“颠沛流离”在英语中有多种翻译,具体选用哪种表达取决于语境和需要表达的细节。
这是最直接的对应翻译,强调“无家可归”与“苦难”的双重含义。例如:
"Refugees are often homeless and miserable due to prolonged wars."(难民因长期战乱而颠沛流离)
侧重描述在绝境中漂泊的状态,强调困境的紧迫性。例如:
"After the earthquake, survivors wandered about in a desperate plight."(地震后,幸存者颠沛流离)
以“drift”(漂泊)为核心动词,突出无目的、被动的流动状态。例如:
"Many people were forced to drift from place to place during the famine."(饥荒期间,许多人被迫颠沛流离)
更书面化的表达,结合“贫困”(destitution)与“流浪”(wandering),适用于文学作品或正式语境。
强调“流离失所”(displacement)与“困苦”(hardship)的双重打击,常用于社会学或历史描述。
多用 "drift" 或 "homeless and miserable",例如描述难民群体:
"The conflict left thousands of families homeless and miserable."(冲突使数千家庭颠沛流离)
采用比喻性更强的表达,如 "a life of destitution and wandering",例如:
"The protagonist's life of destitution and wandering mirrored the chaos of the era."(主人公颠沛流离的一生映射了时代的动荡)
使用简单动词短语 "drift around",例如:
"He drifted around the country after losing his job."(失业后,他颠沛流离于各地)
更侧重“失去住所”的结果,而“颠沛流离”强调过程中的艰辛。例如:
"The flood displaced millions, forcing them into a life of wandering."(洪水使数百万人流离失所,被迫颠沛流离)
强调“无根”状态,但缺少“困苦”的隐含意义。
《汉典》: "homeless and miserable; welter; wander about in a desperate plight"
教育部国语辞典: "to drift; homeless and miserable"
《成语词典》: "be homeless and miserable"
"During World War II, countless families were homeless and miserable, drifting across borders."(二战期间,无数家庭颠沛流离,跨越国境漂泊)
"She spent her youth drifting from town to town, a life of displacement and hardship."(她的青春在颠沛流离中度过)
"Natural disasters often result in people wandering about in a desperate plight."(自然灾害常导致人们颠沛流离)
“颠沛流离”的英语表达需根据语境选择:
通用场景: "be homeless and miserable" 或 "drift from place to place";
文学渲染: "lead a life of destitution and wandering";
学术分析: "live a life of displacement and hardship"。
翻译时需注意成语中“困顿”与“漂泊”的双重含义,避免与近义词混淆。