Birth（誕生，面世）is the time when something begins.
Birthplace（出生地、發源地）is the place where someone was born or where something originated.
新生的（nascent），可以用於剛處於新生的萌芽期，但開始有跡象顯示未來龎大的發展潛力（something beginning to exist but not yet fully developed），例句：Once upon a time not too long ago, computers were a nascent technology and the internet was not yet born。
有關 Birth 和 Born 的流行說法，多由出生、出生地、出身、成長幾方面的意思繁衍出來，例如：to nip something in the bud is to strangle something at birth, to stop something at an early stage of its development（將新生事物扼殺於萌生狀態。園丁想防止植物出花，用鉗子將花蕾拈去，引申出來的意思，即是表示需要於事物開始的時候及早處理，以免日後情況變得更壞。）
一個人出生於、成長於某個地方（born and raised），等於 born and grew up somewhere。你在某地出生長大，受到當地文化和社會的薰陶，就會有當地人的特徵（If you were born and bred in a place, you were born and grew up in that place and have the typical character of someone who lives there）：The writer was born and raised in a small town in western Canada（作家出生於、成長於加拿大西部的小市鎮，生於斯，長於斯。）
某人含着銀匙出生（someone was born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth），是他出生在富裕人家，成長環境非常好（he was born into wealth and privilege and had opportunities others did not earn）。這個通常帶有負面意思的慣用語，可溯源到英國17世紀，有錢人家用銀湯匙餵小孩。至於 in all my born days，即是一生之中，in my entire life。例句：I’ve never seen such beautiful fireworks in all my born days. That’s the best party I was ever at in all my born days. In all my born days I’ve never seen a dog with green eyes.
你不像小孩子那樣容易受騙，可以說 not born yesterday：I wasn’t born yesterday, you know!（我並非一無所知；我不是個乳臭未乾的孩子；我一點不儍；就是 You are experienced and knowledgeable in the ways of the world; You know what’s going on.）至於幽默的習用語：There’s one born every minute（總有那種儍瓜，容易受騙）is used to say that someone has been very stupid or easily deceived.
天賦條件是與生俱來的：born to do something，例如：He was born to be a politician（他天生適宜從政）。 This sweet-voiced artist was born to sing, it is in her blood. These people are very suitable for the particular jobs or activities, they have the natural ability.
有人注定要做大事，出人頭地，可以用 born to be something：Mozart was born to be a great composer（莫扎特是個天生的偉大作曲家，he strongly showed a quality in his musical talent）。
有人跑在時代前頭，思想比同時代的人前衛，行動比別人走快一步：He was born before his time.
跟 Life 生命有關的詞語：life-blood（生命綫，命根子，生命必需的血液）；life boat（救生艇）；life buoy（救生圈）；lifelong（終身的）；life cycle（生命周期）。一生一世，從生到死：from the cradle to the grave is a way of referring to the whole of a person’s life, from birth until death（從呱呱墜地到入土為安）。對生命充滿希望的說法：life is sweet（生命甜美）；while there is life there is hope（活着就有希望；留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒）； a cat has nine lives（貓有九命，吉人天相）；lead a charmed life（似有魔法保護生命，危險時總能逢凶化吉）。有人認為 life is short and time is swift（生命短暫，光陰飛逝，適宜及時行樂）。
很多人關注生命的安危，但有人不惜冒生命危險，或嚴重身體受傷，也去幹某事：risk their life and limb, put their life in danger or endanger themselves physically。生死攸關的問題：a matter of life and death is something very critical and very urgent。
生活有不同的層面，多樣化的確是生活的調味品（variety is the spices of life），豐富多釆的經歷，可以令生活充滿樂趣。
生活有輕鬆的一面，也有嚴肅的一面：life is a bowl of cherries（生活充滿樂趣）；life is not all beer and skittles（人生非遊樂而已）。奢侈的生活方式是 high life = luxurious lifestyle；生活優哉悠哉，全無金錢上或工作上的顧慮是 live the life of Riley = live without trouble and worry。生活的陰暗面是 the seamy side of life, the nasty aspects of life；犯罪的人，名聲不好的壞人是 low life, criminals and disreputable people。正邪集於一身的雙面人，他們同時過着雙重的生活 lead a double life, these people have two different lifestyles simultaneously。
乳臭未乾的，沒見過世面的（inexperienced and naive），是 wet behind the ears：The job put a lot of responsibility on someone who was still wet behind the ears, but he learned fast.
本專欄逢周二、五刊登
