英语美语习语视频教学：native发音

As thick as thieves
Meaning: Close allies. Since thieves who work together have a close relationship and will always defend one another, we use this simile to describe a bond between two people.
意思： 亲密无间；狼狈为奸（关系极铁）
Example:
Have you noticed how Sarah and Mary are as thick as thieves? Nothing or nobody can come between them.
例句： 你没发现萨拉和玛丽好得跟一个人似的吗？什么人什么事都拆不开她们。
As thick as two short planks
Meaning: Planks are pieces wood used in the building industry. When we say someone is as thick as two short planks, it means they lack intelligence.
意思： 笨得要命；脑子不开窍
As thin as a rake
Meaning: Unhealthily thin. All bones and no flesh.
A rake is a garden tool which looks like a kind of fork. It is used for gathering clutter, old leaves etc.
We can also say ‘as skinny as a rake’ (all bones and no flesh).
意思： 瘦得像柴棍；瘦骨嶙峋（不健康的瘦）
Example:
She’s as thin as a rake since she started that new diet. She’d better be careful she doesn’t become anorexic.
例句： 自从开始节食，她就瘦得不成样子。她最好小心点，别搞出厌食症。
As tough as old boots
Meaning: This simile can be used in several contexts.
意思：
人：非常坚强、吃苦耐劳
物：非常结实、耐用
食物：硬得咬不动
Example:
She is as tough as old boots.
例句： 她非常坚强，什么都打不倒她。
This meat is as tough as old boots.
例句： 这肉硬得根本咬不动。
My old car is as tough as old boots.
例句： 我的旧车皮实得很，开了多少年都没毛病。
As ugly as sin
Meaning: Very ugly/disgustingly horrible to look at.
This can refer to appearance or a person’s character.
意思： 丑得要命；（人品）恶劣不堪
Example:
She is a very unpleasant person. Every time she speaks she reveals herself to be as ugly as sin.
例句： 她这人很不讨喜，一开口就暴露了内心有多丑恶。
That man is repulsive. In fact he is as ugly as sin.
例句： 那个男人令人反感，简直丑得不堪入目。
As vast as an ocean
Meaning: This simile is very often used to describe one’s love. It describes greatness and enormity.
意思： 像海洋一样辽阔；无边无际
Example:
Boyfriend to girlfriend: I love you so much. My love for you is as vast as an ocean.
例句： 男朋友对女朋友说：我太爱你了，我对你的爱像大海一样宽广。
As warm as toast
Meaning: Usually when we eat toast it is warm so this simile is used to compare anything that is warm as toast.
意思： 暖烘烘的；非常暖和舒适
Example:
My house is lovely and warm now that we’ve had our new heating system installed. It’s great to sit on the sofa and watch a movie and feel as warm as toast.
例句： 装了新暖气后，家里暖和极了。窝在沙发上看电影，浑身暖烘烘，太舒服了。
As white as a sheet / as white as a ghost
Meaning: Both the above similes are used in the same way.
Extremely pale/when the colour drains from your face.
意思： （吓得）脸色惨白；面如死灰
Example:
She was as white as a ghost/sheet when I told her the company didn’t need her anymore.
例句： 当我告诉她公司不再需要她时，她吓得脸色惨白。
As white as snow
Meaning: Very white indeed.
意思： 洁白如雪；雪白
Example:
As well as being known for bringing peace, the dove’s beauty lies in its colour. It is as white as snow.
例句： 鸽子不仅象征和平，它的美还在于毛色 ——洁白如雪。
*A dove is a bird associated with Easter. It is a symbol of peace and purity.
意思： 鸽子是与复活节相关的鸟，象征和平与纯洁。










