英语中颜色词的丰富含义

英语中颜色词的丰富含义

河北 金鱼仙268

世界上因为有了赤、橙、黄、绿、青、蓝、紫而变得五彩缤纷，异常美丽。可是，英语中的颜色词，除了基本的颜色功能外，往往还有特殊意义或习惯用法，可以表达各种感情，或是比喻事物。这些都是在翻译含有颜色词的句子时不可忽视之处。下面就各种颜色词的用法分别举例，略作说明。

一、red 红色

1. He will soon be out of the red .他很快就偿清债务了。

2. The president was treated to the red carpet in Rome.总统在罗马受到了隆重的接待。 3. It was one of the red –letter days of his life .这是他一生中一个值得纪念的日子。 4. A thief was caught red –handed with the loot .一个窃贼连同赃物被当场抓获。 5. You said that I am very good. Is my face red ? 你说我很好，真使我难为情了。 二、green 绿色

1． The other boys were green with envy when Joe bought a new car.当乔买了新车时，其他

男孩都非常嫉妒。

2． Do you see any green in my eyes? 你认为我幼稚可欺吗？

3． If you want to be a successful gardener , you’ve to have green fingers.假如你想当个称

职的园丁，那你就得有点园艺技能。

4． She is a green hand in teaching English.在英语教学中，她还是个生手。

5． Father gave us the green light to watch TV tonight.爸爸准许我们今晚看电视。 6． He has a green wound in the left breast.他左胸上有一新伤口。

7． Though in the green, he may not be equal to the task .尽管他年轻有为，但他也许还不

胜任这项任务。 三、blue 蓝色

1. The girl is proud of her blue blood .这个女孩因为出身名门而骄傲。 2. Things are looking extremely blue.情况极其不妙。 3. True blue will never stain.真金不怕火炼。

4. It’s once in a blue moon that you get a chance like that .你得到的是个千载难逢的机

会。

5. Though he talked till all is blue , I didn’t believe him.虽然他说个不停，但是我不相信。 6. The bad news of her death came like a bolt out of the blue.这消息来的如晴天霹雳。 7. Her visit came out of the blue.她突然来访。

8. A rainy day always gives me the blues .下雨天总是使我心情抑郁。 四、brown 棕色

1. The dancing party was done up brown.舞会开得好极了。 2. She was in a brown study .她正想得出神。 3. The leaves browned slowly.树叶渐渐枯了。 4. We are all of us done brown . 我们都上当了。

5. I’m browned off, sitting here with nothing to do .我坐在这没事干，感到抑郁无聊。 五、black 黑色

1. The store is running in the black .这家店铺营业有盈余。

2. He is the black sheep in our class.他是我们班里的害群之马。

3. Next time I see him, I’ll give a black eye.下次我见到他，一点打他一顿。

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4. She gives me a black look.她对我怒目而视。

5. The thief was beaten black and blue .那个贼被打得遍体鳞伤。

6. Tom said that I stole the money .In fact , he swore black is white.汤姆说我偷了钱，实

际他是在颠倒黑白。

7. Put down the speech in black and white.把演讲稿印出来。 六、white 白色

1. Doctors often tell white lies to the patients.医生常对病人说些白色的谎言。 2. They treated us white.他们公正地对待我们。

3. Although they got a lot of nice wedding presents, they also got one or two white

elephants.虽然他们收到很多很好的结婚礼品，但也得到几件昂贵而无用的东西。 4. Don’t show the white-feather. Fight for your beliefs.不要怯懦，要为你的信念而战。 5. He is the white-headed boy of the new generation.他是新一代中的宠儿。 七、yellow 黄色

1. We can’t afford to have anyone in this enterprise who is likely to turn yellow when the

testing-time comes .我们的企业不可能雇佣在考验关头可能畏缩不前的人。 2. I dislike Tom for he is a yellow dog .我讨厌汤姆，他是个卑鄙小人。 八、pink 粉色 西方文化中，粉色象征着精致，极致。如：the pink of perfection 十全十美的人，pink lady 高格调鸡尾酒，pink tea上流社交活动，a pink-collar worker 高层次女秘书。 He is in the pink of health.他极为健康。 九、purple紫色

无独有偶，英语中紫色的象征意义和中国相似，也跟帝王、将相、宗教有关。如the purple帝位, be born in the purple 生在王侯贵族之家，marry in the purple 嫁到显贵人家。

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