“Just my luck.”不是說自己很幸運
- Just my luck.
(X)我就是好運。
(O)我向來運氣很背。
Just one's luck表示的意思為「某人的運氣很不好」,和表面的意思相反。英英字典的解釋是:
An expression of exasperation when something bad happens, especially when it seems like bad things happen repeatedly.
一件壞事發生時,對自己運氣不佳的感嘆,特別是它經常發生。
大家比較不熟的用法,多讀幾個例句,弄熟它的語境:
They sold the last ticket five minutes before I got there - just my luck!
在我到那兒的5分鐘前他們賣掉了最後一張票——真倒楣!
That's just my luck! First the flat tire, and now I'm locked out of the apartment.
運氣真壞,一開始是爆胎,接下來是被鎖在門外。
- luck of the draw
(X)抽獎很幸運
(O)全靠運氣
Draw是抽籤,意思是「如同抽籤一樣全憑運氣」。
You can't choose who you play against - it's just the luck of the draw. 你無法選擇比賽對手——只能靠你的運氣了。
The team was assembled by chance. It was just luck of the draw that we could work so well together. 這個團隊的組成純屬偶然。我們能這麼好地在一起工作是命運的安排。
- Tough luck.
(X)渡過難關的運氣。
(O)活該/真倒楣。
"They lost a lot of money on their investment." 他們的投資損失慘重。
"Tough luck - they should have been more careful." 活該——誰叫他們不小心呢。
- Lots of luck.
這句話有可能是正面的意思,真正祝人好運;也有可能是反諷意味,要看怎麼用。
- 真心祝人好運,注意介系詞的用法:
Lots of luck in your new job!祝你的新工作成功!(=Best of luck to you in your new job!)
Luck不只有幸運的意思,也可以指「成功」。
Have you had any luck with booking your flight? 你訂到飛機票了嗎?
- 諷刺性的用法,表面祝成功,但諷刺你沒希望的反語:
Think you stand a chance? Lots of luck! 你以為你有希望嗎?祝你好運!
再來學一句luck的好話,適合用來安慰人:Better luck next time. 意思是「下一次會更好」。
I'm sorry to hear that you failed your driving test. Better luck next time!
很遺憾你沒考過駕照,不過祝你下次成功!
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「戒掉爛英文」是世界公民文化中心源自於商業周刊上的專欄。我們常常接到讀者的意見是: 「那錯誤,簡直就是在講我啊!」栩栩如生的錯誤!假如你上班或生活上用得英文,這些錯誤聽起來是不是像極了老朋友,熟悉得不得了?確實,這些錯誤大部份都來自於實體教學,在一對一教學過程中,很仔細地記錄、分類、整理下來的。我們不斤斤計較英文的錯,而在每一個錯誤裡,找到驚喜,然後放心。