Spend a penny
의미: To use the toilet.
A quaint euphemism for going to the toilet. The phrase comes from the era when public toilets cost one penny to use. Despite decimalisation and inflation making the phrase literally obsolete, it survives as a genteel way to excuse oneself. It's deliberately old-fashioned and polite.
예문
- Excuse me, I need to spend a penny. 我需要上个厕所Necesito ir al servicioちょっとお手洗いに실례합니다, 잠깐 화장실 좀 다녀올게요.
- Anyone need to spend a penny before we go? 不好意思，我得去一趟洗手间Disculpe, tengo que ir al servicioすみません、お手洗いに行かなくては출발하기 전에 화장실 갈 사람?
- Just going to spend a penny. 我去一下洗手间Voy un momento al servicioちょっとお手洗いに行ってきます잠깐 화장실 좀 갔다 올게.
발음
/spend ə ˈpeni/
사용 가이드
맥락: toilet, polite euphemism, older generation
어조: quaint, polite
✓ 올바른 표현
- Spend a penny去一下洗手间Ir al servicioお手洗いに行く화장실에 가고 싶다는 고풍스러운 표현
- Just spending a penny去一下洗手间Voy un momento al servicioちょっとお手洗いに화장실에 가고 싶다는 고풍스러운 표현
- Need to spend a penny需要去一下洗手间Necesito ir al servicioお手洗いに行きたい화장실에 가고 싶다는 고풍스러운 표현
✗ 잘못된 표현
- May sound dated to younger people现在已经很老式了Muy anticuado hoy en día現在ではとても古風매우 구식으로 들림
흔한 실수
- The literal penny toilet is mostly gone—the phrase is now just a euphemism
- Sounds old-fashioned but remains understood
기원과 역사
Public toilets in Britain historically charged a penny for use—you literally spent a penny to use the facilities. The first such pay toilets appeared at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Though the cost rose and eventually disappeared in many places, the phrase persisted as a euphemism.
어원: From the cost of using public toilets (one penny)
최초 기록: Victorian era (1851 onwards)
문화적 배경
Era: Victorian to present
Generation: All ages, especially older
Social background: Universal
Pop culture: Victorian era; British euphemisms
Regional notes: British euphemism, not used in American English.
이야기와 상식
The original penny-operated toilet locks were invented by George Jennings for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Over 827,000 people 'spent a penny' during the exhibition. The phrase became so ingrained that it outlasted the penny itself as toilet-access currency.
변형
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