漢語中有“相中”、“看中”、“中了某人的意”等說法，這篇小文章通過幾個例子，讓你了解“中意、看中”的種種譯法。

原句：我看中了那幅畫，于是就買了下來。

誤譯：I caught a fancy of that painting , so I bought it .

正譯：

1) That painting caught / took my fancy,so I bought it.

2) That painting was to my liking , so I bought it .

解釋：to catch / take one's fancy 和 to be one's liking / taste 的意思是"合意"或"中意"，即"讓人看上"，其邏輯主語應該是"被看上的人或物"。 如：

1. 那個叫瑪麗的女孩很中他的意。

The girl named Mary has caught his fancy.

2. 他查遍旅館廣告，直到有一家中了他的意。

He looked through the hotel advertisements until one of them took his fancy.

3. 飯菜合您的意嗎，夫人？

Was the meal to your liking, madam？

4. 這件夾克正好中我的意。

This jacket is just to my taste.

"看中"、"看上"和"相中"等表示"經過選擇而合意或滿意"。英語可以譯為 to take a fancy to , to take a liking to 等，其邏輯主語是"看上別人或物的人"。如：

5. 那個男的如果能看上你就好了。

1) It would be fine if that man should take a fancy to you.

2) It would be nice if that man took a liking to you.

"看中"等還表示"經過深思熟慮而決定選擇"。英語可以譯為to settle on , to choose , to make a choice of 等。如：

6. 她在商店看上一件紅色女裝。

In the shop, she settled on a red dress