play=玩，chicken=雞，那play chicken是什麼意思？電影裡出現多次

讀英文早餐，學地道英語

大家好！我是Eric

每天一起學點

地道&實用&有趣

的英文

"chicken"

這個詞，我們再熟悉不過了，就是“雞，雞肉”的意思；和chicken相關的很多搭配和表達，都非常地道實用，我們今天來看看以下這些表達：

1

play chicken

比試膽量；博弈為嚇倒對方互相挑戰和威脅

這是一個非常地道實用的表達，先欣賞幾個電影片段：

影片載入中。。。

【解釋】

1。 to play a game in which people do sth dangerous for as long as they can to show how brave they are。 The person who stops first has lost the game。

2。 chicken是“雞”的統稱，但本身就有膽小鬼的意思：

If someone calls you a chicken， they mean that you are afraid to do something。

這個搭配play chicken的意思也很好理解，如果大家見過鬥雞或者公雞打架的話，如下圖，它兩就是在比膽量，猶如人在博弈一樣，看誰先退縮：

【例句】

If he wants to play chicken with me， this rooster isn‘t backing down！

如果他想跟我比膽量的話，我這隻公雞是不會讓步的。

He used to play chickens with other kids when he was a kid。

當他還小的時候，經常跟別的小夥伴比試膽量。

2

count one's chicken (before they are hatched)

或者

count one's chicken (before they hatch)

蛋尚未孵出就數小雞;

指望得過早；過早的準備/樂觀

(常用於否定式)

【解釋】

If you say that someone is counting their chickens， you mean that they are assuming that they will be successful or get something， when this is not certain。

【出處】

This expression comes from Aesop’s fable about a milkmaid carrying a full pail on her head。 She daydreams about buying chickens with the milk‘s proceeds and becoming so rich from selling eggs that she will toss her head at suitors； she then tosses her head and spills the milk。

【例句】

I don’t want to count my chickens before they are hatched。

我不想指望得過早。

You‘re preparing your acceptance speech before even being nominated？ Don’t count your chickens before they hatch。

你還沒被提名就準備好獲獎感言了嗎？ 沒必要那麼早準備吧！

3

chicken-and-egg

adj.雞生蛋，蛋生雞

因果難定的

可以說

a chicken-and-egg situation/problem

因果難定的情況/問題

【解釋】

This expression comes from the unanswerable question， `Which came first， the chicken or the egg？‘

If something is a chicken and egg situation， it is impossible to decide which of two related things happened first and caused the other。

【例句】

The link between current global temperature and carbon-dioxide emissions is not a chicken and egg situation。 Cause and effect are quite clear。

目前全球氣溫和二氧化碳排放之間的聯絡並不是一個蛋生雞，雞生蛋的問題。 因果是相當的清晰的。

Until we get promotion， we won’t get the top players。 But until we get top players， we won‘t win promotion。 It’s a chicken and egg problem。

除非我們得到晉升，否則我們不會得到最好的球員。 但除非我們有頂級球員，否則我們不會晉升。 這是一個雞和蛋的問題。

4

be no spring chicken 不再年輕的; 青春不再的老大不小了

spring chicken 童子雞；年輕人

【解釋】

1。If you say that someone is no spring chicken， you are saying that they are not young。

2。a young chicken for eating （originally available only in spring）。

【例句】

You are no spring chicken yourself any more。 You have to learn to stand on your own two feet。

你也老大不小了，要學會獨立自主。

At 85， he is no spring chicken， but he is busier than ever。

85歲的他已不再年輕，但他比以往都要忙碌。