有关身体部位的英语习语

一．有关arm(胳膊)的习语

1．a shot in the arm：最好的促进因素。可引申为“使精神或自信得到恢复的东西”。例如：

I was discouraged about my chances of passing the final examination，but my teacher’s words of encouragement gave me a shot in the arm．我对于是否能通过期末考试已失去信心，可是，老师鼓励我的话使我又振作起来。

这一习语也可以按字面意思使用。例如：

The doctor gave me．a shot in the arm．医生在我胳膊上注射了一针。

2．twist someone's arm：(为使某人就范)采取强制手段。例如：

He'll do it for us．but I may have to twist his arm a bit．他会给我们干的，不过，我也许必须给他施加点压力。

3．would give one's right arm：(要是有……)该多么好，表示对难以实现的事或难到手的东西的强烈愿望。此习语常在讲话或通俗文章使用，正式文章中一般不用。例如：I'd give my right arm to have a car like that．我要是有那样一辆汽车该多么好。

二、有关leg(腿)的习语

1．have a hollow leg：海量。不管喝多少酒，都流进了“中空的腿”，因此，怎么也喝不醉。例如：

No more for me．thanks．I'm afraid I don’t have a hollow leg．谢谢，请别给我倒酒了，我恐怕不是海量。

2．have not(或not have)．a leg to stand on：(论点等)站不住脚，完全没有根据(或道理)。例如：

Their case hasn't got a leg to stand on．他们的诉讼没有一点依据。

在leg前可加single来表示强调。例如：

After Ben has refuted my first argument，I didn’t have a single leg to stand on．本驳倒了我的第一个论点后，我就完全站不住脚了。

3．pull someone's leg：开某人的玩笑(不是“拖某人的后腿”)。例如：

Don't let Luke fool you．He is forever pulling someone’s leg with a full story．你不要上卢克的当，他总是编一套谎话拿别人开心。

leg-puller：拿别人开心者。可以在前面加上great以加强语气。例如：

My grandfather is a great leg-puller．

4．shake a leg：赶快。常常指步行，乘车或行动时赶快。例如：

You'd better shake a leg or we'll miss thebus．我们得赶快走，不然就赶不上公共汽车了。

Hurry and get dressed．If we don't shake aleg，we'll be late for the party．赶快换衣服。如果我们不抓紧时间，参加社交晚会就要迟到了。

三、有关hand(手)的习语

1．bite the hand that feed ：恩将仇报。此习语直译为“咬饲养者的手”，常作比喻使用。例如：

I can't go against my father's wishes．That would be biting the hand that feeds me．我不能违背父亲的意愿，否则就等于忘恩负义了。

2．gain(或get／have)the upper hand：占上风。例如：

The important thing in wrestling is never to let your opponent get the upper hand．摔跤中的秘诀是永远不要让对手占优势。

We have no choice but to accept their conditions．They have the upper hand．我们没有别的办法，只好接受他们的条件，因为他们占上风嘛。

该习语的反义语为lose the upper hand。

3．get out of hand：失去控制能力。例如：

The fire soon got out of hand．火势凶猛，很快就无法控制了。

If you are not firm with the children．They will get out of hand．如果对孩子不严厉，他们就会如脱缰野马，不服管教了。

这一表达法也可以说成be out of hand。

4．Keep one's hand in：经常练习以免生疏。例如：

I don't have much time for tennis any more．but I try to play enough to keep my hand in．我再也没有更多的时间去打网球了，但我仍然尽可能练习，以免球技荒废。

5．live from hand to mouth：勉强糊口。例如：

If I don't find a job soon，we'll live fromhand to mouth．如果我不马上找到工作，我们就得过吃了上顿没下顿的生活了。

6．an old hand：老手。这一习语具有在某方面“老资格”或“对某种工作很熟练”的意思，广泛应用于各领域。如：

Why don't you ask Abe to help you?He is an old hand at fixing Cars．你为什么不请阿贝帮你一下，他是个修理汽车的老手呀。

The Foreign Minister is an old hand at negotiating with the Arabs．外交部长是个同阿拉伯人谈判的老手。

四、关于foot(脚)的习语

1．get off on the wrong foot：出师不利。这条习语原来是指在军队行进中“出错了脚，由右脚起步了”，现在则比喻为“开始一件新事情时，方法错误给人不良印象”。例如：You should wear a suit of western-styleclothes on your fast day at work．You don't wantto get off on the wrong foot．你头一天上班，应该穿一套西服，你总不愿出师不利吧。