As wise as an owl
英文原文：
Meaning: To be very wise indeed.
Owls live to a very old age so are considered to become very wise. They have large intelligent looking eyes that stare and take in everything around them. In fact it looks as if they are wearing large glasses. They cannot move their eyes so when they want to look around them, they have to turn their whole head. If we think a person is very wise, then we compare their wisdom to that of an owl.
中文对照：
意思： 非常睿智；像猫头鹰一样有智慧
猫头鹰寿命很长，因此被认为极具智慧。它们有着看起来聪慧的大眼睛，会凝视并领会周围的一切。看上去就像戴着一副大眼镜。它们的眼球不能转动，所以想要环顾四周时，必须转动整个头部。如果我们觉得一个人很有智慧，就会把他的智慧比作猫头鹰。
英文原文：
Example:
John: “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve got a job interview tomorrow and I have no idea how to conduct myself.”
Mary: “Speak to my grandfather then. He’ll give you a few tips. He’s as wise as an owl.”
中文对照：
例句：
约翰：“我不知道该怎么办。我明天有个工作面试，完全不知道该怎么表现。”
玛丽：“那你去问问我爷爷吧。他会给你一些建议的，他非常睿智。”
英文原文：
During World War II, the United States army used this on a poster with the words;
“Soldier .... be like that old bird!
Silence means security”
“A wise old bird sat in an oak (tree)
The more he heard, the less he spoke,
The less he spoke, the more he heard ...”
中文对照：
二战期间，美军曾在一张海报上用过这个比喻，文字是：
“士兵…… 要像那只老鸟一样！
沉默意味着安全”
“一只睿智的老鸟坐在橡树上，
听得越多，说得越少，
说得越少，听得越多……”
英文原文：
*Take in = mentally absorb.
中文对照：
*Take in = 吸收；领会；理解

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

As hungry as a wolf

Meaning: A comparison is made between a person and a wolf. This simile indicates that the person is very hungry indeed. Wolves tend to eat a lot and very ferociously.

Example:

As innocent or as gentle as a lamb

Meaning: Any person who is innocent or gentle as a lamb. It can also imply a naive or victimised person.

Example:

As large as life

Meaning: When you are very surprised to see someone, then this is the simile to use, especially when reporting to another.

Example:

As light as a feather

Meaning: When something or someone is very light we compare it or he/she to a feather.

Example:

As merry as the month of May

Meaning: The month of May is seen as a merry month because it is the start of springtime. The sun shines, flowers bloom and everyone is in a good mood. This is where this simile derives from.

Example:

*To come over (someone) = be suddenly effected emotionally, so much so that your normal behaviour changes.

As miserable as sin

Meaning: This refers to a person who is very unhappy. Someone who walks around with a miserable look on his/her face all the time. This type of person is never seen smiling or laughing and if anyone else is happy, this makes them even more miserable.

Example:

As nice as nine pence

Meaning: When someone is very nice towards you, we use this simile to describe their attitude.

Example:

As old as the hills

Meaning: Very old.

Example:

As plain as day

Meaning: When something is very obvious.

Example:

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

As playful as a kitten

Meaning: Full of high spirits and having the desire to play.

Example:

As pleased as Punch

Meaning: A person who has a feeling of self satisfaction or delight.

Example:

This expression was used by Charles Dickens in ‘Hard Times’, 1854; when Sissy got into the school here, her father was as pleased as Punch.

It originates to the puppets “Punch and Judy” which performed on the beaches of England to entertain children.

As poor as a church mouse

Meaning: Extremely poor.

Example:

As pretty as a picture

Meaning: Very pretty.

Example:

As proud as a peacock

Meaning: This simile implies having a very high opinion of oneself.

Example:

Origin:

As quick as a flash

Meaning: If you do something as quick as a flash, you do it very quickly, in less than a second.

Example:

Other variations:

As quick as a wink

Meaning: It takes less than a second to wink so this is why we use this expression.

Similar to:

As red as a cherry

Meaning: Anything/anyone of a blood red colour can be compared to cherries.

Example:

Other variations:

As regular as clockwork

Meaning: The mechanisms inside a clock tick away at a regular timing. When we say something is as regular as clockwork, we mean that it is reliable. Something we can count on.

Example:

*Count on = rely on/depend on

As right as rain

Meaning: This means that everything is going to be all right be it an illness or a situation.

Examples:

Things weren’t going too well when sales dropped in the last quarter, but now things are picking up so it looks as though everything is going to be as right as rain.

Origins:

As safe as the Bank of England

Meaning: To be safe and secure.

Example:

Person B: “Don’t worry you can leave it with me. It will be as safe as the Bank of England. I am always at home so there is no chance of anyone breaking into my place.”

