#785 「over the hill」ってどういう意味？

皆さん、こんにちは！今日は、年齢について話すときに使う、少しユーモラスな英語のフレーズについてお話ししたいと思います。

The phrase "over the hill" is a very humorous way to describe someone who is getting old. It's not a very polite phrase, so you should be careful when you use it! The phrase comes from the idea of walking up a hill in your life, and once you get to the top, it is "all downhill from there." It is often used for fun. I recently saw a friend celebrating his 40th birthday, and he jokingly said he was "over the hill."

(「over the hill」というフレーズは、年をとった人のことを言うユーモラスな表現です。あまり丁寧な言葉ではないので、使うときには注意が必要です！このフレーズは、人生の丘を登り、頂点に達すると、あとは「下り坂だけ」という考え方から来ています。冗談でよく使われます。先日、友人が40歳の誕生日を祝っていて、彼は冗談で「もう年だ」と言っていました。)

Key Vocabulary

(重要な単語)

 * humorous: causing laughter or amusement.

   (ユーモラスな)

 * polite: having good manners; respectful.

   (丁寧な)

 * senior citizen: an elderly person, especially one who has retired.

   (高齢者、年配者)

Key English Phrase

(重要な英語フレーズ)

The phrase is "over the hill." (オーバー・ザ・ヒル)

This is a metaphorical idiom that means to be past the prime of one's life, especially because of age. It is often used jokingly to refer to someone who is in their 40s or older.

(これは、人生の絶頂期を過ぎたことを意味する比喩的な慣用句です。40代以上の人を指して冗談で使われることがよくあります。)

How to Use It in Conversation

(会話での使い方)

 * "My dad says he's over the hill, but he still runs every day."

   (「父はもう年だと言っているが、毎日走っている。」)

 * "She joked that she was over the hill when she turned 60."

   (「彼女は60歳になったとき、もう年だと冗談を言った。」)

 * "Don't say you're over the hill! You're still young!"

   (「もう年だなんて言わないで！まだまだ若いよ！」)

Quiz Time!

1. What is the meaning of "over the hill"?

a) To be at the top of a hill.

b) To be young and active.

c) To be past the prime of one's life.

2. The phrase "over the hill" is usually used in a...

a) serious way.

b) joking way.

c) formal way.

3. Fill in the blank: "My friend says he is __ __ __, but he is still a very good dancer."

(空欄に適切な単語を入れてください。「友人はもう年だと言っているが、彼はまだとても良いダンサーだ。」)

Ask your teacher if you are not sure of the correct answers!

What do you think of this phrase? What do you say in Japanese when you talk about getting older? I look forward to hearing your comments!

Miami Eikaiwa Blog: https://miamieikaiwa.blogspot.com/?m=1