“pedestrian life”是一个名词短语,核心含义是“平凡/平淡/乏味的生活”,强调生活缺乏变化、刺激或新意,带有轻微的“无亮点、无惊喜”的贬义色彩(区别于中性的“ordinary life”)。
pedestrian 在这里是形容词(而非名词“行人”),意为:
lacking imagination, excitement, or interest; dull and ordinary(缺乏想象力、刺激或趣味; dull且普通)。
life 指“生活状态”。
因此,“pedestrian life”聚焦于“生活的单调性”——没有起伏、没有新鲜感,像“按部就班的日常”或“一眼望到头的日子”。
该短语可作主语、宾语、表语,常与以下动词/介词搭配:
lead/live a pedestrian life(最常用)
例:He’s always dreamed of adventure, but ended up leading a pedestrian life in his hometown.
(他一直梦想冒险,但最终在家乡过着平淡的生活。)
be bored with/tired of pedestrian life(厌倦平淡生活)
例:She quit her stable job because she was tired of the pedestrian life of a corporate clerk.
(她辞掉了稳定的工作,因为厌倦了公司职员的平淡生活。)
find pedestrian life unfulfilling(觉得平淡生活没有成就感)
例:Many young people find pedestrian life unfulfilling and seek new challenges.
(很多年轻人觉得平淡生活没有成就感,于是寻找新挑战。)
describe/portray/depict pedestrian life(描述/刻画平淡生活)
例:The novel vividly portrays the pedestrian life of working-class families in the 1950s.
(这部小说生动刻画了20世纪50年代工人阶级家庭的平淡生活。)
pedestrian life:强调“乏味、无新意”(轻微贬义);
ordinary life:中性,仅指“普通生活”(无褒贬);
mundane life:更正式,强调“世俗、日常的琐碎”(比pedestrian更书面);
humdrum life:口语化,强调“单调、重复”(比pedestrian更口语)。
口语:“I’m so sick of this pedestrian life—let’s go on a road trip!”(我受够了这种平淡生活——我们去公路旅行吧!)
书面:“The film explores how ordinary people find joy in their pedestrian lives.”(这部电影探讨了普通人如何在平淡生活中找到快乐。)
“pedestrian life”的关键是“平淡到有点乏味”,用的时候要注意语气——如果想表达“普通但满足”,用“ordinary life”更合适;如果想强调“缺乏变化的厌倦”,用“pedestrian life”更贴切。