Subject: It is a hard and fast rule.

迷你對話

A: The topic of the paper you gave us is too difficult for me. Could I change for another topic.

你給的論文題目對于我來說太難了，我可以換一個題目嗎？

B: Of course, you cannot. You know, it is a hard and fast rule.

當然不可以。你要知道這是硬性規定。

地道表達

hard and fast

1. 解詞釋義

Hard在這里的意思是“嚴格的”，fast在這里的意思是“固定的”。Hard and fast是習語，最初出現在1850年前后，用來描繪擱淺的船或者是在碼頭上代修的船，無論是這兩種情況中的哪種情況，這船反正動彈不得，毫無回旋的余地。因此，hard and fast引申為“嚴格的，不可松動的而且毫無通融余地的”。比如，國家的規定，學校的制度，法律等等都是不允許隨意改動的，這時候就可以用這個詞語了，It is a hard and fast rule.

2. 例句拓展

e.g. You can' t lay down hard and fast rules.

規則不能定得太嚴太死。

e.g. There is no hard and fast rule about dilution.

至于稀釋程度，沒有嚴格的規定。

e.g. We must make it a hard and fast rule against smoking in the office.

我們必須嚴格規定：辦公室里不準吸煙。

e.g. He stuck hard and fast to his principles.

他嚴守自己的信條。

Ps：be difficult for somebody的意思是“對于某人來說難”，注意解詞用for，不要用to。

e.g. His haughtiness makes it difficult for the masses to approach him.

他的高傲神氣使群眾難以接近。

e.g. It was difficult for me to pin down the subject.

對我來說，要弄清楚這個問題很困難。

e.g. Total dispensation of cigarettes can be difficult for a habitual smoker.

吸慣煙的人要做到完全不吸煙不是一件容易的事。

e.g. In these days of rising prices it is difficult for many people to keep body and soul together.

物價上漲這些日子許多人難以維持生活。