught red-handed in the act of breaking open a lock.
一個(gè)竊賊在砸開(kāi)鎖時(shí)被當(dāng)場(chǎng)抓獲。
4.When he started criticizing my work,l really saw red.
當(dāng)他批評(píng)我的工作時(shí),我就冒火、發(fā)脾氣。
5.I always seem to be in the red.
我似乎總是欠債。
二、white:英美民族通常把白色看成一種神圣、純潔、幸運(yùn)、善意的顏色,有時(shí)形容心理情感的變化
1.Though you’ve told a white lie,lie is a lie.
盡管你說(shuō)了一個(gè)善意的謊言,但謊言就是謊言。
2.They choose a white day for their engagement.
他們選擇吉日訂婚。
3.I'll never buy a car,for it's only a white elephant to me.
我決不買汽車,因?yàn)樗鼘?duì)我只會(huì)是一個(gè)累贅。
4.She was watching a horror film and went white as a sheet.
她在看恐怖片,臉嚇白了。
三、green:生命之色、青春之色,還用來(lái)表示沒(méi)有經(jīng)驗(yàn)、嫉妒等意思
1.The couple are really having an old green age.
這兩口子真可謂老當(dāng)益壯,精力充沛。
2.lf you want to be a successful gardener,of course you've got to have green fingers.
假如你想當(dāng)個(gè)稱職的園工,那你就得有園藝技能。
3.She is a green hand in teaching English.
在英語(yǔ)教學(xué)中,她是個(gè)生手。
4.I was green with envy when I heard she was going to London for a month while I had to stay here and work.
聽(tīng)說(shuō)她要去倫敦一個(gè)月而我卻留在這工作,我很嫉妒。
四、black:表邪惡、沮喪、恥辱等意思
1.I have been very careful about spending money lately,so now my account is in the black.
最近我用錢很仔細(xì),所以銀行賬戶有存款了。
2.He went black in the face when I told him I had crashed his car.
我告訴他我把他車子毀了時(shí)他滿臉怒氣。
3.The black dog is over him.
他意志消沉。
4.Next time l see him,l'll give him a black eye.
下次我見(jiàn)到他一定打他一頓。
5.Everybody may have a black letter day,I think.
我覺(jué)得每個(gè)人都會(huì)碰到倒霉的一天。
五、blue:代表高貴地位、有才氣,或憂郁、下流、不道德
1.He is proud of his blue blood.
他因出身名門貴族而驕傲。
2.I woke up feeling blue.
我醒來(lái)就心情不好。
3.True blue will never stain.
真金不怕火煉。
4.She gave him a dirty look when he told the blue joke.
他說(shuō)完這個(gè)黃色笑話以后,她露出一副厭惡的表情。
六、pink:在西方文化中,粉紅色象征健康、快樂(lè)、上流、女性等
1.Today I sure feel in the pink!I had a good night's sleep,a walk in the fresh air this morning,a good breakfast,and I feel like I can get a whole lot accomplished today!
今天我感覺(jué)精力充沛!我昨晚睡了個(gè)好覺(jué),一早又在清晨的新鮮空氣里散了步,好好吃了頓早餐,所以我覺(jué)得自己今天能完成好多工作。
2.I’m tickled pink to hear that Bob's asked Susan to marry him.
聽(tīng)到鮑勃向蘇珊求婚的消息我感到萬(wàn)分高興。
七、purple:含有高貴、運(yùn)氣的意思
1.From a very early age the princess was aware that she was born in the purple.
公主在年紀(jì)很小時(shí)就已經(jīng)知道自己出身顯貴。
2.He was enjoying a purple patch and scored 11 goals in 14 games.
他正福星高照,14場(chǎng)比賽進(jìn)了11球。
八、grey:有消極、保守、黯淡、衰落之意
1.The tested results show that the new medicine used to fight Aids has grey prospects.
檢驗(yàn)結(jié)果表明:這種抗艾滋病新藥前景暗淡。
2.Jo was the first to wake in the grey dawn of Christmas morning.
圣誕節(jié)一早,天剛蒙蒙亮,喬便第一個(gè)醒來(lái)。