*Break into = enter by force with intention of stealing

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

As sharp as a razor

Meaning: This simile refers to a quick thinking intelligent person.

Example:

As sick as a dog

Meaning: This means to be very ill indeed.

Example:

Other variations are: As sick as a parrot.

As silent as a grave

Meaning: This is usually used to make a promise not to tell anyone a secret that has been told to you.

Example:

Person B: “Don’t worry. I will be as silent as a grave. You have my word for it.”

*You have my word for it = I promise

As small as an ant

Meaning: Ants are tiny little creatures so when something is extremely small (tiny) we compare it to an ant.

Example:

As slippery as an eel

Meaning: This simile is used to refer to a person who is deceitful and cunning.

Example:

As slow as a snail / as slow as a tortoise

Meaning: Snails and tortoises are well known for their slow pace so we compare a person’s slowness to that of a snail or a tortoise.

Example:

As sour as vinegar

Meaning: This refers to a person’s character more than anything else; someone who displays disagreement or disapproval for almost everything.

Example:

Her face was as sour as vinegar when I told her exactly what I thought of her.

It can also refer to food.

Example: This milk is not fresh. It is as sour as vinegar.

Where did you buy these apples? They’re as sour as vinegar.

To stand as much chance as a snowball in hell

Meaning: This simile is used to refer to a situation which is impossible.

Example:

As straight as an arrow

Meaning: This refers to an honest and genuine person who can be trusted.

Example:

As strong as an ox

Meaning: Very strong.

Example:

As stubborn as a mule

Meaning: An extremely obstinate person.

Example:

*Get through to (someone) = make a person understand.

As sure as fate

Meaning: This means that it is an absolute certainty that something will happen.

Example:

Other variations are: as sure as death / as sure as hell.

As sweet as honey / sugar / candy

Meaning: When someone is very sweet, we refer to them using either one of the three similes above.

Example:

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

As free as a bird

Meaning: To feel completely free from any kind of ties.

意思：

自由自在；无拘无束

Example:

Now that I’ve left that boring job I feel as free as a bird. I don’t have to listen to that boss giving me orders from morning until night.

例句：

我辞掉了那份无聊的工作，现在

自由自在

。再也不用听老板从早到晚发号施令了。

As fresh as a daisy

Meaning: This is used to describe someone who is full of energy and enthusiasm especially after a good night’s sleep.

意思：

精神饱满；神采奕奕

Example:

Person A: “I’m so tired after working all day.”

A：

工作了一整天，我好累。Person B: “You should go to bed early tonight then. That way you’ll be as fresh as a daisy tomorrow morning.”

B：

那你今晚早点睡，明天早上就会

精神饱满

。

As good as gold

Meaning: This simile is used to describe a person’s behaviour - when their behaviour is exceptionally good.

意思：

表现极好；非常乖巧

Example:

Mother to babysitter: “How did little John behave today?”

妈妈问保姆：

小约翰今天乖不乖？Babysitter to mother: “He was as good as gold.”

保姆：

他

表现特别好

。

As graceful as a swan

Meaning: To display grace and elegance; gracefulness belongs more to posture and motion rather than to beauty.

Swans seem to glide along the water with such grace.

意思：

优雅如天鹅；姿态优美

Example:

The figure skater glided along the ice as graceful as a swan.

例句：

花样滑冰选手在冰上滑行，

优雅得像天鹅

。

As greedy as a pig

Meaning: When you have an excessive desire for things especially food.

意思：

像猪一样贪吃；极度贪婪

Example:

She’s as greedy as a pig. She had four portions of ice cream today.

例句：

她

贪吃极了

，今天吃了四份冰淇淋。

As happy as a lark

Meaning: To be extremely happy.

The bird song of the lark is melodious and cheerful which we attribute to happiness.

意思：

非常开心；快乐无比

Example:

Sally was as happy as a lark when her boyfriend sent her twelve red roses. It was completely unexpected of him.

例句：

男朋友送了莎莉 12 朵红玫瑰，她

开心极了

，完全出乎意料。

If a person has a beautiful singing voice, we say: He/she sings like a lark.

