与食物有关的习语：坏蛋是bad apple？

遇到不熟悉的英语表达，我们很容易望文生义，造成理解上的错误;比如，食物名称常出现在习语中，但表达的意思却千差万别。

Egghead：学究

勤奋好学，在学术上富有天赋，一个非常聪明的人

a very studious person, intellectually gifted in the field of academics, a very intelligent person

I think Jane will do well in her finals. She has always been a kind of egghead from elementary school all the way through college.

我认为简会在期末考试中取得好成绩。从小学到大学，她一直都学得很好。

Big cheese：大人物

一个重要且有影响力的人

an important and influential person

Do you know Peter? He’s a big cheese at the company, he may help you to get a good job there.

你认识彼得吗?他可是公司里的大人物，他可以帮助你在那里得到一份好工作。

Couch potato：极为懒惰的人，电视迷

一个很懒而且总是在看电视的人

a very lazy person who watches too much

My uncle is a couch potato, you never see him without the remote control in his hand.

我的叔叔是一个电视迷，他的手里永远都拿着遥控器。

Tough cookie：不易受别人影响的人

非常有决心，坚韧，难对付的人

a very determined person, durable and robust person, a person who is difficult to deal with

There is a tough cookie on the phone, he insists to talk to the manager, shall I put him through?

打电话的这个家伙非常强硬，他坚持要和经理谈谈，我能把电话接给经理吗?

Bad apple：坏家伙

制造麻烦者，犯人

troublemaker, criminal

He’s a real bad apple. If I were you, I wouldn’t let my daughter go out with him.

他真是个坏蛋，如果我是你，我就不会让我女儿跟他出去。

Top banana：主要人物

领导，老板，团队负责人，项目负责人

leader, boss, the chief person in a group, the head of a project

I don’t know when we’ll finish, ask Jack, he’s the top banana here.

我不知道我们什么时候结束，问杰克，他是我们这儿的头儿。

Sour grapes：吃不到葡萄就说葡萄酸

假装不喜欢你得不到的东西

pretending to dislike something that you can’t have

The losers say they don’t mind that they couldn’t win the cup, but I’m sure this is only sour grapes.

失败者说他们不介意自己不能赢得奖杯，我确定他们只是吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸。

　Lemon law：伪劣商品赔还法

美国法律保护那些购买劣质汽车和其他消费品的人

an American law that protects those who buy defective cars or other consumer goods

Unfortunately, his new car had an engine defect, but he received a complete refund in accordance with the lemon law.

不幸的是，他的新车引擎有缺陷，但是他按照伪劣商品赔还法获得了全额退款。

A bun in the oven：胎儿

这个短语用来形容某人怀孕的状态。

This expression is used when somebody is pregnant.

I have a bun the oven, the baby is due in 7 months.

我怀孕了，宝宝在7个月之后出生。

Bring home the bacon：成功，谋生

这个习语描述的是供养家庭，为家庭提供经济支柱的人。

This idiom describes a person who earns a living or provides financial support to the home.

I work hard so I can support my family, I bring home the bacon.

我努力工作，这样我才能养家糊口供养我的家庭。

　Cheesy：俗气的

描述一些俗气，愚蠢，假的或者便宜的东西。

describes something that is tacky, silly, inauthentic or cheap.

The novel received terrible reviews and was even said to be cheesy as many critics thought it was too predictable.

这部小说的评论并不好，甚至被认为俗气，因为许多评论家都认为它太老套了。

Full of beans：精神旺盛的

这个习语描述了对某事感兴趣或者充满活力且富有朝气的人。

This describes somebody that is excited about something or very energetic and lively.

The supporters were full of beans at the match, they chanted, sang and even danced when their team scored the winning goal.

在比赛中，球迷们精力旺盛，他们高呼，唱歌，甚至在他们的球队打进制胜球的时候跳舞。

A Piece of cake：轻松的事

这个习语指一件非常容易做的事或者是花费很少精力就可以完成的事。

This describes something that is really easy to do or takes very little effort.

The exam was a piece of cake. I knew all the answers, I was finished within half an hour.

这次考试对我来说真是小菜一碟，我知道所有的答案，半个小时内我就完成了所有的题。

　Spill the beans：泄密，说漏嘴

这个习语用来形容某人说了他不该说的秘密。

this idiom is used when somebody tells a secret that they shouldn’t have.

Spill the beans, how did you know the answer to the mathematics question?

说漏了嘴，你是怎么知道数学题答案的?

Take with a pinch of salt：将信将疑

这个习语用来形容某人对某事或者某人持怀疑态度。

this idiom is used when somebody is skeptical about something or someone.

Detectives have to be skeptical and suspicious when interviewing suspects. They have to take everything being said with a pinch of salt.

审问嫌疑犯时，侦探们必须保持怀疑的态度，对嫌疑犯们说的话将信将疑。

　Butter up：恭维

这个习语用来形容出于自身的某种需要奉承别人。

this idiom is used when somebody flatters somebody else, usually because they want something from them.

The employer buttered up to the manager as he wanted to be promoted to the new position in work.

这个员工奉承经理，因为他想要被提升到新的工作职位上去。