“闯红灯”千万别说成“break the red light”,老外会懵的!
“道路千万条,安全第一条,行车不规范,亲人两行泪”,出自电影《流浪地球》中的一句口号,虽然听起来比较魔性,但确实是这个道理。
今天,普特君带大家学习一波关于行车中一些不规范行为的英语表达。
闯红灯
一说到“闯红灯”的英文,很多同学都会想到“break”这个词。确实,在指“打破规则”时,我们会说“break the rules”. 但英文中,如果要表达“闯红灯”,不用“break”,而用这两个地道的说法:
run a/the red light
jump a/the red light
虽然都是“闯红灯”,但两者之间还是有一定差别:run a/the red light,一般指的是,红灯时,行人或车辆完全没有停,直接就闯过去了;而jump a/the red light,多表示的是,红灯时,有等待一会,但在没有变成绿灯前就提前通过了。
超速
exceeding the speed limit
speeding
He accepts that he was exceeding the speed limit。
他承认他当时超过了速限。
The car is speeding.
汽车在超速行驶。
酒驾
drunk driving
driving under the influence of alcohol
He was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
他因涉嫌酒后驾车而被捕。
Sawyer recently arrested the defendant on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
索耶最近以涉嫌酒后驾车的罪名逮捕了被告。
占道驾驶
driving on the wrong side of the road
He was booked for driving on the wrong side of the road.
他被指控占道驾驶。
肇事逃逸
hit-and-run
既可作形容词,也可作名词
The hit-and-run driver has been in custody.
那个驾车肇事后逃跑的司机已被看押起来了。
He was killed in a hit-and-run.
他被车撞死,车主肇事后逃逸了
罚单
traffic ticket
I got a traffic ticket for speeding.
我因为超速驾驶被开了张罚单。
“等红灯”别翻译成“wait for the red light”
中文里,我们习惯说“等红灯”,但如果要翻译成英文,可千万别说“wait for the red light”. 因为wait for表示“等”的时候,for后面跟的是要等来的东西,而我们一般说“等红灯”,其实是在等“红灯”变成“绿灯”,所以“等红灯”正确的翻译应该是:
wait for the green light
wait for the red light to change
“green light”除了表示“绿灯”,其引申义“准许;许可”也很常用:
The government has decided to give the green light to the plan.
政府已决定为这项计划开绿灯。
The food industry was given a green light to extend the use of these chemicals
食品业获准继续使用这些化学品。
最后,再来跟大家分享一些与“开车”相关的英文表达:
Buckle up:系好(安全带)
我面前的一个牌子上写着:扣好安全带。这是法律规定。
Slow down:减速
If the vehicle is going too fast, a synthesised voice tells the driver to slow down.
如果车开得太快,会有一个合成人声告诉司机减速。
Speed up/accelerate:加速
He pushed a lever that speeded up the car.
他挂挡加快了速度。
Suddenly the car accelerated.
汽车突然加速。
This man was not qualified to drive and was speeding.
这名男子没有驾驶资格,并且违章超速行驶。
Pull over:靠边停车
Police pulled over his Mercedes near Dieppe.
警察在迪耶普附近让他将自己的梅赛德斯车停靠路边。
Pick up:接载
We drove to the airport the next morning to pick up Susan
我们第二天早晨开车去机场接苏姗。
Brake/Hit the brakes:刹车
She braked sharply to avoid another car.
她为了躲另一辆车而紧急刹车。
She hit the brakes too late and the car skidded.
她刹车太迟,车打滑了。
Back up:倒车
He backed up a few feet and rolled the window down.
他往后倒了几英尺,然后摇下车窗。
Make a turn:转弯
We must make a turn at the next street.
我们必须在下一个街口调转车头。
make a left/right turn:向左/右转弯;make a u-turn:掉头
Go for a ride/take a road trip 去兜风
Would you like to go for a ride?
你想出去兜风吗?