生活英语 Everyday English 
 
You're looking bouncy today

SHE'S sad; he's happy. We know it from the looks on their faces. But how do we describe them in an interesting way?

Plain: You look fine; you're looking good.

Cute: You're obviously in the pink. 你看起来气色不错。

Note: Colors are popular for describing feeling and mood. For example, someone is seeing "red" (angry) or perhaps feeling "blue" (a bit low).

The teacher seems to be feeling a bit blue today. (今天老师的情绪好象不大好。)

Plain: He's so energetic.

Cute: You certainly look bouncy today. 他看起来精力充沛。

Note: "Bouncy", because of the spring (活力) in it is obviously more lively than "energetic".

Plain: I don't feel very well.

Cute: I'm feeling under the weather. 我觉得不太舒服。

Note: This is perhaps because it's like having a rain cloud hanging over your head. After all, a person who has done something wrong can be "under a cloud" of suspicion.

Plain: Everyone looks a bit unhappy today.

Cute: Everyone seems out of sorts today. 今天大家看起来都无精打采的。

Note: The "out of sorts" has the sense of not being in proper shape or in proper condition.

Plain: You looked unhappy at the party.

Cute: You looked like you were down in the dumps at the party. 你在聚会上显得闷闷不乐啊。

Note: The "dumps" comes from old German where it means "a haze" or "a dull state".

Plain: I'm very, very happy.

Cute: I'm on top of the world. 我喜出望外，激动万分。

Note: There are similar ways to say you're ecstatic, such as, "on cloud nine"; "over the moon"; "in seventh heaven". Choose whichever you like and get rid of that dull "very, very" usage. You can even be "thrilled to death", if you're not afraid of it. 21ST