08/09/2025
Everyone knows how to count. Many times we don't directly say the number, but to use synonyms. When we say "a pair", it means two of something. When we say "a dozen", it means twelve of something. So, how many does the following idiom mean?
●baker's dozen
This idiom means a group of thirteen things. The origin of this saying can be traced back to thirteenth century England. Bakers have been subject to strict penalties for cheating their clients. To prevent accusations, bakers often included a little extra. For example: a baker would give 13 muffins if 12 were ordered.
Let's look at the following examples:
◇Sandy's cat has a baker's dozen of kittens.
◇Tom often shares his snacks with friends. Today he brought a baker's dozen of chocolate bars.
◇There are a baker's dozen of eggs in the basket.
We don't always say the quantity in number form, number synonyms are often used. The more you learn, the more fun you have. It's fun to learn English. Please look forward to the next session.
大家都會數數,但是我們日常談話時不一定直接說出數量,而是說數量同義詞。好比說,a pair是指『二』,a dozen是指『十二』。那麼以下的英文慣用語是指多少呢?
●baker's dozen 十三個
這句英文慣用語是指『十三』。這句話源自是十三世紀的英格蘭。那時的麵包師傅被法律嚴格控管,欺騙客戶會遭到嚴厲處罰。為了避免被檢舉,麵包師傅售賣商品時都會多給一點。例如:顧客買十二個瑪芬蛋糕,麵包師傅就會給十三個。因此,baker's dozen是指『十三』。
讓我們來看看以下例句:
◇Sandy's cat has a baker's dozen of kittens.
Sandy家的貓生了十三隻小貓。
◇Tom often shares his snacks with friends. Today he brought a baker's dozen of chocolate bars.
Tom常跟朋友分享零食,他今天帶了十三條巧克力。
◇There are a baker's dozen of eggs in the basket.
籃子裡有十三顆雞蛋。
我們說數量時不一定會直接說數字,而是說數字相義詞。學越多,口語越豐富。學英文很好玩喔!請期待下一次的英文慣用語教學。