英译“望梅止渴”的联想

王逢鑫

“望梅止渴”的故事，向我们启示了联想的妙用。东汉末年，曹操带兵打仗，行军至一处无水的荒野，士兵干渴。曹操告诉士兵前方有梅林，内有又甜又酸的梅子。士兵闻听，不住地流口水。这样就解决了口渴的难题。

“渴”或“口渴”，英语名词译为thirst，形容词译为thirsty，动词译为to be/feel/get thirsty和to get a thirst。例如：

1. 这个旅行者在沙漠里迷了路，最后渴死了。The traveler lost his way in the desert and finally died of thirst.

2. 这个男子醒来，口渴得厉害，头痛得要命。The man woke up with a raging thirst and a pounding headache.

3. 那个正在攀登高山的男子口渴了，想喝水。The thirsty man who was climbing a high mountain craved for water.

4. 那些来自某个非洲国家的难民既无食物，也无饮用水，他们又饥又渴。As those refugees from an African country had neither food nor drinking water， they were hungry and thirsty.

5. 挖井工作使我口渴。Digging a well made me thirsty.

6. 长时间开车，你一定口渴了。You must be thirsty after a long drive.

7. 运动过程中不管你什么时候渴了，就喝点水。Drink some water whenever you feel thirsty during exercise.

8. 鱼类主动喝水，所以它们很可能不会口渴。Fish actively drink water， so they probably do not get thirsty.

9. 跑了长距离后，我口渴得厉害。After running a long distance， I got a terrific thirst.

“口渴”，就是“口干”，英语动词还可以译为to be dry （for a drink），to feel dry，和to be parched （with thirst）。例如：

10. 挖掘工作是一件令人口渴的活儿。Digging is a dry/thirsty job.

11. 我在这样的炎热天气总是口渴。I always feel dry in this hot weather.

12. 咱们弄点喝的。我口渴了。Lets get a drink. Im parched with thirst.

13. 他在炎热太阳下步行一段距离后，口渴得厉害。He was parched after walking a distance under the hot sun.

parched除了表示“口渴”外，还有（土地）干涸、和（嘴唇）干裂的意思。例如：

14. 由于长期干旱，这个地区的土地干涸。The land in this region is parched due to long drought.

15. 这个男孩正在舔干裂的嘴唇。The boy was licking his parched lips.

“渴死了”是表示“口渴”的夸张说法。英语译为 to be dying of thirst。例如：

16. 我渴死了。Im absolutely dying of thirst.

“口水”“唾液”或“唾沫”，英语译为saliva，spit。例如：

17. 当他闻到美食香味时，嘴里产生了比平时多的口水。He produced more saliva in his mouth than usual when he smelt the tasty food.

18. 他注意到有很多唾液滞留在嘴里。He noticed a lot of saliva settling in his mouth.

19. 他被自己的唾沫呛着了。He was choked on his own spit.

20. 我们的身体会携带病菌，而且我们会通过鼻涕、口水、咳嗽和喷嚏传播病菌。Our bodies can carry germs， and we pass them on through snot， spit， coughs and sneezes.

“流口水”，英语译为 to slobber/drool/salivate/water。例如：

21. 这个婴儿流口水流满围嘴。The baby was slobbering all over its bib.

22. 这个馋鬼流口水流满餐桌。The glutton is drooling all over the dinner table.

23. 这个贪婪的人看到这部崭新的苹果手机直流口水。The greedy man was drooling over the brand-new Apple iPhone.

24. 当看到这块大牛排时，他馋得流口水。When he saw the great steak， his mouth drooled with greed.

25. 这个食客一看到北京烤鸭就流口水。The diner salivated at the sight of Beijing roast duck.

26. 当他看到这种诱人的食物时，他在流口水。When he saw this attractive food， his mouth was watering.

27. 这美味食物使我流口水。The delicious food made my mouth water.

“止渴”或“解渴”，英语译为to quench/satisfy/slake/reduce/assuage/relieve ones thirst。例如：

28. 他喝泉水止渴。He quenched his thirst with spring water.

29. 他喝了一大杯冷水止渴。He satisfied his thirst with a long drink of cold water.

30. 他喝了一杯茶解渴。He slaked his thirst with a cup of tea.

31. 他喝了滿满一玻璃杯橙汁解渴。He reduced his thirst with a full glass of orange juice.

“望梅止渴”的字面意思是 to quench ones thirst at the thought of plums。例如：

32.“望梅止渴”的故事源自刘义庆的《世说新语》。The story of “Quenching Their Thirst at the Thought of Plums” originates from New Anecdotes of Social Talk by Liu Yiqing.

“望梅止渴”的比喻意义是“用空想或假想安慰自己”。英语译为to console oneself with false hopes。例如：

33. 望梅止渴对解决这个问题无济于事。Consoling yourself with false hopes is useless for the solution of this problem.