BBC Learning English - The English We Speak: Passing ships

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核心介绍

项目	内容
节目	The English We Speak
集数	Episode 260713
发布日期	13 Jul 2026
级别	Intermediate (中级)
主持人	Feifei, Georgie
时长	约 3 分钟
主题	习语：passing ships

中文简介

本期节目介绍习语 “passing ships”（完整版为 “like ships that pass in the night”）。这个表达用来形容两人日程繁忙、难以相见，仅有短暂相遇的情况，常用于形容忙碌的成人生活。

💡 核心含义：two people who are on different schedules and are limited to brief encounters（两人行程不同，仅限于短暂相遇）

重点词汇表

单词/短语	英文释义	中文释义	来源语境
passing ships	two people who rarely see each other due to different schedules	擦肩而过的人；日程不合难相见的人	核心表达
like ships that pass in the night	full idiom: brief encounter then separate ways	如夜间航行相遇的船只（完整习语）	Feifei 解释
cross paths	lives intersect in some way	路径交叉；相遇	相关表达
line up	align, match up	对齐；吻合	Georgie：“schedules line up”
catch up	talk after not seeing someone	叙叙旧；聊聊近况	Georgie：“catch up”
schedule	planned timetable	日程安排	全程核心词
interaction	communication or direct involvement	互动；交流	Feifei：“interaction is very short”
metaphor	figure of speech	隐喻	Georgie：“make the metaphor stronger”
brief encounter	short meeting	短暂相遇	Georgie 解释
adult life	grown-up responsibilities	成年生活	Georgie：“busy adult life”

课文重点解析

1. 核心表达用法

“We’re like passing ships at the moment.” 我们目前就像擦肩而过的船只（日程不合，难见面）。

关键点：

✅ 常用 “like passing ships” 或 “passing ships” —— 加 “like” 是明喻
✅ 也可省略 “like” 强化隐喻：“We’re passing ships at the moment”
✅ 完整版：“like ships that pass in the night”
✅ 常用于抱怨/感叹忙碌生活导致难以相聚

2. 相关表达对比

表达	含义	语气/语境
passing ships	日程不合，仅短暂相遇	隐喻，略带无奈
cross paths	生活轨迹交叉/相遇	中性，可指偶然相遇
ship passing in the night	完整习语，强调短暂	文学性较强
hardly see each other	几乎见不到面	直白，无修辞

3. 语法重点：比喻结构

Georgie: “We often use the word ’like’ – we’re like passing ships. We can also make the metaphor stronger by removing ’like’ – we’re passing ships at the moment.”

明喻：We’re like passing ships.
隐喻强化：We’re passing ships. (直接说"我们就是擦肩而过的船")

课文实例解析

Example 1: 邻居聚餐

“I really need to meet up properly with my neighbour, and like, have dinner. We talk a lot over the fence, but we never have time. It’s like we’re passing ships.”

我真得跟邻居好好见一面，吃顿饭。我们隔着篱笆聊很多，但从没时间。我们就像擦肩而过的船只。

Example 2: 兄弟姐妹错身

“My brothers and sister always seem to visit my town when I’m away, so I never get to catch up with them. We’re like passing ships.”

我兄弟姐妹总在我不在镇上时来访，所以我从没机会跟他们叙旧。我们就像擦肩而过的船只。

Example 3: 倒班同事

“I’ve got a colleague I get on with really well, but we work different shifts, so we’re like passing ships! We only see each other for a couple of minutes every time.”

我有个关系很好的同事，但我们倒不同班，我们就像擦肩而过的船只！每次只能见个两分钟。

批判性思考题

隐喻意象：为什么用"ships that pass in the night"这个意象？夜晚、黑暗、船只短暂相见如何映射现代人际关系？
语用功能：说 “we’re like passing ships” 通常包含什么情感色彩？（无奈、遗憾、幽默、接受？）
跨文化对比：中文里有哪些表达类似"日程不合、难相见"的成语/俗语？（如：一朝分手各天涯、船到桥头自然直、擦肩而过、有缘无分）
省略 “like” 的修辞效果：从 “like passing ships” 到 “we’re passing ships”，语气发生了什么变化？何时更适合用哪种？
现代语境延伸：远程办公、时区差异、数字通讯工具，是否让"passing ships"现象加剧或缓解？如何用英语表达"我们虽在同一时区但依然像 passing ships"？

完整对话记录

Transcript

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, where we explain words and expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them, too! I’m Feifei, and I’m joined by Georgie. How are you?

Georgie: I’m very well, thank you, Feifei. How are you?

Feifei: I’m very well, thank you, Georgie. I haven’t seen you much lately. What’s going on?

Georgie: I know! I think our schedules are quite different at the moment. Whenever I’m at my desk, you seem to be in meetings, and then when you’re back at your desk, I’m doing something else, somewhere else in the office building. We’re like passing ships at the moment!

Feifei: Passing ships. That’s the expression we’re learning in this programme. The longer version is ’like ships that pass in the night'.

Georgie: Yeah, so let’s actually imagine that. Two ships at night. They briefly see each other in the darkness, and then they continue in different directions. The encounter is brief and the people on board the ships probably don’t have time to speak to each other.

Feifei: Right. So recently, our schedules are different so we’re not seeing each other very much, and when we do, the interaction is very short. We’re like passing ships.

Georgie: Yeah. Hopefully our schedules line up a bit soon so we can catch up! ‘Passing ships’ is often used to talk about busy adult life when two people are finding it hard to meet.

Feifei: That’s right. Let’s hear some more examples from our BBC Learning English colleagues.

Examples:

I really need to meet up properly with my neighbour, and like, have dinner. We talk a lot over the fence, but we never have time. It’s like we’re passing ships.

My brothers and sister always seem to visit my town when I’m away, so I never get to catch up with them. We’re like passing ships.

I’ve got a colleague I get on with really well, but we work different shifts, so we’re like passing ships! We only see each other for a couple of minutes every time.

Georgie: Now, because we’re comparing ourselves to passing ships, we often use the word ’like’ – we’re like passing ships. We can also make the metaphor stronger by removing ’like’ – we’re passing ships at the moment.

Feifei: Yes. Now, another phrase that expresses a similar idea is ‘cross paths’. Again, you can imagine this literally – two people walking on separate paths which then meet. But metaphorically it means that two people’s lives intersect in some way.

Georgie: Yeah, so for example, my best friend and I crossed paths at university, but we didn’t actually become friends until much later.

Feifei: Great. Now let’s recap. We learnt the expression ‘passing ships’, which means that two people are on different schedules and are limited to brief encounters.

Georgie: Thanks for joining us. Goodbye!

Feifei: Goodby

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组件	设计建议
音频播放器	顶部固定播放条，支持倍速、下载、进度条
核心表达卡片	高亮大字展示 “passing ships”，点击可复制/发音
完整习语对比	并列展示 “like passing ships” vs “passing ships” vs “ships that pass in the night”
重点词汇表	可折叠表格，悬停显示例句，支持中英切换
实例轮播	卡片式滑动展示 3 个例句，每卡一中一英
语法提示框	💡 彩色呼出框强调 “like 可省略强化隐喻”
同义词对比	表格对比 cross paths / hardly see each other 等，标注正式度/场景
思考题区	可展开的问答卡片，适合教学/自测
完整对话	双语对照模式，角色名高亮，支持逐句播放
导航链接	底部 “Previous / Next Episode” + “View All Episodes”