和十二生肖有關的趣味習慣用語趣談

習語是約定俗成、習慣通用的特殊語言，其形式簡潔生動，與眾不同，折射出民族文化的特色。「生肖」是中國文化特有的表達人出生年份的方式，在英語中也有以十二生肖中的動物構成的習語，甚有趣味，與您共賞。


[B]Rat[/B]

smell a rat   覺得可疑
I [U]smelt a rat [/U] when he started being so helpful!

the rat race    激烈的競爭
Living in a big city is one big [U]rat race[/U].

play cat and mouse with sb. 欲擒故縱，(像貓抓耗子似地)欺負(折磨、虐待)某人
The policeman decided to [U]play cat and mouse [/U] when he saw the woman steal the dress in the store.


[B]Ox[/B]

a bull in a china shop  經常闖禍的人，笨手笨腳的人
He『s like [U]a bull in a china shop[/U], always knocking things over.

take the bull by the horns  不畏艱險
You can『t just sit back in a situation like this. You should take the [U]bull by the horns.[/U]

like a red rag to a bull  使憤怒
Any statement against the government is [U]like a red rag to a bull [/U] to that minister.

till the cows come home  永遠地，無限期地
If you『re waiting for him to pay you, you『ll wait [U]till the cows come home[/U]!

kill the fatted calf  熱情款待，設宴歡迎
He welcomed me at home by [U]killing the fatted calf[/U]


[B]Tiger [/B]

paper tiger  貌似強大而實質虛弱的敵人
As long as we are not  of this kind of threat, [U]the paper tiger[/U]『s true face will come out in the wash.


[B]Hare[/B]

hunt with the hounds and run with the hare    同時支持相對立的兩派, 腳踩兩隻船
Which team are you going to support? Make up your mind now. You can『t [U]hunt with the hounds and run with the hare[/U]



[B]Dragon [/B]

sow (the) dragon『s teeth挑起糾紛或引起爭端
Wherever he went, he [U]sowed (the) dragon『s teeth [/U] by preaching racial segregation.


[B]Snake[/B]
a snake in the grass潛伏的危險或敵人，陰險而偽善的朋友
How could I ever trust that [U]snake in the grass[/U]?

[B]Horse [/B]
hold your horses 忍耐，剋制，別急躁
Don『t get so angry. Just [U]hold your horses [/U] and find the appropriate solution


put the cart before the horse 本末倒置
Surely you『re [U]putting the cart before the horse[/U] by buying all this furniture before you『ve got the house.


flog a dead horse徒勞，浪費精力
You『ll just be [U]flogging a dead horse [/U] if you try to make her change her mind about it.


high horse自大，盛氣凌人
When the president visited his hometown in the remote village, he rode the [U]high horse[/U] among the local people.


[B]Sheep[/B]

a wolf in sheep『s clothing披著羊皮的狼，偽裝善良的壞人
Mrs. Martin trusted the lawyer until she realized that he was a [U]wolf in sheep『s[/U] clothing.


as well be hanged for a sheep as (for) a lamb一不做，二不休；索性蠻幹
Dad said I was to be home from the dance by eleven o『clock, but I enjoyed myself so much that it was midnight before I realized it, so I thought I might [U]as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb [/U] and stopped on till the end.


a black sheep害群之馬，敗家子
Every privileged class tries at first to whitewash its [U]black sheep[/U]; if they prove incorrigible, they『re kicked out.



[B]Monkey [/B]

monkey about / around胡鬧，惡作劇
The boys were [U]monkeying about [/U] in the playground, and one of them
got hurt.


monkey with胡亂折騰，瞎擺弄
You『ll break the TV if you don『t stop [U]monkeying about with [/U] it.


get (have) one『s monkey up生氣，發脾氣
Don『t [U]get your monkey up [/U] for nothing.


[B]Cock [/B]

cock one『s snook (snoot) to (at) sb. 瞧不起某人
The artist [U]cocked a snook [/U] at the critics by exhibiting an empty
frame.


cock up把……弄糟
They completely [U]cocked up [/U] the arrangements for our holiday.


[B]Dog [/B]

a dog in the manger占著茅坑不拉屎的人，自私自利的人
[U]Don『t be such a dog in the manger.[/U] Lend your bicycle to him since you will not go out this afternoon.


top dog處於支配地位
Brazil can well be said to be the [U]top dog [/U] in the soccer circles of the world.


lead a dog『s life過困苦的生活
Many new immigrants in the U.S. initially endure a [U]dog『s life[/U].


put on the dog炫耀，擺闊；竭力表現自己，似乎自己非常重要，而事實並非如此
They [U]put on the dog[/U] in front of their guests, but the guests were not impressed.


[B]Pig[/B]
pigs might fly無稽之談，奇迹可能會發生
「The management might offer us a decent pay rise.」 「[U]Pigs might fly[/U]！」


buy a pig in a poke(未見實物而)亂買東西(吃了虧)
You『ll have to show me the car; I don『t intend to [U]buy a pig in a poke[/U].