如果使用get off on the right foot，则表示“开门红”。

2．put one's best foot forward：想尽量给人好印象。此习语至少从莎士比亚时代就开始流传，它的字面意思是“把好的脚伸到前边”。

You'd beaer buy a new suit．You'll wantto put your best foot forward at your job interviewthis week．你最好买一套新衣服吧，下个星期就业面谈的时候，你一定想要给人一个最好的印象呀。

3．put one's foot in one's mouth：讲话不得体。这个词语的字面意思是“把自己的一只脚放到自己的嘴里”。显然这种状况下的人无法讲话得体，用汉语俗语说就是“说走了嘴”。例如：

You put your foot in your mouth when youtold Mr．Crank you didn't trust Yankees．Didn'tyou know that he was born and raised in NewYork?你对克兰克先生说你不信任北方佬，这话可说走了嘴。你不知道他是在纽约出生和长大的吗?

Every time she opens her mouth she putsher foot in it．她好信口开河。

学英语要从不同方面去扩通，了解该国运用本语言的一些地道说法，你注意过有些习语的表达与你身体部位有关吗？

MOUTH口

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth生于富贵之家

butter would't melt in sb's mouth看起来老老实实（其实并不见得）

by word of mouth口头上

down in the mouth沮丧，情绪低落

from the horse mouth（指劝告，情报等）来自直接参与者的，从可靠的人那里获得

live from hand to mouth紧能满足眼前的需要（尤指食物方面）

out of the mouths of babies and sucklings黄口小儿的话也有道理

put one's money where one's mouth is以实际行动支持，并非说空话

shoot one's mouth off夸张，吹牛

take the bread out of sb's mouth使某人无以为生

EYE眼

the apple of sb's eye心爱的人或物，掌上明珠

cry one's eye out痛哭

do sb in the eye伤害某人，羞辱某人

an eye for an eye以眼还眼，报复

sb's eye are bigger than his stomach眼大肚小

feast one's eyes饱眼福

have an eye for sth有眼力，有眼光

all my eye瞎说

see eye to eye with sb完全一致，有相同的看法

with one's eyes shut轻易地

EAR耳

be all ears倾听

go in one ear and out the other左耳进右耳出

have a word in sb.'s ear和某人说悄悄话

make a pig's ear of sth弄乱某事物

music to one's ear佳音

out of one's ear突遭驱除、开除、解雇等

smile from ear to ear眉开眼笑

walls have ears隔墙有耳

with half an ear不很注意地

NOSE鼻

be no skin of one's nose与己无关，满不在乎

by a nose以少许之差

cut off one's nose to spite one's face想报复别人而害了自己follow one's nose一直往前走，凭直觉行事

have one's nose in sth.专心地阅读某物

pay though the nose为某时花前过多

plain as the nose on one's face一清二楚

with one's nose in the air非常傲慢

keep one's nose clean不做讨厌，违法的事

stick one's nose in sth.管闲事

FACE脸

be staring sb.in the face就在某人面前，十分明显

fly in the face of sth.与某事物相悖

keep a strange face绷着脸，忍住不笑

laugh on the other side of one's face转喜为忧

on the face of it就表面判断

shut the door in sb's face拒绝与某人谈话

a slap in the face冷落，侮辱

till one is blue in the face努力和持久到了极点

wipe sth.off the face of thr earth彻底消除某事物

set one's face against sb./sth.坚决反对某人或某物

再加：

up to one's eyes in work非常忙

with the naked eye用肉眼

be a real eye opener使人大开眼界的经历

have one's eye on留心着

in one's mind's eye在脑海里

keep an eye on照看，留神

turn a blind eye to sth.对……视而不见

1. Head. The head is thought to be the most important part of the human body. So a leader is often compared to a head (首脑). Thus we have Head of State or the head of a delegation.

The head is where the brain is located. It is naturally associated with ideas and intelligence. Very often, we need other people's ideas and opinions when we want to do something well. The is because two heads are better than one (三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮).

2. Eye. The eyes are extremely precious to us. That is why we say" Mind your eye (当心)! When we reminding someone to be careful.

Not only human beings and animals have eyes, many things also have" eyes"- the eyes of a ship, the eye of a needle, the eye of a typhoon, and so on.

3. Ear. The ear is the organ of hearing. A piece of light music is easy on the ear(悦耳动听). We are usually all ears (专心聆听) for bit news.

