VOA词汇掌故2023"非常干净"为什么是as clean as a whistle?

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language.

在本节目中，我们探讨英语中的单词和短语。

We give examples, notes on usage², and sometimes we use them in short conversations.

我们举例子并对用法进行解释说明，有时我们会在简短的对话中使用它们。

What do you say when something is so spotless, so perfect, so new and so clean?

当某样东西一尘不染、非常完美、非常新、非常干净时，你会说什么？

In American English, we can say it is as clean as a whistle³.

在美式英语中，我们可以说它像哨子一样干净。

We often use this expression to talk about our physical spaces.

我们经常用这个短语来谈论我们的物理空间。

After we clean our office, we can say it is clean as a whistle.

我们把办公室打扫干净后，我们可以说它非常干净。

Our home can also be as clean as a whistle.

我们的家也可以干干净净的。

If you have a car, the inside of it can be ... you guessed it! Clean as a whistle.

如果你有一辆车，车的里面可以是……你猜对了！干干净净的。

But, it is harder to keep the outside of a vehicle⁴ clean as a whistle.

但是，要保持汽车外部干净是比较困难的。

As you might have noticed, sometimes we add "as" to the beginning, and sometimes we don't.

正如你可能已经注意到的，有时我们会在开头加“as”，有时不加。

We can use this expression to describe other things, too.

我们也可以用这个短语来描述其他事情。

For example, if you have never been in a car accident, you can say that your driving record is as clean as a whistle.

例如，如果你从未发生过车祸，你可以说你的驾驶记录毫无污点。

If your school record is clear of any problems or issues⁵, you can say it is as clean as a whistle.

如果你的学校记录没有任何问题，你可以说没有什么不良记录。

And if your elected leader is not involved in corruption⁶ or any other wrongdoings, you can say she is as clean as a whistle!

如果你选出的领导人没有卷入腐败或任何其他不当行为，你可以说她毫无污点！

Like many of our English expressions and idioms, the origin of clean as a whistle is unclear.

就像我们的许多英语短语和习语一样，clean as a whistle的起源也不清楚。

Some word experts say it comes from the sound of a whistle, which is clear and sharp.

一些词汇专家说，它源于哨子发出的清脆声音。

Other experts suggest that clean as a whistle comes from drinking alcohol⁷.

其他专家则认为，clean as a whistle源于饮酒。

When you finished your drink and your glass was empty, it was said to be clean as a whistle and needed to be refilled.

当你喝完酒，杯子空了，据说杯子很干净，需要再次斟满。

Now let's hear the expression used between two friends.

现在我们来听听两个朋友之间如何使用这个短语的。

Did you hear about Wanda? She's been fired!

你听说旺达的事了吗？她被解雇了！

Wanda? Are you sure? Her work record is as clean as a whistle. To my knowledge, she has never missed a deadline. And all her projects come in under budget.

旺达？你确定吗？她的工作记录毫无污点。据我所知，她一直都是按时完成任务。她所有的项目都在预算之内。

That's true. But she got caught working for another company.

是真的。但她被发现在另一家公司工作。

So. Many people have a second or even a third job.

很多人都有第二份甚至第三份工作。

Yeah, but not at the same time. She was working her other job while getting paid by our company.

是的，但不是在同一时间。她在我们公司领工资的同时还在做另一份工作。

Oh. That's different. How do people have the time and energy to even think about doing that?

噢。那是不同的。人们怎么会有时间和精力去考虑这样做呢？

I don't know. I barely⁸ have the energy to finish my work for this job.

我不知道。我几乎没有精力完成这份工作。

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Practice using this expression in your next English conversation.

以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。在你的下次英语对话中练习使用这个短语。

Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.

下次见……我是安娜·马特奥。

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

3 whistle   

n.口哨，汽笛，啸啸声，口哨声；vi. 吹口哨，鸣汽笛，发嘘嘘声；vt.用口哨通知

参考例句：

• We heard the whistle of a train.我们听到了火车的汽笛声。
• He gave a loud whistle of surprise.他吹了一声响亮的口哨表示惊讶。

4 vehicle   

n.车辆，交通工具，运载工具；媒介，表现手段

参考例句：

• Air is the vehicle of sound.空气是声音传播的媒介。
• The power plant burns used vehicle tyres as fuel.这家电厂用废弃轮胎作燃料。

5 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 alcohol   

n.酒精，乙醇；含酒精的饮料

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors.法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。
• The alcohol is industrial.这些酒精是供工业用的。

8 barely   

adv.仅仅，几乎没有，几乎不

参考例句：

• The male bird is barely distinguishable from the female.雄鸟和雌鸟几乎无法辨别。
• He took barely enough money to keep the children in bread.他赚很少的钱仅够孩子们勉强糊口。