我们来学习如何用英语表达“埋头苦干”。你可能会直觉地想用 "bury your head in work",但这其实不太地道。那么,正确的表达方式是什么呢?
想要表达“埋头苦干、努力工作”,最地道的表达是 beaver away。这个短语来源于海狸(beaver)这种动物。海狸以勤劳著称,它们会不知疲倦地建造水坝和住所。所以,"beaver away" 就被用来形容像海狸一样努力工作。
例句: She's been beavering away at her dissertation for months. (她几个月来一直在埋头苦写她的论文。)
例句: He beavered away at the problem until he found a solution. (他埋头苦干,直到找到解决问题的方法。)
又如:He may not have much imagination, but he beavers away every day at his desk doing solid work, and that's more than I can say about the rest of my staff.
以上例句就是一个非常地道的用法,表示“他的头脑可能不太灵活,但他每天都埋头苦干,踏踏实实地工作,这一点我的其他员工都比不上。”
除了 beaver away,我们还可以用其他一些表达方式来表示“努力工作”:
Work hard: 努力工作 (最常见的表达)
例句: He works hard to support his family. (他努力工作养家糊口。)
Work diligently: 勤奋地工作
例句: She worked diligently on the project and finished it ahead of schedule. (她勤奋地做这个项目,提前完成了。)
Put in long hours: 长时间工作
例句: He's been putting in long hours at the office recently. (他最近在办公室长时间工作。)
Burn the midnight oil: 熬夜工作
例句: I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report on time. (为了按时完成报告,我不得不熬夜。)
Keep one's nose to the grindstone: 埋头苦干 (与 beaver away 意思相近)
例句: She kept her nose to the grindstone and finally got promoted. (她埋头苦干,最终得到了晋升。)
现在,让我们来做个小练习,巩固一下学到的知识吧!
请将下列句子翻译成英语:
他为了完成项目,连续几个星期都埋头苦干。
她每天都努力工作,从不抱怨。
为了准备考试,我不得不熬夜学习。
参考答案:
He beavered away for weeks to finish the project. / He kept his nose to the grindstone for weeks to finish the project.
She works hard every day and never complains.
I had to burn the midnight oil to prepare for the exam.