We all lead busy lives and sometimes it feels like we’re never going to get off that treadmill. In English, there are many idiomatic expressions to express this “busyness”.

我們都過(guò)著繁忙的生活，有時(shí)感覺(jué)仿佛永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)法停下來(lái)。英語(yǔ)中有很多習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)用于表達(dá)這種”繁忙“。

I know that some colleagues in the ELT community question whether we should teach idioms to our learners, especially as there are more non-native speakers than native speakers of English in the world. I, for one, think that idiomatic expressions give colour to a language and even if the learner might never use these expressions or be expected to use them, they are very likely to come across them when reading or listening to native speakers. So, an awareness of them is vital if they are to understand what they’re reading or listening to.

我知道有些英語(yǔ)教學(xué)社區(qū)會(huì)就是否應(yīng)該教授學(xué)習(xí)者習(xí)語(yǔ)而有疑問(wèn)，尤其是在世界各地說(shuō)英語(yǔ)的人中非母語(yǔ)人士遠(yuǎn)多于母語(yǔ)人士。而我，作為其中一員，認(rèn)為習(xí)語(yǔ)會(huì)為語(yǔ)言增添色彩，即使學(xué)習(xí)者可能從不用它或被期望使用它們，但是當(dāng)他們閱讀英文原版文章或聽(tīng)母語(yǔ)為英語(yǔ)的人說(shuō)話(huà)時(shí)就會(huì)很容易碰到這些習(xí)語(yǔ)。因此，習(xí)語(yǔ)的學(xué)習(xí)在這個(gè)時(shí)候就尤為關(guān)鍵了。

Back to busy lives. In this post I’d like to share 8 idioms that are often used to describe a busy working life.The examples I’ve used are business-related.

話(huà)題回到繁忙生活。本文我打算跟大家分享8個(gè)用于描述繁忙工作生活的習(xí)語(yǔ)。例句中為商務(wù)場(chǎng)合用法。

1. All hands on deck

1. 全員各就各位

When there’s a lot of work to be done and everyone needs to be involved.

當(dāng)有很多工作需要做時(shí)，所有人都要加入。

As the opening day approached, it was all hands on deck to get everything ready in time.

由于開(kāi)業(yè)時(shí)間迫在眉睫，所有人員必須各就各位，及時(shí)做好各方面準(zhǔn)備。

2. Hive of activity

2. 一片繁忙的景象

A place where there are a lot of things happening and everyone is busy.

指某處正在發(fā)生大量的事，每個(gè)人都很忙。

When I arrived at the office, the place was already a hive of activity with everyone buzzing around.

當(dāng)我到達(dá)時(shí)，辦公室里已經(jīng)一片熱火朝天的景象，每個(gè)人都在忙的團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)。

3. Rushed off your feet

3. 忙的不可開(kāi)交

You are so busy that you don’t have time to stop.

你太忙了以至于完全停不下來(lái)。

I am exhausted. I’ve been rushed off my feet all day at the shop.

我感到筋疲力盡。我在店里的一整天都是忙的腳打后腦勺。

4. Work your fingers to the bone

4. 拼命地做，非常努力

To work very hard or to be extremely hardworking.

工作努力或努力到極致。

He deserves his success. He worked his fingers to the bone when he started the business.

他的成功歸功于他自己。剛開(kāi)始創(chuàng)業(yè)時(shí)他工作非常努力。

5. Roll up your sleeves

5. 卷起袖子準(zhǔn)備大干一場(chǎng)

Get ready for hard work.

準(zhǔn)備好努力工作。

If we’re going to increase our market share, we’re going to have to roll our sleeves and get new customers.

如果我們想要增加市場(chǎng)份額，我就需要擼起袖子大干一場(chǎng)，獲得新的客戶(hù)。

6. Have your work cut out

6. 按時(shí)完成艱巨的任務(wù)

Have a difficult or challenging task or problem to deal with.

有困難的或挑戰(zhàn)性的或問(wèn)題需要處理應(yīng)對(duì)。

They have their work cut out with that client. He is incredibly demanding.

關(guān)于那個(gè)客戶(hù)他們有一大堆工作要做。他要求太苛刻了。

7. A race against time

7. 和時(shí)間賽跑

Working towards a deadline.

在時(shí)間截點(diǎn)前干工作。

I have so many deadlines. It’s a never-ending race against time to meet them.

我有這么多任務(wù)截點(diǎn)。要在規(guī)定時(shí)間內(nèi)完成簡(jiǎn)直就是和時(shí)間賽跑。

8. Hit the ground running

8. 立即快馬加鞭地開(kāi)展重要工作

Start an activity immediately and with energy.

全力以赴馬上開(kāi)展活動(dòng)。

He intends to hit the ground running if and when he wins that contract.

一旦他贏得了那份合同，他就打算馬上全力以赴開(kāi)展工作。