Chinese Practice
目中無人
(mu4 zhong1 wu2 ren2)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
照片:維基共享資源
to consider everyone else beneath you
英文中有個習語「have one’s nose in the air」,字面意義為某人把鼻子挺得高高的。若有人把頭抬高、仰起下巴、鼻尖凸出、用鼻孔對著人,就會給人一種自視甚高、目中無人的高傲的感覺。
成語「目中無人」——眼中沒有他人,只有自己——即是用來形容人高傲自大、瞧不起別人。此語出自明末小說家凌濛初〈西元一五八○~一六四四年〉的《初刻拍案驚奇》卷一三的一個故事:有一對夫婦老來得子,因此對這寶貝兒子非常溺愛,兒子想要什麼,老夫婦一定會千方百計想辦法弄來。結果,兒子反而給慣壞了,長大後只會結交狐群狗黨、胡作非為,而且他目中無人,竟還對父親動粗,讓兩老傷心不已。
另外一個類似意義的成語為「目空一切」——什麼都不放在眼裡,也是形容人高傲自大。此語一般認為出自南宋政論家陳亮〈西元一一四三~一一九四年〉的〈題喻季直文編〉。文中陳亮論及他的四位朋友,其中一位朋友「目空四海,獨能降意於一世豪傑,而士亦樂親之。」(他自視甚高,什麼都不放在眼裡,但是對豪傑之士還是能壓低姿態、以禮相待,所以讀書人也很樂意跟他來往。)成語「目空一切」即是由「目空四海」所演變出來的。
我們現今口語所說的「眼睛長在頭頂上」,也大約是這個意思。另外還有一種說法「鼻孔撩天」(或作「鼻孔朝天」),也是充滿視覺形象的形容。「目中無人」、「目空一切」、「眼睛長在頭頂上」、「鼻孔撩天」等這些成語,以及英文的「have one’s nose in the air」,一個比一個生動,就像是諷刺畫般活靈活現地幾筆勾勒出這驕傲的神態。
(台北時報林俐凱)
這位影星嚐到了走紅的滋味,就開始耍大牌、目中無人,結果得罪了全劇組。
(This movie star has had a taste of success, and is now putting on airs and walking around with his nose in the air. He’s got the backs up of the whole film crew.)
有人認為,年少得志容易目空一切、恃才傲物,反而失去了許多寶貴的學習機會。
(Some say it’s easy to become full of yourself and conceited if you succeed early on, but you risk losing the opportunity to continue learning.)
英文練習
have one’s nose in the air
In English, there is a common saying that goes “to have one’s nose in the air,” which literally means to walk around with your nose held high. If somebody has their nose elevated in this manner, with their jaw lifted and the tip of their nose turned up, showing people the inside of their nostrils, it imparts an impression not only of excessive self-regard but also of an arrogance betraying a distinct disregard of others.
In Chinese, this idea — of being so arrogant you only think of yourself — is encapsulated in the idiom 目中無人. The phrase derives from a story in chapter 13 of the late Ming Dynasty collection of short stories Slapping the Table in Amazement I by Ling Mengchu (1580–1644). In the story, a couple are blessed with a child late on in life, and spoil it: Whatever the child wanted, the couple would do everything within their power to make sure that he got it. Over time, the child became accustomed to this, and when he grew up he ran with gangs and got himself into trouble. The son had complete disregard for others, and even hit his own father, to his parents great sadness.
There is another idiom, too, with a similar meaning: 目空一切, literally the inability to see anything, indicating arrogance in a person. It is generally believed that this phrase comes from the Preface to the Works of Yu Jizhi by the Southern Song Dynasty political writer Chen Liang (1143-1194). In the text, Chen discusses four friends, one of whom he describes as “being oblivious to the four seas” — 目空四海 — and of viewing himself very favorably, on a par with very capable peers, such that he could mix in the same circles as the educated elite. Over time, 目空四海 evolved into the idiom 目空一切.
A modern colloquial term with a meaning essentially the same as this is 眼睛長在頭頂上, literally “eyes growing on the top of one’s head.” Another phrase is 鼻孔撩天, sometimes written 鼻孔朝天, literally “nostrils turned up to face the heavens,” is another very visual description. These are very similar to the English phrase “have one’s nose in the air,” wittily conjuring up the image of an arrogant posture often seen in satirical drawings.
(Translated by Paul Cooper)
Look at that guy with his nose up in the air like that. Who does he think he is?
(你看那個人目中無人的樣子,他以為自己是誰呀?)
She’s always got her nose up in the air, but I don’t think she means to be arrogant. It’s just her posture.
(她總是把下巴抬得高高的,可是我覺得她並不是傲慢,只是姿勢的關係。)
Photographer Franziska Stuenkel likes to take spontaneous urban shots, so she needs a nimble camera that is ready to go when inspiration strikes: her German-made Leica M11. “I have to be very quick and discreet,” said the Berlin-based artist who captures reflections of people walking past windows, their contours merging with the shapes behind the glass. Stuenkel’s compact Leica is the perfect camera for the job, the 51-year-old told AFP. Famous for its pocket-sized and retro-style devices, the Leica brand is celebrating a milestone as it marks 100 years since its first commercial camera was presented to the public. The
As global travel rebounds following the COVID-19 pa ndemic, the longstanding issue of overtourism has returned stronger than ever. Throughout 2024, numerous popular destinations worldwide struggled with tourist numbers that far exceeded their infrastructural and environmental capacities. Not only does this surge congest streets and pollute landscapes, but it also endangers cultural sites and disrupts the daily lives of residents. In response to the growing problem of “overtourism,” various nations have adopted diverse strategies, some of which have sparked controversy. Venice, Italy, has not hesitated to take bold action; since 2024, the city has implemented one of the
A: This year’s Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s fundraiser, is coming on the first Monday of May. B: The event, featuring a lineup of stars, is often praised as fashion’s Oscars. A: Some Asian stars, like Taiwanese pop diva Jolin Tsai, have also attended in the past. B: What are the theme and dress code this time? A: This year’s theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” It’s the first time since 2003 that the theme is focusing on menswear. The dress code is “Tailored for You.” A: 哇今年的大都會博物館慈善晚宴「Met Gala」,即將在5月第一個星期一登場。 B: 這可是被譽為「時尚奧斯卡」的年度盛事,許多巨星都會參加耶。 A:
1. 錢已經用一半了。 ˇ Half of the money is gone. χ Half of the money are gone. 註:Half of ... 作主詞時,動詞與介詞 of 後面的名詞或代名詞相一致,即名詞或代名詞是單數時,動詞該是單數;若為複數,則動詞也該是複數,例如: Half of the story is interesting. Half of the stories are interesting. Half of it is interesting. Half of them are interesting. 2. 許多人走過這條路。 ˇ Many a man has travelled this road. χ Many a man have travelled this road. 註:many a 意義上雖然作 many 解,但後面應跟單數名詞,動詞也用單數形式。 3. 敵人被迫投降。 ˇ The enemy were forced to surrender. χ The enemy was forced to surrender. 註:enemy 作為總稱,前面須有定冠詞,用作句子主詞時,動詞通常用複數形。類似的情形如 talent: Taiwan is known for its semiconductor technology and is actively working to attract and retain global talent. 4. 他倆誰都不該責怪。 ˇ Neither of them is to blame. χ