如果一个人唱歌好听，我们会说：他 / 她唱得像百灵鸟一样动听。

As hard as nails

Meaning: This refers to a person who has no sympathy or mercy towards other people. This kind of person is hard hearted.

意思：

冷酷无情；铁石心肠

Example:

My boss is as hard as nails. She reduced the new office junior to tears today after she had lost a document. Even when the girl apologized she still showed no pity towards her.

例句：

我老板

冷酷无情

。新来的实习生弄丢文件，被她骂哭了，就算道歉也毫无怜悯。

As heavy as lead

Meaning: This simile is used to describe very heavy things. Lead is known for its heaviness.

意思：

重如铅块；非常沉重

Example:

Don’t try to move that box. It’s as heavy as lead. You could do yourself an injury. Wait until John gets back and he will help you.

例句：

别搬那个箱子，

重得要命

，会受伤的。等约翰回来帮你。

When we are really tired it is quite common to say that your eyelids are as heavy as lead.

特别累的时候，我们常说眼皮重得像铅。

Example:

If I don’t go to bed I’m going to end up falling asleep in front of the TV. My eyelids are as heavy as lead.

例句：

再不睡我就要在电视前睡着了，

眼皮沉得抬不起来

。

As high as a kite

Meaning: When someone has taken drugs we refer to them as ‘being high’ so we compare them to a kite which flies high into the sky.

意思：

（因吸毒）神志恍惚；极度兴奋

Example:

He was as high as a kite when I saw him. He must have been on drugs.

例句：

我见到他时，他

神志不清

，肯定是吸毒了。

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

As common as muck

Meaning: This refers to a rough, vulgar, uneducated person with no cultural background.

意思：

举止粗俗、没教养、土里土气

Example:

Person A: “Have you noticed how much Ruth swears every time she opens her mouth?”

A：你有没有发现露丝一开口就满嘴脏话？

Person B: “Yes I have. She’s as common as muck.”

B：有，她

实在太粗俗了。**

This expression is not very polite as it implies that the person uttering it feels superior.

这句话不太礼貌，带有优越感。

*To swear = to use foul language. It also means to solemnly promise, usually before the judge in a courtroom.

意思：说脏话；发誓

As cool as a cucumber

Meaning: This means to be very calm and composed in a difficult situation.

意思：

镇定自若、冷静沉着、处变不惊

Example:

Even when the prime minister lost the elections, he was as cool as a cucumber.

例句：即使首相落选了，他依然

镇定自若。**

This simile probably originated from the fact that the inside of cucumbers is always cool to the touch.

来源：可能因为黄瓜内部摸起来总是凉的。

As cunning as a fox

Meaning: When someone is as cunning as a fox, they can be very devious. They are able to trick people into getting what they want.

意思：

像狐狸一样狡猾、诡计多端

Example:

Don’t trust John. He’s as cunning as a fox.

例句：别相信约翰，他

狡猾得像只狐狸。**

*To trick (someone) into doing something = use devious methods to mislead a person into doing something.

意思：哄骗某人做某事

As daft as a brush

Meaning: A silly foolish person

意思：

傻里傻气、蠢得要命

Example:

John’s behaviour makes him seem as daft as a brush when in reality he’s quite the opposite.

例句：约翰的举止看起来

傻里傻气 **，但实际上他完全不是这样。**

As dark as a dungeon

Meaning: Dungeons are always very dark so this is where this simile derives from.

意思：

黑得像地牢、漆黑一片

Example:

“It’s as dark as a dungeon in here. Can you switch on the light please? I can’t see where I am going.”

例句：“这里

黑得像地牢一样 **，麻烦开下灯好吗？我看不见路。”**

*Switch on = connect something electrical or electronic to a power source.

意思：打开（电器、灯）

As different as chalk and cheese

Meaning: When two people are opposites and have nothing in common we compare them to chalk and cheese.

意思：

截然不同、天差地别、完全不是一类人

Example:

I don’t know why they got married. They are as different as chalk and cheese. But then again, they do say that opposites attract.

例句：我真不知道他们为什么结婚，两人

完全不是一路人 **。不过也有人说异性相吸。**

Another variation: As different as night and day.

另一种说法：As different as night and day（天壤之别）

As easy as ABC

Meaning: When we find something very easy to do we use this simile.

