Donny 在北京学汉语,他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。今天吴琼是要问的:人气。

Donny: Hi, Wuqiong, do you want to go to this concert with me?

WQ: 演唱会?让我看看是哪个歌星开的。哇! 这个人现在是人气天王! 我当然愿意跟你去啦。哎?人气在英文里怎么说?

Donny: 人气就是受欢迎的程度。So you can use the word “popularity”, p-o-p-u-l-a-r-i-t-y, popularity. 

WQ: popularity 就是人气。这个词就是 popular 的名词形式嘛。

Donny: Exactly. I’ve heard about this singer’s rising popularity. That’s why I want to go to his concert. 

WQ: 演唱会的表演嘉宾,guest stars,都有谁?

Donny: Well, here’s the guest star list. Most of them are popular too, but who’s this person on the bottom of the list? 我怎么没听说过。 

WQ: 让我看看,让我看看。哦,这个女明星几年前很红,可后来过气了。

Donny: No wonder I’ve never heard about her. She’s a has-been. The word “has-been” means someone who is no longer popular.

WQ: has-been? has 和 been放一起就是过气的人,过时的东西。This guest star used to be famous and popular, but now she’s just a has-been. 

Donny: 对。

WQ:这么说,她可能想借着当嘉宾的机会重新走红喽?

Donny: That’s possible. This concert will be a good opportunity for her to stage a comeback.

WQ: comeback, c-o-m-e-b-a-c-k, comeback 就是东山再起,咸鱼翻身的意思吧?If this singer makes a comeback, she will regain her popularity!

Donny: Exactly. Now let’s see what you’ve learned today!

WQ: 第一:人气叫 popularity; 第二:过气、过时的人或物是 a has-been; 第三:东山再起是 a comeback.