麵包(bread)是歐美國家的主食,吃麵包時抹上奶油(butter)更增風味。英文裡跟麵包和奶油相關的成語也不少,在這裡提出幾個常用的跟大家分享:
Bread and Butter (日常收入來源)
從西方人每天都要吃的麵包與奶油,引申用來表示日常規律的收入。因為有了穩定收入,才能買到每天都得吃的麵包跟奶油。舉例:
You can't ask Susan to cut your hair for free. She
is a barber and cutting hair is her bread and butter. (你不能要蘇珊幫你免費剪頭髮。她是理髮師,剪髮是她的日常收入來源。)
Susan treats her clients very well, because she knows they
are her bread and butter. (蘇珊對他的顧客很好,因為他知道他們是他的日常收入來源。)
Daily Bread (每日生活所需)
這個片語出自聖經主禱文:Give us this day
our daily bread. (我們日用的飲食,今日賜給我們。) 引申用來代表我們每日生活所需。 舉例:
Fixing cars is the way that Peter earns his daily bread.
(修車是彼得賺取每日生活所需的方法。或,彼得靠修車維生。)
To Butter Up (拍馬屁)
在麵包上塗上奶油,不但味道好,也讓麵包口感更好,引申為做某些事情來奉承、討好別人,以期望能從對方得到較好的待遇或收穫。舉例:
Tom is new to the office but he is buttering up the boss
for the promotion. (湯姆是辦公室裡的新人,但他為了升遷而向老闆拍馬屁。)
下次跟好朋友們一起吃西餐,在麵包上抹奶油準備享用前,可以將這次你學到的跟好朋們分享喔!