“嗲”在英语中该怎么说 ？

何航

与美国人多次讨论，认为coquettish在英语中几乎很少听到人说，像中国人说“嗲”的这种情况，他们一般会说：clinger，当名词用。例如：她好嗲呀，想让她男朋友帮她买那个包。She is a clinger, trying to persuade her boy friend to buy her that bag. 呵呵，英语学习真的太有趣，由于文化的原因、语言习惯的原因，虽然有的概念两种语言中共存，但是用词的差异很大，并且也无法找到绝对完全对应的翻译。这里的clinger，字面意思是“依靠、依赖、没有主见”等，显然无法传神地解释中文世界里“嗲”的真正含义.
能不能说coquettish，我到现在还是没有把握。

I was confronted with a big challenge yesterday when a pal asked me for the English equivalent of "嗲". First I thought of "flirtatious", then I strongly objected, for the original meaning of "嗲" is not all negative, and it is more than just flirting. It implies that the woman is lovely or adorable, and it seems to me a woman is quite attractive if she is 嗲 enough. Don't many men agree? Therefore I have to explore further about the correct translation.

Google.com did not provide me a good clue. Then I checked it out in PowerWord 2005, and it was even worse. Once again I had to admire my co-worker's wise decision of not even installing this jerk. At last I turned to the heavy dictionary on my desk - 汉英双语现代汉语词典. Bingo! 嗲 is right there and here is the definition:

嗲:

1) 形容撒娇的声音或姿态 (of voice or posture)

coquettish E.g. 嗲声嗲气 speak in the manner of a pampered child

2) 好，优异 good; excellent: 味道嗲! Yummy! Delicious!

Therefore, "coquettish" is the very term I am looking for. Immediately I checked it up in my favorite dictionary "朗文当代高级英语词典":

Coquette: A woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without having sincere feelings for them; a woman who flirts 卖弄风情的女人

Coquettish adj.更多信息请访问：http://www.24en.com/

That's brilliant! And I had a good laugh at the English definition of a coquette. I believe "coquettish" is the right word to describe a 嗲 woman. Let's make a few sentences:

1)她好嗲啊，我骨头都酥了。She is so coquettish that I am melted.
2)她总是嗲声嗲气的，有时挺烦的。Her being coquettish all the time is sometimes irritating.