美国人经常说:"Give me a hand." 按照字面来理解, "give me hand"就是"给我一只手."可是,它的意思却是"帮我一下忙."

另外一个例子是: "Foot the bill."

"Foot"的意思是 "一只脚",而"bill"在这儿的解释是"账单"."Foot the bill."并不是把帐单踩在脚底下,而是付账的意思.

Let me give you a hand with those bags(= help you to carry them). 我来帮你拎那些包吧.

Once again it will be the taxpayer who has to foot the bill. 这一次掏腰包的又得是纳税人.