“You’re the apple of my eye.”
聽起來是個充滿感情的比喻
那假如你聽到別人說你是個 “square” (方形)
或者是 “green-eyed monster”
又會怎麼想呢？
快來認識這些生動活潑的譬喻用法
講出來真是讓英文太加分啦！
國文課常常上的譬喻修辭，其實英文也有！暗喻 (metaphor) 與明喻 (simile) 常常在每天的談話與閱讀中出現，先看一部影片了解他們的意思：
所以我們知道了：
- 明喻
明喻就是直接的比較，也就是形容「A像B」，比如說「白的跟雪一樣」(as white as snow)、「黑的跟黑炭一樣」(as black as coal)。 - 暗喻
比喻的運用就更需要一點想像力，因為句子延伸的意義本身不見得能夠從字面上看出來，而這正是它巧妙的地方！
而同樣的單字被運用在直喻或比喻，可能會有完全不一樣的意思！以下舉一些例子：
1. 「蘋果」是水果也是比喻的好幫手
Simile 明喻
The travellers have fallen in love with Taiwan’s local produce. They cannot believe that the tomatoes are as big as apples, and the apples look like the size of baseballs.
旅行者們已經愛上了台灣的當地特產。他們不敢相信番茄大如蘋果，而蘋果看起來像棒球一樣大。
Metaphor 暗喻
the apple in one’s eye 掌上明珠；非常珍貴的人或者物品
In a family of five boys and one girl, the youngest daughter is the apple in everyone’s eye.
在一個擁有五個男孩與一個女孩的家裡，最小的女兒是每個人的掌上明珠。
a few bad apples 害群之馬；幾個壞角色
Amid a massive corporate scandal which lost a significant portion of the investors’ money, the CEO told the media that they shouldn’t lose faith in their company because of a few bad apples.
嚴重的企業醜聞大幅度損失了投資者的錢，首席執行官告知媒體，他們不應該因為少數的害群之馬，對公司失去信心。
2. 「色彩」可以形容情景也可以形容情緒
Simile 明喻
Fans of photography can easily recall a famous National Geographic cover photo that featured a beautiful girl with green eyes resembling pure emeralds.
攝影愛好者都知道一張著名的《國家地理雜誌》封面照，一位美女的綠色眼睛看起來像是純綠寶石。
Metaphor 暗喻
green with envy 因為嫉妒到臉綠了
green-eyed monster 綠眼怪獸（非常嫉妒）
Gwen often becomes green with envy whenever her classmates receive better grades or awards for outstanding achievements, and she would turn into a green-eyed monster.
每當她的同學們得到更好的成績或領取傑出成就的獎勵，葛溫總是嫉妒到臉都發綠，儼然變成一隻綠眼怪獸了（表示非常嫉妒）！
3. 「海洋」與「天空」不止是美麗的顏色與無限的視野
Simile 明喻
As the far end of the ocean merges with the skyline, the different shades of blue look like the collision of light and dark sapphires.
當海洋的盡頭融合了天際線，不同色調的藍像是淺藍與深藍寶石的相撞。
Metaphor 暗喻
bottomless ocean 沒有底線的海洋
The professor has been teaching, researching, and writing for forty years. His knowledge is an ocean that appears to be bottomless.
教授任教、研究、寫作已經四十年了，而他的知識似乎是無底的海洋。
4. 「情感」也有許多直接與間接的形容方法
Simile 明喻
The young couple’s passionate feelings for each other are like flames that keep on burning.
年輕情侶對對方的激烈感情就像是不斷燃燒的火焰。
Metaphor 暗喻
a journey 一個旅程
a crossroad 一個十字路口
After forty years of happily married life, Mark and Miranda have traveled a beautiful journey together.
經過四十年的幸福美滿的婚姻生活，馬克和米蘭達已經在一起經歷了美麗的旅程。Their relationship hit a crossroad when he got a job offer at a different city, but she wants to stay at exactly where she is.
當他得到了一個在不同的城市工作機會，而她想留在原本的城市。他們的關係面臨了到十字路口。
5. 「幾何圖形」是滿好用的譬喻幫手
Simile 明喻
The synchronized cooperation of the sales and marketing departments are running smoothly like two parallel lines that support each other.
銷售和營銷部門同步進行的合作就像是相互支持的兩條順行的平行線。The streets of Manhattan are laid out like the lines of even-sized rectangles.
曼哈頓的街道佈局像同樣尺寸的長方形的線條 。
Metaphor 暗喻
square 正正方方的人；非常正經的人
Malcolm always speaks professionally, and dresses formally for any occasion. People’s first impression of him is that he must be a square. But when they get to know him better, they would realize that he is easy going, and full of humor.
馬爾科姆說話總是很專業，也在任何場合都穿著正式。大家對他的第一印象都是他一定是個非常正經的人。但當他們了解他以後，才知道他隨和又充滿幽默。
延伸比喻 (What does extended metaphor mean?)
迫不及待想馬上開始練習嗎？
快打開 VoiceTube App 練英文！
✦ 立即下載 >>> https://bit.ly/myenglishissogood
英文單字不要硬背！ 藉由 VoiceTube App 看影片，不會的單字反覆聆聽，加上單字測驗練習，聽寫齊下，立刻熟記！
文／王傳瑄
圖／Benjamin Golub
作者簡介／VoiceTube看影片學英語
學英文不是艱難的任務，而是一種融入生活的自然態度，今天起，丟掉厚重的教科書，每日鎖定VoiceTube看影片學英語官方部落格，給自己一個流利『用』英語的機會！