来源编辑：商务印书馆英语编辑室公众号
在森林能采集到的“毒蘑菇”、童话故事中白雪公主吃的“毒苹果”和不久前令欧洲人恐惧惊慌的“毒黄瓜”，都有一个“毒”字，但是其含义不同，在英语中有不同的译法。“毒”字作为修饰语，可以形容名词。笔者发现它至少有九种不同用法，在英语中也相应地有九种不同译法。作为修饰语，“毒”的第一个意思是“含有有害物质的”“天生有毒的”或“天生带毒的”。英语可以译为poison、poisonous、venom、venomous、toxic、noxious。例如：The snake uses its venom to stun or paralyze its victims.He immediately realized he had been bitten by a poisonous snake.住在这座化工厂附近的家庭在毒气泄漏后被告知停留在户内三小时。Families living near the chemical works were told to stay indoors for three hours after a leak of toxic gas.作为修饰语，“毒”的第二个意思是“被下毒的”，是人为的结果，英语可以译为poisoned。例如：He found that the rat was killed by poisoned bait.作为修饰语，“毒”的第三个意思是“被有毒物质或病菌污染的”，英语可以译为tainted、contaminated。例如：Not long ago, some European countries were obsessed with the tainted/contaminated cucumber scare.Investigators found that tainted milk killed three children in this area.作为修饰语，“毒”的第四个意思是“与吸毒和贩毒相关的”，英语可以译为drug。例如：The drug dealer was sentenced to ten years in prison.作为修饰语，“毒”的第五个意思是“恶性的”，英语可以译为malignant。例如：The surgeon successfully removed the malignant tumor from the breast of the patient.作为修饰语，“毒”的第六个意思是“与对思想意识有害事物相关的”，为比喻意义，相当于“极其有害的”，英语可以意译为extremely harmful，有时也可以直译。“毒草”可以译为poisonous/noxious weed，“毒药”可以直译为poison，“毒瘤”可以直译为cancer。例如：1. We must make clear whether his speech is a fragrant flower or a poisonous weed.2. We must make clear whether his speech is beneficial or extremely harmful.A flattering speech is honeyed poison.1. More and more people have come to realize that corruption is a cancer in our society.2. More and more people have come to realize that corruption is extremely harmful to our society.作为修饰语，“毒”的第七个意思是“程度强烈的”，英语可以译为strong。例如：The gambler made a strong vow never to gamble again.作为修饰语，“毒”的第八个意思是“毒辣的”“恶毒的”“阴毒的”“歹毒的”“狠毒的”，英语可以译为evil、sinister、murderous。例如：John set an evil trick on Dick.The sinister scheme he used really worked.He nearly fell victim to a murderous scheme of his enemy.作为修饰语，“毒”的第九个意思是“残酷的”，英语可以译为cruel。例如：The valiant hero did not yield to his enemies in spite of their cruel torture.本文摘自《英语“说文解字”》，最早发表于2011年10月《英语世界》，有删节。图片来自网络。综合编辑：应用语言学研习
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