意思：

极其简单、小菜一碟

Example:

A: “How did your exam go?”

A：你考试考得怎么样？

B: “Great! It was as easy as ABC.”**B：特别好！

简单得要命。

We can also say ‘as easy as 1 2 3’.

也可以说：as easy as 1 2 3

As fit as a fiddle

Meaning: This refers to a person’s health, when he or she is fit and healthy.

意思：

非常健康、身体硬朗、神采奕奕

Example:

Person A: “How is your father now? The last time I spoke to him he had a bad dose of the flu. I hope he’s feeling better now.”

A：你爸爸现在怎么样了？上次见他时他得了重感冒，希望他好多了。

Person B: “He’s completely recovered. Now he’s as fit as a fiddle.”

B：他完全康复了，现在

身体好得很。**

As flat as a pancake

Meaning: To be very flat.

意思：

平得像煎饼、非常扁平

Example:

I forgot to add baking powder to the cake mix. Now the cake is as flat as a pancake.

例句：我忘了在蛋糕里加泡打粉，现在蛋糕

扁得像张饼。

明喻短语・中英对照全文翻译

To be as black as coal

Meaning: Completely black or very dirty.

Example:

Mother to son: “Go and get washed. You are as black as coal. Have you been playing in the mud again?”

As blind as a bat

Meaning: When your eyesight is not as good as it once was.

Example:

As bold as brass

Meaning: A shameless and overconfident person who acts without caring about the consequences of his/her actions. This kind of person does not feel embarrassment in situations where others would feel mortified.

Example:

Origin:

As brave as a lion

Meaning: When we compare a person’s bravery to that of a lion; lions are large animals that tend not to be afraid of anything.

Example:

As bright as a button

Meaning: This simile is a pun. A pun is a play on words, as the word “bright” can mean both shiny and clever.

说明： 这是一个双关语，bright 既指 “明亮”，也指 “聪明”。

As broad as it’s long

Meaning: This means that it is difficult to decide which of two options to choose from as they are both the same. There is no difference between them. Similar to the saying, ‘it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other’.

Example:

Person B: “There won’t be much financial loss if we decide not to take it on. It is as broad as it is long.”

*Take on = commit oneself to a task.

As brown as a berry

Meaning: This is mainly used to describe someone with a very tanned skin.

Example:

The origin of “as brown as a berry” goes back to Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”

来源： 出自乔叟的《坎特伯雷故事集》。

*Berries are not brown but in the days of Chaucer, it is thought that when he spoke about “berries”, he was referring to whole, ungrounded grains, such as wheat berry, sometimes referred to as berries.

*Come back = return

As busy as a bee

Meaning: When we use this simile, we compare ourselves to bees. Bees are busy creatures. They make about forty trips a day gathering nectar and pollen. They never stop and after about six weeks they have worked themselves to death.

Example:

As changeable as the weather

Meaning: Often used to describe a person’s mood.

Examples:

Mary can’t make up her mind about which holiday to book. One day she wants to go to Spain, the next it’s Italy and the next again she wants to stay in England. She’s as changeable as the weather.

As clear as a bell

Meaning: When we hear a bell ring, the sound is very clear. Here we compare our understanding to the clear sound of a bell.

Example:

Person B: “Yes I did. The chairman was as clear as a bell.”

As cold as ice

Meaning: This simile refers mainly to a person’s character. It can refer to an unfriendly person or a cold and callous person.

Examples:

Person B: “Yes I did but I didn’t like her. She wasn’t very friendly at all. In fact she was as cold as ice.”

My last boyfriend was as cold as ice when he left me. No explanation, he just left.

As comfortable as an old pair of slippers

Meaning: This normally refers to a long standing relationship usually between husband and wife. You know each other so well both inside and out and are so familiar with each other’s habits that you feel so comfortable in the relationship.

Example:

It can also refer to something comfortable- so comfortable that we compare it to old slippers

Example: I love this armchair. It’s as comfortable as an old pair of slippers.

SIMILES 明喻

To have a memory like a sieve

Meaning: This means that you keep forgetting everything. A sieve is full of tiny holes so a person’s memory is thought of as having many tiny holes which lets everything slip out.

