什么是概念隐喻? 面对许多抽象的概念，如时间、感情、知识、美、痛苦等等，人们常会用较具体的东西来形容、思考，在语言上就会看到很多隐喻。在日常英文中，就可以看到许多例子。
以 “Time is money.” 为例，在英文中我们会用”waste” (浪费)、”lose” (失去)、”invest” (投资)、”save” (省)、”profit” (利润)等字汇去描述时间，如: “You are wasting my time!”(你在浪费我的时间!)、”I lost a lot of time when I got sick.” (我生病的时候失去不少时间)、”I’ve invested a lot of time in her.” (我在她身上花了很多时间)、”This gadget will save you hours.” (这个小工具能帮你省下好几小时)、”You didn’t use your time profitably.” (你没好好利用你的时间)
有些隐喻是中文也有的，但有些则牵涉到文化背景，为英文特有，我们讲中文的人比较难记住。
了解概念隐喻，能帮你加深印象，更快掌握各种词汇的使用，用出更漂亮的英文！
以下介绍4大类常见的概念隐喻，让你用新的整理方式学英文：
1. Emotional Effect is Physical Contact
在英文中，关于感情的抽象叙述，都会比喻为肢体上的接触，在动词上可以看到一些明显的例子:
His mother’s death hit him hard. (他母亲的死讯带给他巨大的冲击)
I was touched by his sincerity. (他的真诚让我十分感动)
Her performance blew me away. (她的演出十分惊艳)
形容一个演讲、旅程、一本书等非常的impressive 时，也可以用”Mind-blowing“来形容：
“The special effects in this film are pretty mind-blowing.” (这部电影的特效真的很棒)
“a knockout” 可以指在拳击比赛时，让对方倒地的那一拳；但它同样可以用来形容一位女生非常性感、有魅力:
Guy1: Wow check her out! (哇，看哪)
Guy2: Yep, she’s a knockout all right. (没错，她是个大正妹)
2. Ideas are Food
知识、想法、概念等等常常被比喻成食物，在用字上就可看出端睨，例如：
“There are too many facts for me to digest them all.” (资讯太多了，我来不及消化)
“This plan is half-baked.” (这个计画还未成熟)
“Let me chew it over for a while” (让我想一下)
“Today’s lecture gave me a lot of food for thought.” (今天的演讲带给我很多值得深思的议题)
“Be hungry/thirst for knowledge.” (保有求知欲)
“I just can’t swallow that claim. ” (我就是无法理解那个说词)
“She feeds the reporters with false information.” (她提供给记者假的资讯)
“What he said left a bad taste in my mouth.” (他说的话我不同意, a bad taste in the mouth:”a feeling that something is false or unfair, a feeling of ill will”)
3. Love/Life is a Journy
在英文中，爱情或人生常会被比喻成一段旅程，这个概念在中文中其实也存在，例如:
“We’re at a crossroads.” (我们正处于人生的十字路口)
“Our marriage is on the rocks.” (我们的婚姻触礁)
“He’s gotten off the track.” (他偏离正轨)
“I don’t think this relationship is going anywhere.” (这段感情走不远)
“A dead end street is a good place to turn around” (死路就是最好的转机)
“If you are facing in the right direction, all you need to do is keep on walking. ” (如果你面朝对的方向，你要做的就是继续走下去)
4. Up and Down
在英文中用上、下来表达的概念有很多，最常见的是: happy is up, sad is down: “I’m feeling high spirit.”、”Thinking about her always gives me a lift.“、”My spirits sank.”，另外像是地位高低、道德与否、理性vs感性、好vs坏、意识vs无意识也都是同样的概念，这些譬喻大部分都很直观，用图片和画面来想就非常容易啰！举几个大家可能较不熟悉的例子:
“He drooped off to sleep.” (他睡着了)
“She’s at the peak of her career.” (她达到事业巅峰)
“The up-and-coming events are listed on the paper.” (forseeable future events are up and ahead, 接下来的活动都列在纸上)
“Things are looking up.” (事情渐有起色)
“That was a low trick.” (那真是个低级的把戏)
“The discussion fell to the emotional level, but I raised it back up to the rational plane.” (讨论陷入感情用事的层次，我把它拉回到理性层次)
