身体部位的习惯用语:从 head 到 toe 的英语成语
英语里有个有趣的现象:日常对话中处处是身体部位,但字面意思和实际含义差了十万八千里。give a hand 不是"给一只手",play it by ear 不是"用耳朵玩"。掌握这些成语,你的英语会瞬间地道十倍。和最容易用错的近义词不同,身体成语的关键不是辨析,而是直接记住搭配。
头部 — head, face, eye, ear, mouth
keep an eye on
盯着、照看——最常用的口语成语之一。不是真的把眼睛放上去。
Could you keep an eye on my bag?
帮我看一下包?(不是"放一只眼睛在包上")
see eye to eye
看法一致——两个人的眼睛对上 = 达成共识。
We don't always see eye to eye on politics.
我们在政治方面不是总能达成共识。
turn a blind eye
假装没看见、视而不见——故意不去看。
The boss turned a blind eye to his lateness.
老板对他的迟到装作没看见。
keep your chin up
别气馁、振作点——下巴抬起来 = 保持士气。
Keep your chin up, things will get better.
打起精神来,一切都会好起来的。
play it by ear
见机行事、看情况——源自乐手不看谱直接凭耳朵弹。
I'm not sure what time we'll finish. Let's just play it by ear.
不确定什么时候能结束,看情况吧。
all ears
洗耳恭听——注意力全在耳朵上。
You said you had news? I'm all ears.
你说有消息?我洗耳恭听。
by word of mouth
口口相传——靠嘴巴传递信息。
The restaurant became popular by word of mouth.
这家餐厅靠口口相传火起来的。
上半身 — shoulder, arm, elbow, back
give someone the cold shoulder
冷落、不理睬——把冷肩膀甩给人家。
Ever since the argument, she's been giving me the cold shoulder.
自从那次争论之后,她一直冷落我。
give someone a hand
帮忙、搭把手——不是"给一只手",而是"伸出援手"。
Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
能帮我搬这些箱子吗?
twist someone's arm
强迫、说服——拧胳膊 = 施加压力。但实际语气常是半开玩笑的。
OK, you've twisted my arm. I'll come along.
好吧,你非拉我去,那我就去。
elbow grease
体力活、苦劳——纯粹靠胳膊肘使劲儿。
It doesn't need money, just good old elbow grease.
不需要花钱,就是要下苦功夫。
have someone's back
支持、挺某人——"我背后有你" = 我挺你。
Don't worry, I have your back.
别担心,我挺你。
stab someone in the back
背后捅刀子、背叛——have someone's back 的反面。
I thought he was my friend, but he stabbed me in the back.
我当他是朋友,他却在背后捅我一刀。
手脚 — hand, finger, foot, leg
get out of hand
失控——事情从手里溜出去了。
The party got out of hand after midnight.
午夜之后派对就失控了。
on the other hand
另一方面——争论中的另一只手。
It's expensive. On the other hand, the quality is excellent.
是很贵。但另一方面,质量极好。
put your finger on
准确指出——手指准确点到问题所在。
Something feels off, but I can't put my finger on it.
总觉得哪里不对,但又说不上来。
cost an arm and a leg
贵得离谱——要付出一只胳膊和一条腿的代价。
The new iPhone costs an arm and a leg.
新 iPhone 贵得离谱。
put your foot down
坚决反对、立规矩——把脚踩下去 = 表明立场。
I had to put my foot down when the kids asked for a third ice cream.
孩子们要第三个冰淇淋的时候,我必须严词拒绝。
pull someone's leg
开玩笑、逗某人——不是拉腿!是开玩笑。
Don't worry, I'm just pulling your leg.
别当真,我逗你的。
全身/其他 — head, heart, stomach
off the top of your head
不假思索、随口说——直接从头顶冒出来。
Off the top of my head, I'd say about 50 people came.
我随口估计,大概来了50人。
break a leg
祝好运(演出前)——最反直觉的一个。不说"good luck"而说"摔断腿",源自戏剧圈迷信。
You're on stage in five minutes. Break a leg!
五分钟后就上台了,祝你演出成功!
learn by heart
记住、背下来——学到心里去了。
I've learned the speech by heart.
我把演讲稿背熟了。
have butterflies in your stomach
紧张得胃里翻腾——胃里有蝴蝶在飞。
I always have butterflies in my stomach before a presentation.
我每次上台前都紧张得胃里翻腾。
速记口诀
Keep an eye, lend a hand, play by ear — all heart.
眼睛盯着(关注),手伸出来(帮忙),耳朵听着(见机行事),一切走心(真诚)。
这二十几个成语在英语日常对话中出现频率极高。和高频动词短语搭配使用效果更好——两者都是"每个词都认识但放一起就不懂了"的类型。