When they think somebody is overhearing, English people use either of the two proverbs: Walls have ears (隔墙有耳) and Pitchers have ears (壶罐有耳). They also think that little pitchers have big ears（小孩子耳朵尖）. Nice boys and girls respect other people. They will not secretly listen to others' private conversations.

4. Nose. The English phrase "face to face (面对面)" and its Chinese counterpart（对应） are exactly the same. But English people, to express the same idea, can say nose to nose instead. There is no such substitute

in Chinese.

The word nose appears in many idioms. Here are two which are quite similar to their Chinese equivalents: lead somebody by the nose (牵着某人的鼻子走) and turn up one's nose at somebody or something (对某人或某物嗤之以鼻).

English people can say as plain as the nose in one's face (一清二楚) to mean "very obvious". May be to them, the nose is the most conspicuous part of the face.

5. Lip. We have two lips: the upper lip and the lower lip. If one's two lips are closed, one cannot speak. So it goes without saying that "don't open your lips(不要开口)" means " don't speak".

His lips are sealed. Are his lips really stuck together by wax or glue? No, his lips are sealed when asked about something that he must keep secret. Sometimes a top secret is betrayed because it has escaped someone's lips (脱口而出). Then the incident may become a piece of news that is on everybody's lips (众口相传).

6. Tongue. We all know we cannot speak without the tongue. So the tongue is closely related to speech. To hold one's tongue (保持沉默) means "to keep silent". A person who has too much tongue (太多嘴) is disliked by all, for he is too talkative. Mother tongue is not the tongue of a mother: it is a person's native language.

"Don't you have a moth below your nose (你鼻子底下不是有张嘴吗)?" The Chinese say so to blame a person who did not say what he should have said. But this not the right way to express the idea in English. English people would say, "You have a tongue in your head, haven't you?"

7. Face. Face has to do with the idea of respect and dignity both in Chinese and English. You lose your face (丢面子) if you fail again and again, but a decisive victory will save your face (挽回面子) after all your failures.

When you feel unhappy, you pull a long face (拉长脸). The idea is conveyed in Chinese in the same way. But "about face (向后转)" does not refer to the face. It is a military order to turn round and face in the opposite direction. It is the exact equivalent of " about turn".

8. Shoulder. The shoulders can bear heavy things. Your father has a great responsibility for the family on his shoulder. When faced with difficulty, the family should stand shoulder to shoulder (肩并肩) to overcome it. You

should not turn a cold shoulder (不理睬) to your family members. Nor should you give your friends the cold shoulder (冷落朋友). Both expressions mean treating others coldly.

9. Back. A good host is hospitable to his guests. But, if guest is tiresome, the host is glad to see his back (他离开).

If your friend has done something really well, you may give him a pat on the back (轻轻拍背部) to show your appreciation.

If you turn your back on somebody (不理睬他人), you mean you do not like making friends with that person.

10. Heart. The heart is an extremely important organ inside the chest. It usually stands for something important or the centre of something, for example, the heart of the matter (问题的核心) or the heart of mystery.

Many other expressions make use of the word heart. A lover can be called a sweet heart (情人). The Purple Heart (紫心徽章) is a medal given as an honor to American soldiers wounded in battle.

If your friend is in trouble, you may encourage him by saying "Don't lose heart (不要灰心)."

11. Stomach. The stomach is naturally related to one's appetite. If you dislike heavy food, you have no stomach for it (反胃). The word is also related to one's interests or likings. If you find something boring or vulgar, you have no stomach for it, either. Bad food turns your stomach. Similarly, your stomach turns at a bad joke.

Stomach can also be a verb. Look at this example: "How could you stomach (忍受) such rude words?" Apparently, stomach here can be replaced by "tolerate".

12. Arm. Every person has two arms: the right arm and the left arm. The right arm is usually stronger, so we call a good helper the right arm (得力助手).

We all know an arm is not very long. But when you keep someone at arm's length (保持距离), the distance is long enough. For that means you don not like that person and you try your best to avoid him or her. We should indeed keep the bad friends at arm's length.

13. Hand. Quite a number of phrases formed form the word hand are very

similar to their Chinese counterparts. Here are some obvious examples: a fresh hand (新手), short of hands (人手短缺), hand in hand (手拉手) and wash one's hands of something (洗手不干了). But do not always take this for granted. Study these examples and you will understand.

He lives from hand to mouth (He has just enough money to live on). We gave them a big hand (We gave them lots of applause).

14. Finger. How many fingers does each of your hands have? Now let's name them in English from the smallest: the little finger, the ring finger, the middle finger, the index finger and thumb.

