只聽樓梯響,不見人下來;雷聲大,雨點小

英文:All sizzle and no steak (idiom)

說明:必須注意的是,並非所有使用 all sizzle and no steak 的地方都可以用「只聽樓梯響,不見人下來;雷聲大,雨點小」來翻譯。這個慣用語的字面意思為「只有煎牛排的滋滋聲卻沒有牛排」,相當於宣傳或吹捧得天花亂墜或說得很好聽,但實際上卻不是這麼回事或者實際上卻沒有任何作為或行動,因而比喻為「言過其實;名不符實;只聽樓梯響,不見人下來;雷聲大,雨點小」等意思。

All sizzle and no steak 此一慣用語來自有世界最偉大推銷員之稱的美國人艾爾默‧惠勒 (Elmer Wheeler) 1937 年所寫的一本有關推銷術的書《Tested Sentences that Sell》。書中有句話說:”Don’t sell the steak – sell the sizzle”。
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只是讓你知道一下;順便告訴你

英文:just so you know (phr.)

說明:Just so you know 的意思相當於 just to let you know。這個片語可以放在句首或句尾,搭配要告知對方的事情。

例句:

  • He’ll take a day off tomorrow to act as a best man, just so you know. (只是讓你知道一下,他明天要請一天假去當伴郎)
  • Hey, just so you know, the boss is in a really foul mood today. (嗨,順便告訴你,老闆今天的心情很差)

半開玩笑

英文:half-joking/half-jokingly (adj./adv.)

說明:副詞 half-jokingly 比形容詞 half-joking 來得常見許多。

例句:

  • They seem to be only half-joking when they say he should run for president in 2020. (當他們說他 2020 年應該競選總統時,他們似乎只是半開玩笑的)
  • She suggested half-jokingly that we should sell our house and move to the suburbs. (她半開玩笑地建議我們賣掉房子搬到郊區去)
  • Half-jokingly, half-seriously, Hill told me that he would divorce his wife at the age of 70. (半開玩笑、半認真地,希爾告訴我他七十歲時要跟他太太離婚)

民粹

英文:populism (n.)

說明:民粹 (民粹主義) 原本是一種代表一般民眾 (人民) 利益的政治,即平民主義,但在大約 1960 年代之後逐漸通俗、媚俗、粗俗化,成為不肖政客訴諸民眾偏見的政治策略及操弄民眾情緒的工具。
- populist (n., adj.):民粹主義者;民粹主義的/民粹主義者的
- populistic (adj.):民粹的,民粹主義的

例句:

  • The government’s ideas are simple populism – tax cuts and higher wages. (政府的構想全然是民粹 - 減稅及加薪)
  • The minister accused some legislators of fanning populism. (這位部長指責一些立法委員操弄民粹)

北港香爐

英文:town bicycle (n.)

說明:亦稱為 village bicycle。話說以前國外有些偏僻鄉村,整個村子就只有一部腳踏車,村民都是騎著這輛腳踏車去辦事;總之,每個人都騎過這部腳踏車。這樣的腳踏車,英文就叫做 town bicycle 或 village bicycle,後來這片語就被引伸為專指雜交、濫交、人盡可夫的女人,與 promiscuous woman, slut (蕩婦;淫婦) 同義。

例句:

  • She’s like the town bicycle. Everyone has had a ride. (她像北港香爐。每個人都插過了)
  • That woman is such a town bicycle. (那個女人真是個北港香爐)
    Yeah everyone gets a ride! (是啊,人人插)

正經事;不是開玩笑的事

英文:no laughing matter (n.)

說明:這慣用語通常與 BE 動詞連用,放在 BE 動詞之後。

例句:

  • Be serious! This is no laughing matter. (別開玩笑了! 這是正經事)
  • Think twice before you adopt that Chihuahua. Taking care of a pet is no laughing matter. (你養那隻吉娃娃之前要想好哦。養寵物可不是開玩笑的)
  • This disease is no laughing matter. It’s quite deadly if not treated immediately. (這種病可不是開玩笑的。若不馬上治療,它有相當的致命性)

出洋相;當眾出醜

英文:make an exhibition of oneself (v.)

說明:出洋相即是當眾出醜,自不待言。

例句:

  • Whenever Mary sings, she makes an exhibition of herself. (瑪麗每次唱歌都大出洋相)
  • If Rudy keeps on drinking he’s going to end up making an exhibition of himself! (如果魯迪繼續喝酒,他終將當眾出醜!)

叫我一聲;喊我一聲

英文:give me a shout (v.)

說明:give me a shout 中的 me,可視情況改為適當的人稱受詞,如「叫他/她一聲」就是 give him/her a shout。

例句:

  • Just give me a shout if you have any questions. (如果你有任何問題,就叫我一聲)
  • Give me a shout when it’s ready. (準備好後喊我一聲)