Example:

To hit you like a ton of bricks

Meaning: If something not so good happens very unexpectedly then it ‘hits you like a ton of bricks’, like sudden shocking news.

Example:

*Find out = become aware of/obtain information/discover

To leap like a frog

Meaning: To jump up very high.

Example:

*To come up = be extracted from among many numbers.

To run like the wind

Meaning: This refers to a person who is a very fast runner.

Example:

To shake like a leaf

Meaning: This is used to describe a reaction when intense fear is felt.

Example:

*Turn out = reveal to be

To sleep like a log

Meaning: This means that you sleep very well.

Example:

To sting like a bee

Meaning: A bee sting hurts you physically. This simile is also used to describe emotional pain.

Examples:

Her words really stung like a bee. I will never forget what she said to me.

To work like clockwork

Meaning: If something works like clockwork, then it works perfectly well with no irregularities.

Example:

As agile as a monkey

Meaning: Monkeys are agile animals that are able to swing from tree to tree with so much ease.

Example:

As alike as two peas in a pod / like two peas in a pod

Meaning: This means that two people look almost the same. They are so alike that at times you find it difficult to tell one from the other. Peas are identical so if you have two peas, it’s impossible to tell which one is which.

Example:

It is also common to say: He and his brother are like two peas in a pod.

SIMILES 明喻（中英对照全文翻译）

What is a simile?

什么是明喻？

A simile uses figurative language to compare two things which are different. We use ‘as’ or ‘like’ with similes. The word ‘simile’ means ‘similar to’.

Example:

He can swim so well that we compare him to a fish.

Many similes have deeply rooted origins and many others are used based on the sound. Alliteration is common in similes.

What is alliteration?

什么是头韵？

Alliteration is a grammatical term meaning two or more words in a row starting with the same sounds.

Example:

用 like 和 as 构成的明喻

To be like a bear with a sore head

Meaning: When you are tired and irritable and nobody can say anything to you without you getting upset and snapping at them.

Example:

*Snap at someone = to reply angrily to, usually for trivial matters.

Like death warmed up

Meaning: When someone looks terrible, maybe because he or she is ill or maybe they haven’t slept well, then we describe them by using this simile.

Example:

Person B: “Yes I know. He’s got a terrible hangover. He was at a party last night and overdid it with the drink.”

*overdid it with the drink = Exaggerated with the alcohol

To cut like a knife

Meaning: When something ‘cuts like a knife’, it causes you great emotional pain.

Example:

To croak like a frog

Meaning: When you have a really sore throat and it affects your voice, we compare the croaking noise to that of a frog.

Example:

“She is not very well at all. She was croaking like a frog on the phone this morning. I couldn’t understand a word of what she was saying.”

Drink like a fish

Meaning: This refers to someone who is on their way to becoming an alcoholic.

Example:

Person B: “Yes I know. He’s been drinking like a fish since he lost his job.”

To eat like a bird

Meaning: This refers to someone who doesn’t eat much. Just like a bird that pecks at its food.

Example:

Person B: “Yes I know. He’s been eating like a bird since the day he lost his job.”

To eat like a horse

Meaning: This has the opposite meaning to ‘eat like a bird’. When someone has a large appetite we often use this simile.

Example:

Person B: “She’s been eating like a horse, that’s why.”

*Put on weight = gain weight / become fatter.

To eat like a pig

Meaning: This simile is used to describe a person who is always eating everything he/she sees. There is no stopping them.

Example:

To fit like a glove

Meaning: When something fits you so well (a perfect fit) that it seems to have been tailored made especially for you.

Example:

Shop assistant: “Are the shoes the right size madam?”

Customer: “Yes, I’ll take them. They fit like a glove.”

To have eyes like a hawk

Meaning: This means that you quickly notice what is going on around you.

A hawk is a bird with exceptionally good eyesight. When we use this simile, we compare a person’s eyesight to that of a hawk.

Examples:

You need to have eyes like a hawk to be a good body guard.

We can also use ‘to watch someone like a hawk’.

This means you watch them very closely without taking your eyes off someone or something for a moment.

Example:

Person B: “Don’t worry; I’ll watch him like a hawk.”

My boss watches us all like a hawk. We can’t even go to the toilet without him noticing.