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中文語法中，我們多提及修辭。學生常把借代和借喻混淆。所謂「比喻」，就是把抽象的事物比喻為簡單的事物，主要成分為本體、喻詞和喻體，如「明喻」和「暗喻」，而另一種「借喻」往往不表現本體及喻詞，借用喻體說述本體便可。原來英文運用中，也有使用比喻手法的成語。我們常常說做人就像做牛做馬，但是究竟做馬定做牛好？中西思想又有何差異？今次與大家探討一下。
牛樸實無華 笨拙不靈巧
牛給人一種樸實無華的感覺，而西方人以牛作為元素的成語比比皆是。
1. As awkward as a cow on roller skates: very awkward（不靈巧的）
The little boy was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when he began riding his bicycle.
2. A bull in a china shop: a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person（笨拙的）
The girl is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite her to your house.
3. A cash cow: a product or service that makes much money（賺錢的東西）
The new business is a cash cow. We are making much money now.
4. Have a cow: to become very angry and upset about something（苦惱的）
Our teacher had a cow when nobody prepared for the class.
5. Until the cows come home: until very late, for a long time（遲到）
We can talk until the cows come home this evening.
馬自由奔放 可比喻性格
馬象徵自由奔放，熱血奔騰的意思。英文裡包含馬的成語有：
1. A dark horse: a candidate who is little known to the general public（黑馬）
The candidate for president was a dark horse until he gave some good speeches on TV.
2. Flog a dead horse: to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled（爭喋不休）
My boyfriend was flogging a dead horse when he would not stop arguing about the mistake on his paycheck.
3. Get off one's high horse: to begin to be humble and agreeable（謙虛）
I wish that my supervisor in my company would get off his high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.
4. Get on one's high horse: to behave with arrogance（自大）
My boyfriend is always getting on his high horse and telling me what to do.
5. Horse sense: common sense, practical thinking（常識）
The new employee does not have any horse sense and often makes the wrong decision.
從上文可見，中國人認為做人要像牛般勤力，西方人卻認為要像馬（work like a horse）一樣才算上策。 無論如何，成語是經年月潤飾後產生的精煉語詞，不但令表達更生動有趣，更可提高文化修養，大家不妨多學習啊。 ■香港專業進修學校語言傳意學部講師 鍾麗珊、廖尹彤
聯絡電郵：clc@hkct.edu.hk
學部網站：http://clc.hkct.edu.hk/tc/
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