Jessica在北京学中文,她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词,就会来请教她。今天是吴琼要问的:暴露。
WQ: Jessica, 明天我要去面试,得好好打扮打扮,你帮我参谋参谋?
Jessica:没问题!Show me what you’ve got.
WQ: 你看这件连衣裙,我穿上挺漂亮的,不过,似乎有点太露了。对了,这个衣着暴露在美语里要怎么说呢?
Jessica: You can say this address is showing too much skin.
WQ: Showing too much skin? 我明白了,就是露得太多。
Jessica: Exactly. You can also say someone is scantily clad. Scantily is spelt S-C-A-N-T-I-L-Y, 意思是少,不够;clad is spelt C-L-A-D, 意思是穿衣服。
WQ: 哦!那把两个词放在一起就是穿得不够,衣着暴露的意思喽!对了,Jessica, 如果说天冷的时候穿得太少太薄,是不是也可以用scantily clad 呢?
Jessica: Yes! For example, you can say girls who are scantily clad when they go out in the cold weather are at higher risk of getting sick.
WQ: 你是说,大冷天穿得特别少出门的女孩子更容易感冒。那当然!不过做女生就是这么辛苦,为了漂亮只能忍着。
Jessica: 其实也不用这么辛苦。I know girls want to be pretty, but we don’t have to be dressed to kill everyday. Right?
WQ: Dressed to kill? 要杀人??
Jessica: No! “Dressed to kill” means wearing fancy or formal clothing. 比如说,I was dressed to kill for my interview.
WQ: 哦,我明白了! Dressed to kill 就是着装正式、抢眼。哎?你看这条西服裙行不行?It’s not showing too much skin.
Jessica: I like this pencil skirt! It’s perfect for the interview.
WQ: 原来西服裙叫pencil skirt – 像铅笔一样直直的裙子!好吧, Let me put on this pencil skirt and this shirt. 看看效果如何!
Jessica: (Pause) Hmm! WQ, now you’re dressed to kill!
现在看看你今天都学了什么吧!
WQ: 第一,形容衣着暴露,可以用scantily clad, 或者 show too much skin;
第二,穿得正式、抢眼,是dressed to kill;
第三,西服裙是pencil skirt!