Jessica在北京学汉语,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:小心眼。
Jessica: Wu Qiong, are you coming to my birthday party tomorrow?
WQ: En...I’m afraid not.
Jessica: Why not? You’re my best friend!
WQ: 我不是不想去参加你的生日派对,可是你请了王贝贝,我可不想见她。
Jessica: Why? I thought you two were friends.
WQ: 你不知道,两年前,我们去唱K。她走调了,我心直口快说了出来,结果她记仇,这两年没少说我坏话!太小心眼了!小心眼在英文里怎么说?
Jessica: You can say a person is petty. petty is spelled p-e-t-t-y, petty. It means narrow-minded and mean.
WQ: 哦,petty 就是心胸狭窄,小心眼。You have no idea, Jessica, you don’t know how petty she is. 她一定还在记仇, hold...hold...记仇是 hold 什么来着?
Jessica: hold a grudge. grudge is spelled g-r-u-d-g-e. hold a grudge 记仇。but Wu Qiong, I don’t think Beibei still holds a grudge against you.
WQ: Hmm, I don’t know. 她表面上也和我过得去,but I think she still has a secret grudge against me! 她还在心里暗暗记仇呢!
Jessica: Oh, come on! It’s been two years! I’m sure she has gotten over it!
WQ: Get over it 就是“不再计较”的意思,对不对?
Jessica: Exactly. To get over it means to forget about it.
WQ: You know what, Jessica, you’re right. 我决定明天去参加你的party! I want to show Beibei that I’m not a petty person and it’s time for her to get over it, too.
Jessica: That’s the spirit! Now let’s see what you’ve learned today.
WQ: 第一:形容某人小心眼,用 petty;
第二:记仇则是 hold a grudge against someone;
第三:不计较了,可以说 get over it.