VOA慢速英语:Words and Their Stories: Water Expressions

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在，这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。
Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself. But many of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings.
关于水的表达几乎与水本身一样常见，但很多含有水的表达却用于表达不愉快。

The expression ”to be in hot water” is one of them. It is a very old expression. “Hot water” was used five-hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle.
"to be in hot water"（遇到麻烦）就是其中之一。这是一个非常古老的表达。早在500年前，"Hot water"就用于表示遇到麻烦。有一个故事讲到，这种表达起源于这样一个传统：当敌人袭击一座城堡时，城堡中的人就会用热水泼向敌人。

That no longer happens.  But we still get in “hot water.”  When we are in “hot water,” we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble -- serious or not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother, if he walks in the house with dirty shoes.
那种情况已不再发生。但我们仍会get in hot water（惹上麻烦）。当我们使用in hot water的表达方式时，表明我们遇到了麻烦。它可能是任何种类的麻烦：严重的、没那么严重的。违法者可能会与警察闹纠纷；一个男孩子如果穿着脏兮兮鞋子进家门，会给妈妈惹很多麻烦。

Being in “deep water” is almost the same as being in hot water. When you are in deep water, you are in a difficult position. Imagine a person who cannot swim being thrown in water over his head.
Being in deep water（陷入困境）与being in hot water意思相近。当你in deep water时，表明你陷入困境了。设想一个水没过了头顶、却游不到岸的游泳者，你就会有所体会。

You are in deep water when you are facing a problem that you do not have the ability to solve. The problem is too deep. You can be in deep water, for example, if you invest in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market.
当你面对一个你没有能力解决的问题时，你同样in deep water。因为这个问题对你来说太深了。打个比方，如果你对股票市场一无所知，却投资股票市场，你也可能in deep water
“To keep your head above water” is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job.
“保持头浮出水面”是个诙谐的表达，意思是远离债务。一个公司在经济形势不好的情况下往往都寻求“保持头浮出水面（不欠债）”。一个失业者在找到新工作之前往往也尽力保持头浮出水面。

“Water over the dam” is another expression about a past event. It is something that is finished. It cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water that has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again.
“水漫过了水坝”是个有关于过去某事件的表达。指的是已经被完成的事情。漫过水坝的水是不可能再被引回去的（覆水难收），这就是这个谚语的起源。

When a friend is troubled by a mistake she has made, you might tell her to forget about it. You say it is water over the dam.
当你一个朋友为某个她犯下的错误而困扰的时候，你可以劝她忘记这些，你就可以说，“水已经漫过堤坝了（木已成舟，懊恼是没有用的）”

Another common expression, “to hold water,” is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about. It probably comes from a way of testing the condition of a container. If it can hold water, it is strong and has no holes in it.
另一个谚语，“盛住水”，和你可能正在商讨的某个想法的优缺点有关。这个谚语很可能来自一种测试容器的状况的方法。如果容器能盛住水，就说明容器很结实且没有洞。

If your argument can hold water, it is strong and does not have any holes. If it does not hold water, then it is weak and not worth debating.
如果你的意见能“盛住水”，那么就没有死角无懈可击。否则，就站不住脚，缺乏说服力。

“Throwing cold water” also is an expression that deals with ideas or proposals. It means to not like an idea. For example, you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems. But your wife “throws cold water” on the idea because she says a new car costs too much.
“泼冷水” 也是个和意见、想法有关的谚语。意思是，不喜欢不支持一个主意。比如，旧车出了些问题于是你打算买一辆新的，但是你的太太给你“泼冷水”，原因是新车太贵了。
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