顏色詞除表示其具體實(shí)際的色彩外，還會由于不同國家的不同文化而具有不同的涵義。例如a white day可 譯為“白色的日子”，但在英國，白色往往表 示“純真”、“崇高”、“吉祥”、“幸福”之意。a white day意為“吉日” 或“喜慶的日字”。此外，英語中與顏色詞在一起組成的復(fù)合詞或帶有顏色詞的 詞組往往有其特殊意義或習(xí)慣用法，這些都是在翻譯顏色詞時(shí)不可忽略之處。下面就各種顏色詞分別舉例略作說明。

1. RED:

(1)The president was treated to the redcarpet in Rome. 總統(tǒng)在羅馬受到了隆重的接待。

(2)It was a red-letter day in the history of Chinese revolution. 這是中國歷史上值得紀(jì)念的日子。

(3)A thief was caught red-handed in the act of breaking open alock. 一個(gè)竊賊在砸開鎖時(shí)被當(dāng)場抓獲。

(4)You said that l am very good. ls my face red? 你說我很好，真使我難為情了。

(5)When he started criticizing my work,l really saw red. 當(dāng)他批評 我的工作時(shí)，我就冒火、發(fā)脾氣。

(6)There is too much red-tape in obtaining an identity card. 領(lǐng)身份證的手續(xù)實(shí)在太繁瑣了。

(7)They had to sell the firm because for years they had operated it in the red. 因?yàn)榻?jīng)營這家公司幾年來一直虧損，所以他們只好把它賣掉。

(8)We'll soon be out of the red. 我們很快就會扭虧為盈。

(9)Every time he comes to New York,he wants to paint the town red. 每次來紐約，他都要痛飲一番。

2. GREEN:

(10)He is still green to his job. 他對其工作尚無經(jīng)驗(yàn)。

(11)Do you see any green in my eye? 你認(rèn)為我幼稚可欺嗎？

(12)lf you want to be a successful gardener,of course you've gotto have green fingers. 假如你想當(dāng)個(gè)稱職的園工，那你就得有園藝技能。

(13)She is a green hand in teaching English. 在英語教學(xué)中，他還是個(gè)生手。

(14)Mother gave us the green light to go on the camping trip this summer. 媽媽準(zhǔn)許我們今年夏天去野營一次。

(15)He has a green wound in the left breast. 他左胸上有一新傷口。

3. BLUE:

(16)He is proud of his blue blood. 他因出身名門貴族而驕傲。

(17)Things are looking extremely blue. 情況極其不妙。

(18)True blue will never stain. 真金不怕火煉。

(19)She ran and ran until she was blue in the face. 她跑啊跑啊，累得臉色發(fā)青精疲力竭。

(20)lt's once in a blue moon that you get a chance like that. 你得到的是個(gè)千載難逢的機(jī)會。

(21)He can read like a blue streak. 他看書極快。

(22)The bad news came like a bolt out of the blue. 這消息來得如青天霹靂。

(23)John arrived out of the blue. 約翰突然來了。

(24)A rainy day always gives me the blues. 下雨天總是使我心情抑郁。

4. BROWN:

(25)The leaves browned slowly. 樹葉漸漸枯了。

(26)We are all of us done brown. 我們都上當(dāng)了。

(27)When she gives a dinner party,she always does it up brown.她舉行宴會，總是辦得很出色。

(28)l'm browned off,sitting here all day with nothing to do. 我整 天坐在這兒沒事干，感到抑郁無聊。

(29)Aim at one bird, don't blaze into the brown. 瞄準(zhǔn)一只打，不要射擊鳥群。

(30)l tried to attract his attention,but he was in a brown study. 我 企圖吸引他的注意力，可是他仍在沉思默想。

5. BLACK:

(31)The black dog is over him. 他意氣消沉。

(32)Tom is the black sheep of his family. 湯姆是個(gè)敗家子。

(33)Next time l see him, l'll give him a black eye. 下次我見到他一定打他一頓。