「nine-nine table」不是「99張桌子」,真正的意思差遠啦!

2020-09-12   恆星英語學習網

原標題:「nine-nine table」不是「99張桌子」,真正的意思差遠啦!

在中國,9是一個比較吉利的數字,它寓意著最多和無數,也被當作是代表長久的數字。但是在西方,有人說9不是很吉利的數字,所以蘋果沒有iPhone 9。當然,這也只是一種開玩笑的說法。今天,小編就來和大家說一說和9有關的英語表達。

先來看看「nine-nine table 」,它不是9人桌也不是99張桌子。實際上,這個短語和數學有關係,它是我們每個人小時候都接觸過的「九九乘法表」。

乘法表」還可以用「times table」來表示,正式的說法是「multiplication table」。

multiplication table: one of a group of tables giving the results of multiplying two numbers together

一組給出兩個數字相乘結果的表

英語裡面還有很多和9有關的俚語表達。

nine to five 朝九晚五的

a nine-to-five routine

朝九晚五工作制

She's tired of working nine to five.

她厭倦了朝九晚五的工作。

be a nine days' wonder 是曇花一現的新鮮事物,是轟動一時的事物

英文釋義:to be a cause of great excitement or interest for a short time but then quickly forgotten

The band's biggest fear was becoming a nine-day wonder, soon to be forgotten when the next big sound hit the airwaves.

樂隊最害怕的就是曇花一現,當有新的音樂出現在電視廣播的時候,很快就會被遺忘。

done/dressed (up) to the nines 衣飾華麗,身著盛裝

英文釋義:wearing very stylish and fashionable clothes, often for a particular purpose or occasion

The doorbell rang and there was Chris, all dressed up to the nines.

門鈴一響,衣著華麗的克里絲來了。

the whole nine yards

這個表達在美語中更常見,它的英文釋義和中文意思如下:

everything you can possibly want, have, or do in a particular situation

(在特定情形下)能夠想要的;能夠擁有的;能夠做到的(任何東西)

When I was little, my family always had lots of pets - dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, rabbits - the whole nine yards.

我小時候家裡總是有許多寵物:狗、貓、倉鼠、魚、兔子,應有盡有。

The weather was terrible but I wanted to go the whole nine yards and get to the top of the mountain.

天氣糟透了,但我還是想咬咬牙一路登上山頂。

nine times out of ten 十有八九,幾乎總是

Nine times out of ten, you can fix it.

你十有八九能夠修好它。

「nine times out of ten」還可以寫成「ninety-nine times out of a hundred」,是同樣的意思。

nineteen/ten to the dozen 說話快,喋喋不休

英文釋義:If you are talking nineteen/ten to the dozen, you are talking very quickly and without stopping.

My aunt can get talking nineteen to the dozen if you get her on a topic she's passionate about.

如果你讓我姑姑談論她熱衷的話題,她就會滔滔不絕。

「table」作為名詞最常見的意思是「桌子、台子、餐桌」和「表,表格」。除此之外,它還可以作動詞,有以下兩種意思:

把...提交討論

An amendment to the proposal was tabled by Mrs James.

該項提案的修正案是詹姆斯夫人提交討論的。

擱置,暫緩審議

The suggestion was tabled for discussion at a later date.

這一提議被留待日後討論。

on the table (計劃、建議等)被提交討論中,正式提交考慮

Her new offer is on the table.

她的新提議正在討論中。

under the table 在背地裡,在私下

They offered him money under the table to change his mind.

他們私下賄賂他,讓他改變主意。