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And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language.
在本节目中，我们探讨英语中的单词和短语。
We give definitions, examples, and notes on usage.
我们给出释义，例子并对用法进行解释说明。
Today we talk about a word from the animal world – a nest.
今天，我们谈论一个来自动物世界的词——巢。
For some animals, especially birds, a nest is a shelter and a place to raise their young.
对于一些动物，尤其是鸟类，巢是庇护所和养育幼崽的地方。
So, it should not be surprising that we use the word "nest" to talk about our homes.
所以，我们用“巢”这个词来谈论我们的家也就不足为奇了。
A nest can describe a comfortable home.
巢可以用来形容舒适的家。
And if you like to nest, you like to make your home comfy and cozy.
如果你喜欢筑巢，你喜欢把你的家弄得舒适。
In fact, a childbirth expert may tell pregnant women to expect strong nesting feelings to develop late in their pregnancy.
事实上，分娩专家可能会告诉孕妇，在怀孕后期会产生强烈的筑巢反应。
This common experience is a way a woman's body prepares for the arrival of the new baby.
这种常见的经历是女性身体为新生儿的到来做准备的一种方式。
However, feathering your nest is quite a different thing.
然而，feathering your nest（中饱私囊）完全是另一回事。
If you feather your own nest, you are not making your home comfortable by adding feathers.
feather your own nest的意思不是通过添加羽毛来让你的家变得舒适。
You are making yourself rich, especially in a way that is unfair or dishonest.
它的意思是你让自己变得富有，尤其是以一种不公平或不诚实的方式。
But let's get back to nesting.
但让我们回到nesting上来。
An empty nest is a family home where the children have grown up and left.
空巢指的是孩子们长大后离开的家庭之家。
So, an empty nester is a parent whose children have grown up and left home.
因此，空巢老人是指长大后离开家的孩子的父母。
Some parents may feel sad or lost when they become empty nesters.
当一些父母成为空巢老人时，他们可能会感到难过或失落。
This is called empty nest syndrome.
这被称为空巢综合症。
While parents may feel sad, most children are happy to become independent and fly the coop.
虽然父母可能会感到难过，但大多数孩子都很高兴能够独立并离开家。
"To fly the coop" is a very informal expression that means the children have left the family home.
“To fly the coop”是一个非常不正式的短语，意思是孩子们离开了家。
A coop is a small structure people make for domesticated birds -- namely chickens: hens and roosters.
鸡笼是人们为家禽——即鸡：母鸡和公鸡——制作的小型建筑物。
We call these shelters either a "chicken coop" or a "hen house."
我们称这些庇护所为“鸡舍”。
But, for some reason, we never say "hen coop" or "chicken house."
但是，出于某种原因，我们从不说“hen coop或chicken house（鸡舍）”。
Online, you might see the expression "fly the nest."
在网上，你可能会看到“fly the nest（独立生活）”这个短语。
That might be more of a British English saying.
这可能更像是英式英语谚语。
In the States, when often "fly the coop" rather than "fly the nest" to mean children have left home.
在美国，人们经常用“fly the coop”而不是“fly the nest”来表示孩子离开家。
However, the expression "fly the coop" has another meaning.
然而，“fly the coop”一词还有另一层含义。
If someone flies the coop, they leave suddenly or secretly.
如果有人flies the coop，意思是他们突然或偷偷地离开。
For example, we could say a criminal who snuck out of prison flew the coop.
例如，我们可以说一个偷偷溜出监狱的罪犯逃走了。
And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。
Once you are finished learning all the English you can, you might have to fly the VOA Learning English coop!
一旦你学完了所有你能学到的英语，你可能就会偷偷离开美国之音慢速英语！
But until that happens, keep listening!
但在此之前，请继续收听！
Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.
下次见……我是安娜·马特奥。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
