放大圖片
■薯條的英文是chip,美式英文又叫French fry。 資料圖片
馬鈴薯(potato),俗稱薯仔,是一種很普及的食物。食法很多樣化,常見的有薯條或薯片potato chip,美式英文又叫French fry,薯角potato wedge,薯茸mashed potato等等。
馬鈴薯含大量水分,煮熟後仍保持很高的溫度,很燙手。英文諺語有「drop something / someone like a hot potato」,即把某人、某事棄掉,就像扔掉燙手的馬鈴薯一樣,意思是不要與這些人或事扯上關係,暗喻不喜歡這些人或事,或暗指他們有可能引起麻煩,要盡快停止與他們有瓜葛。
When he realized that the plan could cost the company a big loss of money, he dropped it like a hot potato.
當他意識到這個計劃可能導致公司損失巨額金錢,他立刻放棄計劃。
His friends dropped him like a hot potato as soon as they heard that he was involved in a scam.
他的朋友聽說他捲入一宗詐騙金錢的案件之後,立即停止與他交往,避之則吉。
比喻棘手難題 有如燙手山芋
由此而來,hot potato亦被喻為麻煩事、棘手的問題、不知如何是好的難題。中文也有一個意思相同的諺語,但不用馬鈴薯,用山芋,稱麻煩的人或事為燙手山芋。
Housing will remain a political hot potato for the next chief executive.
房屋問題會繼續成為下一任行政長官的燙手山芋。
Handling these complaints from customers is a hot potato. Leave it to the senior manager.
這些客戶投訴是一個燙手山芋。交由高級經理處理。
The new tenant is rude and a big trouble maker. He has become a hot potato to his neighbours.
新租客是粗鄙的人,也是麻煩製造者。他的鄰居已經視他為燙手山芋。
熱騰騰的馬鈴薯的確美味,但拿在手裡卻不好受,所以燙手馬鈴薯hot potato是棘手問題,要盡快扔掉。但許多時燙手馬鈴薯亦要處理,不可等到馬鈴薯涼了才接手。 ■Lina CHU
linachu88@netvigator.com
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