When reading, I’m always confused with idioms, slang and colloquial words. Please tell me how to distinguish them.
在阅读中，我总是弄不清惯用语、俚语和口语词汇。请告诉我如何区分它们。
An idiom is a fixed phrase the meaning of which bears no relation to the meanings of the individual words that make up the phrase. Phrasal verbs can often have literal or idiomatic meanings:
The teacher told me to sit up. (= sit upright: non-idiomatic)
We’re going to sit up all night during the general election.
(= not go to bed: idiomatic)
Apart from phrasal verbs, there are numerous expressions which are idiomatic. For example:
—fixed phrases:
John imagines he’ll be a millionaire before he’s 25, but that’s just pie in the sky. (= wishful thinking which is impossible to achieve)
－proverbs:
Deal with the problem now. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine. (=When something goes wrong, deal with it immediately before it gets worse.)
Colloquial language is the informal language of everyday speech; slang is colloquial language which is so informal, and often vulgar, that it is not normally used in serious speech or writing:
I’m wiped out. (colloquial style)
I’m dead tired. (informal style)
I’m exhausted. (neutral/formal style)
I’m knackered. (slang = extremely tired, exhausted)
惯用语(idiom)是一种固定的短语，它的意思与组成这个短语的单词的意思没有关系。短语动词经常有字面上或惯用的意思：
The teacher told me to sit up.(=坐直：非惯用语)
We’re going to sit up all night during the general election.(=不睡觉：惯用语)
除短语动词外，还有很多词组是惯用语。例如：
——固定短语：
John imagines he’ll be a millionaire before he’s 25, but that’s just pie in the sky. (=不可能实现的妄想)
——谚语：
Deal with the problem now. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine.(=出了问题要立即补救，以免恶化。)
口语(colloquial)是日常生活中使用的非正式语言；俚语(slang)比口语更随意，往往有些低俗，在正式的说话或写作中一般是不用的：
I’m wiped out.(口语体)
I’m dead tired.(非正式体)
I’m exhausted.(一般/正式体)
I’m knackered.(俚语=极端疲劳，精疲力竭)
如何区分惯用语、俚语和口语词汇
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