同学们都很讨厌他,因为他经常拍老师的马屁。
[误] The student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's ass.
[正] The students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's boots.
注:以前在欧洲,臣民见到国王与王后往往要匍匐在脚下,亲吻他们的靴子。后来,人们将 lick the boots 引申为“为了某种目的而讨好某人”,它与汉语的“拍马屁”含义一样。在美国英语中,“拍马屁”还有另一种说法,即 polish the apple,它点出以前的学生用擦亮的苹果来讨好老师。
[误] The student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's ass.
[正] The students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's boots.
注:以前在欧洲,臣民见到国王与王后往往要匍匐在脚下,亲吻他们的靴子。后来,人们将 lick the boots 引申为“为了某种目的而讨好某人”,它与汉语的“拍马屁”含义一样。在美国英语中,“拍马屁”还有另一种说法,即 polish the apple,它点出以前的学生用擦亮的苹果来讨好老师。