#英語豐富多彩的習語#
a drop in the ocean 字面意思是「滄海一粟」,一滴水對大海來說確實是微不足道的,就像一個人對於整個世界來說也算是滄海一粟,它可以意為「滄海一粟,九牛一毛」,寓意:
insignificant amount
微不足道的數量
a very small amount compared to the amount needed
與所需數量相比的一個非常小的數量
unimportant amount
不重要的數量
a very small proportion of the whole
很小的一部分
例如:
Her cry was only a single drop in the ocean compared to the billions of tears shed by mourners after the war.
與戰後悼念者數十億的眼淚相比,她的哭泣只是滄海一粟。
A hundred thousand may seem a lot but it's a drop in the ocean compared to the millions that need to be spent.
10萬似乎很多,但與需要花費的數百萬相比,這只是滄海一粟。
I always try to give money to charity but sometimes I feel it is just a drop in the ocean.
我總是想把錢捐給慈善機構,但有時我覺得這只是滄海一粟。
Our government's sending a thousand tons of food, but that's just a drop in the ocean compared to what's needed.
我們的政府運送了一千噸的食物,但與所需要的相比,這只是滄海一粟。
My letter of protest was just a drop in the ocean.
我的抗議信只是滄海一粟。
I know twenty dollars is just a drop in the ocean, but if everyone gave that much, it'd make a big difference.
我知道二十美元只是滄海一粟,但如果每個人都捐那麼多錢,情況就大不一樣了。
A few thousand pounds is a drop in the ocean when you think about the millions that will be spent on this project.
想想這項工程將花費數百萬英鎊,幾千英鎊簡直是杯水車薪。
相對於大千世界,一個人確實是微不足道的,但是大千世界就是由很多很多的微不足道的人構成的,我們每個人都有自己的使命,都是特殊的存在,所以任何時候,勿以善小而不為,做善事不論大小,都是值得尊敬的崇高的理想。