VOA慢速英语2014 词汇典故: 走开，你别烦我!

Go Away! You're Buggin' Me! 走开，你别烦我!

Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故故事。

There are many American expressions about insects -- like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around in their homes, or hives. So you might say you were "as busy as a bee" if you spent your weekend cleaning your house.

美国有很多关于昆虫的俗语，例如像蜜蜂。蜜蜂被称为非常辛勤的工人。它们似乎一直都很忙，在它们的蜂房周围来回走动。所以如果你在周末忙着打扫你的屋子，你可以说你自己“像蜜蜂一样忙”。

In fact, you might say your house was a "beehive of activity" if your whole family was helping 2 you clean. You also might say you "made a beeline" for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always "makes a beeline" for the place where they sell popcorn 3.

事实上，如果全家人都在帮你打扫屋子，你就可以说“人人都在忙碌”。如果你直接马上到达某地，也可以说你“直奔过去”。当我们去看定影时，你的朋友总是“直奔”卖爆米花的地方。

Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the 1920s. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was "the bee's knees." Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!

虽然有一个关于蜜蜂的俗语，不像原来用的那样多了，但是不管怎样我们都喜欢它。我们认为这个表达，在1920年被第一次使用。如果有什么东西是同类中最好的，你可以说它是“最好的，一流的东西”。现在我们承认我们不知道这个俗语是如何发展而来的。事实上，我们都不知道蜜蜂是否有膝盖。

If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has "a bee in her bonnet 4." If someone asks you a personal question, you might say "that is none of your beeswax." This means none of your business.

如果你的朋友认为某件事对她很重要，就一直说不停，你可以说她“对那件事着了迷”。如果有人问了你一个很私人的问题，你可以说“不关你事”，意思就是与你无关。

Speaking of personal questions, there is an expression people sometimes use when their children ask "where do babies come from?" Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about "the birds and the bees."

谈到私人问题，有这样一个俗语，有时当孩子问“婴儿从哪里来”时，人们会用到它。父母谈论性和生育话题时，会说这是在谈论“基本的性知识”。

Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are "mad as a hornet." And if you "stir up a hornet's nest," you create trouble or problems.

大黄蜂看起来像蜜蜂，有时会攻击人。如果你很生气，你可以说你“气得暴跳如雷”。而且如果说你在“捅马蜂窝”，就是说你在制造麻烦，在闯祸。

Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have "butterflies in your stomach." That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have "ants in your pants" -- that is, to be restless and unable to sit still.

蝴蝶是很漂亮的昆虫，但是你不会想要“胃里有个蝴蝶”(做事前紧张)。这个意思是在表达对必须去做的事，感到很紧张，就像要在一大群人面前做演讲一样。你也不想“裤子里有蚂蚁”(坐立不安)，这个粟裕的意思是坐不住，坐立不安。

Here are some expressions about plain old bugs 5, another word for insects. If a friend keeps asking you to do something you do not want to do, you might ask him to leave you alone or "stop bugging 6 me." A friend also might tell you again and again to do something. If so, you might say he "put a bug 1 in your ear."

这里是关于bug的一些俗语，bug 是昆虫的另一个表达。如果你的一个朋友一直让你去做你不想做的事情，你可以跟他说:让我自己待会，或是“别来烦我”。朋友可能会再三要求你做某事，这样的话，你可以说他“让你心烦”。

If you were reading a book in your warm bed on a cold winter's day, you might say you were "snug 7 as a bug in a rug." And if you wish someone good night, you might say, "sleep tight -- don't let the bedbugs bite."

如果你在寒冷的冬天正趴在你温暖的床上读一本书，你可能会说“暖喝的像毯子里的小虫”(非常安逸舒适)。如果你希望某人睡个好觉，你可以说“睡个好觉，一夜好眠”。