作者简介：胡健James，武汉理工大学英语专业学士学位，专业英语八级，曾担任大学电台英文播音员，多次参加英语演讲比赛，擅长利用英语歌曲和电影来提高地道听说能力。

　　前言：You may think it's easy to communicate when you're visiting another English-speaking country, but think again! Certain words mean something entirely different on the other side of the world. Read on to see which eight words could cause you embarrassment across the pond or down under.

　　也许你认为自己去英语国家旅游完全没问题，再仔细想想!不同的英语国家对于同一个英文单词可能有不同的理解。看看哪8个单词会令你在其他英语国家遭遇尴尬吧。

　　1PantsBe careful who you tell in the U.K. that you have to go pants shopping—across the pond, "pants" means "underwear." When you're talking about jeans and khakis, you should call them "trousers."

　　在英国，如果你和人家说你要去买“pants”(美式英语中意为“长裤”)，那意思是你要买“内裤”。如果你要买的是牛仔裤或卡其裤，你应该用“trousers”这个词。

　　Avoid Using In: The U.K., Ireland

　　避免使用的国家：英国、爱尔兰

　　2FannyOwn a fanny pack? In most other English-speaking countries, they're called "bum bags" because "fanny" is slang for a part of the female anatomy (and no, we're not talking about the rear end). So don't tell someone to stop being lazy and get off their fanny, either!

　　你有“fanny pack”(美式英语中意为“腰包”)吗?在大多数英语国家，“腰包”更多地被称作“bum bags”，因为“fanny”是对女性私处的俚语说法(没错，我们说的不是臀部)。所以也千万不要对别人说：别懒了，抬起“fanny”干活吧!

　　Avoid Using In: The U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

　　避免使用的国家：英国、爱尔兰、澳大利亚、新西兰、南非

　　3PissedIn America, we may get "pissed off" when we're angry, but the Brits and Irish who are "pissed" are extremely intoxicated. "Taking the piss," however, means "to make fun of," not "to get drunk."

　　在美国，我们生气时会说“get pissed off”，但是英国人和爱尔兰人如果说“pissed”，意思是烂醉如泥。不过“taking the piss”意思是“取笑”，而不是“喝醉”。

　　Avoid Using In: The U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand

　　避免使用的国家：英国、爱尔兰、澳大利亚、新西兰

　　4BangsPrepare for weird looks if you're bragging about your new "bangs" in England. A forehead-covering haircut over there is referred to as a "fringe" instead. Overseas, "bangs" is more commonly used as the somewhat vulgar slang that it is interchangeable with in America.

　　如果你在英国炫耀自己的新“bangs”(刘海)，恐怕不少人会向你投去怪怪的眼神。在那里“刘海”被叫做“fringe”而不是“bangs”。在美国以外的地方，“bangs”是一种粗俗的俚语说法。

　　Avoid Using In: Anywhere outside of North America

　　避免使用的国家：北美以外的任何国家

　　5KnobAmericans hear the word "knob" and think "doorknob" or "lever." It has a much dirtier meaning in other countries, like Australia and the U.K., where it's an insult or slang for a part of the male anatomy. Now you'll know to be offended if someone calls you a "knob head."

　　美国人听到“knob”这个词想到的是“门把手”。但是在澳大利亚和英国等其他国家，“knob”的意思要“黄”得多。在那里国家，“knob”指的是男子生殖器的一部分。现在你知道别人叫你“knob head” 你应该是什么反应了吧。

　　Avoid Using In: The U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

　　避免使用的国家：英国、爱尔兰、澳大利亚、新西兰、南非

　　6RootAmericans may "root around" looking for a lost object, but Australians and New Zealanders use the term to refer to having sex.

　　美国人用“root around”来指“寻找”失物，但澳大利亚人和新西兰人用这个词组指代发生性关系。

　　Avoid Using In: Australia, New Zealand

　　避免使用的国家：澳大利亚、新西兰

　　7PullIf someone "pulled" last night in the U.K., they're probably not talking about pulling a muscle or drawing something apart. It's commonly used as slang for successfully picking up someone while out on the town. Likewise, "going on the pull" means that someone is going out with the express goal of getting some action.

　　如果在英国某人昨晚“pulled”，他们很可能不是在说肌肉拉伤或是把什么东西拉开，而是指外出时成功“钓”到某人。同样，“going on the pull” 意思是某人为了猎艳而出动。

　　Avoid Using In: The U.K., Ireland

　　避免使用的国家：英国、爱尔兰

　　8BuggerIf you affectionately call your child or pet "little bugger," you might want to reconsider doing so in pretty much any other English-speaking country. In most other places, from Canada to Australia, it is commonly used as an expletive similar to the f-word.

　　在美国，如果你亲切地叫你的孩子或宠物“little bugger”(小家伙)，到其他讲英语的国家可千万别这么说。在大多数其他英语国家，如加拿大和澳大利亚，“bugger”都是骂人的话，相当于“fuck”。

　　Avoid Using In: Most places outside of America

　　避免使用的国家：美国以外的其他国家

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（编辑：何莹莹）