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,就会来请教他。今天是吴琼要问的:宅男宅女。
Jessica: Wuqiong, 听说你表妹从上海来看你了,怎么样, Are you two getting along?
wq: 唉,她哪是来看我。整天待在家里,根本不理我,每天就知道上网,看电视,也不出去玩儿。标准的宅女! 像这种特别“宅”的人,在美语里叫什么?
Jessica: I think you can call them "homebodies". A homebody is a person who prefers to stay at home and seldom goes out.
wq: homebody? home 就是家的意思,body 是身体,两个词连在一起—身体长在家里了,就是homebody! 宅男宅女! My cousin is totally a homebody! 哈哈,我回家要告诉她这句话!
Jessica: Well, you can also call her a "shut-in". s-h-u-t, shut; i-n, in--shut-in.
wq: 哦,shut-in 也是指不愿意出门和别人交往的宅男宅女! 我要告诉我表妹,Don't be a shut-in! Go out and get some fresh air!
Jessica: 对! 让她出去转转,不然,Her brain will rot if she stays home and stares at a screen all the time!
wq: 啊?r-o-t, rot 不是腐烂么?Her brain will rot 就是“她脑子要发霉”的意思吧?
Jessica: That's right! Being a couch potato isn't healthy.
wq: 没错。couch potato, 沙发土豆,就是一天到晚赖在沙发上看电视的人。每天不运动,变得圆滚滚的,跟个potato--大土豆一样!
Jessica: I'm sure your cousin doesn't wan to look like a potato! Now, tell me what you've learned today!
wq: 第一,宅男宅女叫 homebody, 或者 shut-in; 第二,一天到晚坐在沙发上看电视的人叫 couch potato;
第三,说脑子要发霉了,就是Your brain will rot!