chew over 好好想一想
到底是接受还是不接受这份提案呢?答案都不是,而是要再考虑一下。原来chew
是咀嚼,chew over
是反覆咀嚼,引申为仔细推敲、好好想一想的意思。
例如:I've been chewing things over. I've come to a final decision.
我已经考虑了一阵子,我有了个最后决定。
为什么不说I'll think about it.
也许你会想,为什么不直接用I'll think about it.
,不是更直接吗?
I'll think about it.
在多数老外的耳裡,会觉得是拒绝的藉口。所以这个句子用的时候要谨慎一些。
来看看I'll think about it.
发生的场合。
到商场购物,服务人员想推销东西,但你不想买,直接拒绝不太礼貌,很多人会委婉地说I'll think about it
。对方听到这句话,就会明白意思而离开了。
在西方社会,I'll think about it.
也常常出现在父母和孩子的对话,或女孩拒绝男孩约会邀请时候也会用。
来看看Urban dictionary的例句:
例一:Son:Dad, can I get an iPad?
爸,我可以有一台 iPad 吗?Dad:I won't get it for you now but I'll think about it.
现在不行,但我会考虑;意思是不行。
例二:Guy:Hey, I kinda like you, will you go out with me?
我很喜欢妳,可以和我约会吗?Girl:I'll think about it.
我再想想;意思是不行。
chew on 仔细考虑
不用I'll think about it.
,除了用chew over
之外,你也可以用很接近的一个片语chew on
,意思一样。
例如:He took the offer after chewing on it.
仔细考虑后他接受了那份工作。
think long and hard 缜密考量
一定要用think
的话就用think long and hard
,想得又长又用力,意思是“缜密考量”。
I need a few days to think long and hard before I decide if I'm going with this option.
我需要几天想想我是不是要採取这个方式。
mull over 仔细思考
还有一个片语是mull over
,意思是“仔细思考”,这个字老美口语上很爱用,但在台湾比较少听到。Mull
原来有“酝酿”之意,把酒温热也可以用这个字:
Thank you for your offer and could I have some time to mull it over?
谢谢你给的机会,可以给我一些时间考虑一下吗?
chew out 骂人
和chew over
/chew on
很像,容易搞混的字是chew out
,意思完全不同,嚼著嚼著东西都吐出来了,意思是“骂人”:
I knew my dad was going to chew me out.
我就知道老爸会把我痛骂一顿。