我打了个哈欠,实在对不起,不过这和今天我们要讲的美国习惯用语倒有点关系,这个习惯用语是:burn the candle at both ends.
Burn是烧的意思,candle是蜡烛的意思,一只蜡烛两头烧,可想而知,很快就会耗尽。所以,burn the candle at both ends这个习惯用语的意思就是过份地消耗精力或是财产。
夏天很多人请假,所以我最近一直在加班。不巧的是,公公婆婆来看孙子,所以我下班还要招待他们,简直忙得不可开交。说实在的,现在这种感觉就是:I don't know how much longer I can burn the candle at both ends.
现在的学生,总有忙不完的事,日程排得满满的。下面这个父亲就很担心女儿的身体吃不消。
例句-1:I'm worried about my daughter. In addition to her heavy class load, she's been holding down a part-time job and training to run a marathon. Next week she's got final exams, which she's been staying up late to study for. If she keeps burning the candle at both ends, she's bound to get herself sick.
例句-2:When I was younger, I had lots of energy. I used to work all day, and then go out partying with my friends until morning without getting tired. But those days are long gone. I can no longer burn the candle at both ends.