lady是“女士”,bird是“鸟”,那ladybird是什么意思?
bird这个词,除了可以表示鸟之外,名词还可以表示家伙;羽毛球;某类人(尤指古怪的人);动词可以表示向……喝倒彩、起哄、猎鸟、观鸟的意思。
在英国,bird 还可以指姑娘、少女,beautiful bird就有美女的意思!
还有这么一个词ladybird,看起来好像是说一名女士,但其实这个单词的意思是:瓢虫
01
ladybird
Ladybirds are beetles within the family Coccinellidae. They have round bodies and their elytra (wing cases) are often brightly coloured and adorned with spots. The bright colours are used to warn predators that they are unpalatable and, when attacked, they also 'reflex bleed'.
Ladybird是瓢虫科的甲虫。他们有圆形的身体并且翅鞘(翼箱)通常点缀着明亮的颜色和装饰斑点。鲜艳的颜色是用来警告捕食者它们不好吃,当受到攻击时,它们也会“反射性出血”。
The name ladybird comes from the Middle Ages. The beetles were called the "beetle of Our Lady" because, at that time, the Virgin Mary was often depicted in paintings wearing red clothing.
ladybird这个名字来自中世纪。这种甲虫被称为“圣母甲虫”,因为当时在画作中的圣母玛利亚经常被描绘成穿着红色衣服。
奥斯卡大热电影《伯德小姐》的英文名就是Lady Bird,是两个分开的单词。这是影片女主克里斯汀为自己起的名字。
该片的编剧和导演葛韦格推测这一名字可能来自于一首18世纪中叶的古早童谣,歌词大概是这样的:
Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,(小瓢虫,小瓢虫,离家远飞吧)
Your house is on fire,(你的房子着火啦)
Your children shall burn!(你的孩子被火烧到了)
女主从来不叫这个名字,她给自己另外取了一个名字“Lady Bird”,单从这个名字里,就能体会到伯德小姐的心里住着一个多么向往“自由”的灵魂。
与bird有关的词语,
很多是不能从字面意思上理解为鸟的。
我们一起来get更多bird相关的表达吧!
02
get the bird
这里的bird,就有起哄的意思了,这个词组的意思是(被)喝倒彩;受到(竖中指的)侮辱;(被)解雇,带有对人不利的意思
例:
The singer got the bird when she came out on stage.
这位歌手一出现在舞台上人们便以嘘声嘲弄她。
03
like a bird
like a bird这个短语可不是字面意思“像鸟一样”这么简单,它的实际意思是“运转良好”。
例:
His new car really goes like a bird.
他的新车真是行驶自如呀。
04
not say a dicky bird
什么也不说
例:
We've had him detained for four hours, but he won't say a dicky bird to us about his involvement in the robbery.
我们已经拘留了他四个小时,但他却不肯告诉我们他也参与了抢劫
更多和bird有关的谚语
The early bird catches the worm.
捷足先登;捷足先得
Kill two birds with one stone.
一石二鸟;一箭双雕;一举两得
Birds of a feather flock together.
物以类聚人以群分
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林(满足于现有的总比因过分追求而失去一切好)
好啦,今天的小知识点,你学会了嘛?