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■燈海人潮鬧元宵，圖為南京夫子廟秦淮河畔流光溢彩、人面如潮。資料圖片
■余黎青萍 前教育署署長
比喻詞有分「明」和「暗」，亦稱「直」和「隱」：即simile和metaphor。前者以物比物，直接明顯，引導我們去想像，使畫像在腦海中將事物形象化，呼之欲出。
暗喻、隱喻則須較高層次的聯想，較含蓄和隱晦的喻用。
螳臂擋車 不自量力
When his employer asked him take a big cut in salary or quit his job, he felt like being put between the devil and the deep blue sea.
僱主向他提出大幅度減薪或乾脆辭職，他感到進退兩難，身處窘境。
If you continue to chop and change your position, how can you really expect to achieve results？
若繼續不斷改變立場，你怎能期望有成就？
In refusing to execute his boss' order, he is like a fly on the wheel.
拒絕執行老闆的指令，他實在不自量力（螳臂擋車）。
They are together in a conspiracy, working hand in glove.
他們一起串謀不軌，朋比為奸。
茫然遐想 一頭霧水
He is not practical and has his head always in the clouds.
他全不踏實，經常茫然遐想。
The manager runs the office with an iron hand and commands absolute compliance.
經理管治公司以鐵腕鎮壓，喝令絕對服從。
Mrs. Margaret Thatcher well reputed to be an iron lady for her firm sense of purpose.
戴卓爾夫人以鐵娘子見稱，有�饇磼w的意志。
We all put in the same efforts but he gets the lion's share of the praise（profit）.
我們同樣付出，但他卻得最大部分的讚賞（利潤）。
狐假虎威 假裝威風
Do not believe him, he is a lamb in lion's skin.
勿被他欺騙，他只是假裝勇敢（威風）。
He is such a good leader that his men would go through thick and thin (fire and water) with him.
他是頂好的領袖，隊友均願意為他赴湯蹈火，在所不辭（共患難）。
When the actor looked down from the stage, he saw a sea of faces.
藝人從台上望下去，人面如潮（很多面孔）。
She is under the weather and has not been well.
她身抱微恙，感到不適。
大家是否有同感？我說得太多了，且暫停吧。
預告： 本專欄《比喻詞句譯特輯》將於2月27日（星期三）刊登，敬希垂注。
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