Diarmuid: Hi, and welcome to BBC Learning English. Im Diarmuid.
Feifei: 大伙好,我是冯菲菲。
Diarmuid: In this Real English programme well be looking at an English idiom.
Feifei: 还有对应的汉语成语谚语。
Diarmuid: Todays English idiom is you cant have your cake, and eat it.
Feifei: 的意思是呢?
Diarmuid: It means that you cant have everything, or you cant have things both ways.
Feifei: 意思是你不可能什么都有,或两者兼得。
Diarmuid: You cant have your cake, and eat it.
Feifei: 这个成语的字面意思是, 你不可可以吃了蛋糕,同时又想拿着蛋糕。
Diarmuid: Do you have an equivalent1 idiom in Chinese?
Feifei: Yes. 汉语大家说鱼和熊掌,不可兼得。我感觉也可以翻译为,世事两难全。
Diarmuid: Lets hear some examples of people using this idiom in conversation.
Examples
A: Id love to spend more time with my daughter, but Id miss out on my career if I worked part time.
B: Yeah, its tricky2. You cant have your cake and eat it.
A: Ive saved loads of money because Ive sTOPped going out. The problem is, now Im really bored with staying in!
B: Well you cant have your cake and eat it.
Feifei: 第一段对话中的妈妈特别想多和女儿共度时光,可是又不想改半天上班,怕耽误了我们的事业。
Diarmuid: She cant have her cake, and eat it.
Feifei: 第二段对话中的女生说,她攒了不少钱,由于她不在外出社交,省了不少开销,可是日久天长,没社交的生活又让她感到烦了。
Diarmuid: She cant have her cake, and eat it.
Feifei: 她不可能社交,省钱两者兼得。
Diarmuid: The English idiom is: You cant have your cake, and eat it.
Feifei: 汉语大家说鱼和熊掌,不可兼得。换句话说就是世事两难全。
Diarmuid: Well, I hope youve enjoyed our programme. You can get a new programme every day on our website.
Feifei: www.bbcchina.com.cn 下次节目还有更多成语,千万不要错过收听,再见。
Diarmuid: Goodbye!