Each finger has its own part to play. If your fingers are all thumbs (笨拙), that is too bad. That means you are very clumsy.

15. Thumb. Chinese people turn up their thumbs to express appreciation. English peopled so to express not only appreciation but also approval. Chinese people never turn their thumbs down to mean anything. But English people do. They do so to show depreciation disapproval. Thus in English you can say, "We turn thumbs up (赞成) to Jack's suggestion but they turn thumbs down (不赞成) to it." Similarly, you can warmly praise someone by saying "Thumbs up (真棒)!" and show your dissatisfaction by saying "Thumbs down (差劲)!"

16. Nail. If you see two of your classmates fighting tooth and nail (又抓又咬), you must stop them at once. Otherwise, at least one of them would be hurt.

Nail also means a thin pointed piece of metal for hammering into something.

But it is related to the body in this sentence: "Peter is as hard as nails (结实的象铁打的)." We all hope that we are as strong and healthy as he is.

Then if I say you have hit the nail on the head (中肯，一针见血), I don not mean that you have done something cruel. I mean that you have said exactly the right thing.

17. Leg. The word leg appears in many colloquial expressions. At a party, when you feel like dancing, you can say to a good friend of yours, "Let's shake a leg." Obviously, it means " Let's dance." When you want your fiend to hurry, you can also "shake a leg". In American English it means "hurry".

The arms and legs are very important to us. Therefore when asked why you

are not going to buy something expensive, you may answer, "It costs an arm and a leg!" You mean that it is really expensive. If you pull one's leg, it means you make fun of someone.

18. Toe. To convey the idea "from head to foot", English people san say from top to toe. But Chinese people don't.

Some people turn their toes out (八字脚) when they walk. Some turn their toes in.

When faced with danger, we must be alert and ready for action, that is to say, we must be on our toes (保持警惕).

19. Skin. Human beings have skin. So have animals and plants. The skin can be think or thin. A think-skinned person, or a person who has a thin skin, is easily upset or offended while a thick-skinned person, or a person who has a think skin, is quite the contrary. Both expressions are sometimes derogatory (贬义).

That is to say, sometimes the former refers to a person who is too sensitive; the latter a person who has little sense of shame.

20. Hair. Most people will only think of the hair on our head when the word hair is mentioned. In fact, some animals and plants also have hair.

A horrible scene may make a person's hair stand on end (毛骨悚然). But a courageous person will not turn a hair (不畏惧) even though he is in face of danger.

Sometimes, a friend of yours may be so angry that he may act foolishly. Then you had better give him this advice: "Keep your hair on (别发脾气)".

head头, hair头发, skull颅骨, 头盖骨,bald head 秃头, brain 脑.

neck脖子, face 脸, cheek 脸颊, ear 耳,eye 眼.

lid 眼睑, nose 鼻子, mouth 嘴, lip 嘴唇.

throat 咽喉, tonsil 扁桃腺, tooth 牙齿,denture 假齿.

gum 牙龈. tongue 舌头, chin 下巴, forehead 额头.

temple 太阳穴, mustache 小胡子, beard 山羊胡.

whisker 络腮胡, sidebums 鬓角, wrinkle 皱纹.

mole 痣, freckle 雀斑,dimple 酒涡,pimple 粉刺.

nipple 乳头,chest 胸部,navel 肚脐,abdomen 腹部.

shoulder 肩,back 背,waist腰,hip 臀部,buttock 屁股. collarbone 锁骨,rib 肋骨,backbone 脊骨, 脊柱.

breastbone 胸骨,joint 关节,pelvis 骨盆,sinew 腱,muscle 肌肉bone 骨,skeleton 骨骼,blood vessel 血管,vein 静脉.

artery 动脉,capillary 毛细血管,nerve 神经,spinal marrow 脊髓. kidney 肾脏,windpipe 气管,lung 肺,heart 心脏,diaphragm 隔膜. organ 器官,gullet 食道,stomach 胃,liver 肝脏,gall 胆囊. bladder 膀胱,pancreas 胰腺,spleen 脾,duodenum 十二指肠. small intestine 小肠,large intestine 大肠,appendix 盲肠.

rectum 直肠,anus 肛门,urine 尿道,ovary 卵巢,womb 子宫. vagina 阴道.

thumb 大拇指,forefinger 食指,middle finger 中指.

third finger 无名指,little finger 小指,palm 手掌,nail 指甲.

fist 拳头,knuckle 指关节,back 手背,wrist 手腕,elbow 肘