從前,有個人說:“吃生梨對牙齒有好處,但是會傷脾;吃紅棗對脾有好處,但是會損害牙齒。”
A young man heard this, thought it over for a long time and said: "Then, when I eat a pear, I'll keep it in my mouth and chew it with my teeth, but won't swallow it, so it will not do any harm to my spleen. When I eat a date, I won't chew it, but will swallow it whole, so it will not do any harm to my teeth."
一個年輕人聽了這句話,想了很久,說道:“那我吃生梨的時候,就含在嘴里,用牙齒咀嚼,但是不往肚里咽,它就損傷不了我的脾。吃棗的時候,我把它整個兒吞下去,不去咀嚼,這樣就不會損害我的牙齒了。”
When people heard this, they jeered at him: "You are swallowing a date whole!"
人們聽了他的話,譏笑說:“你這是在囫圇吞棗啊!”
小貼士——雙語例句:
1. We bolted a few mouthfuls of food and went out.
我們囫圇吞棗地吃了幾口就出門了。
2. Smith rammed down his supper as though he had not eaten for three days.
史密斯囫圇吞棗地把晚飯塞下肚,好像三天沒吃過東西似的。