A ton is a weight measurement equal to 2,240 pounds (1,016.05 kg). In North America, a ton equals 2,000 pounds (907.19 kg). But a ton is also a slang word that means a lot or a large amount. A ton of e-mails means a lot of e-mails. I never eat curries or spicy foods and rarely eat fried foods yet I often get mouth ulcers. Most of my ulcers come when the blisters (small bubbles) that appear after I hurt my mouth while eating burst.
Some readers suggested I drink beer, but I only like wine! Most readers suggested I drink a kind of herbal tea (leung cha or "cool" tea) called 24 tastes. But it tastes very bitter. One reader suggested I boil a sweet dried fruit called "luo han guo" (siraitia grosvenorii) in water to drink. Many readers said I should gargle with salt water, which I often do. Some said I should eat kiwi fruit or watermelons. Yet others said I should drink chrysanthemum tea, take vitamin B2, or put fresh aloe vera on the ulcer. Thank you all for being so caring, which means showing kindness and concern for others.
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我收到大量(ton)電郵,回應我上星期在專欄提及自己「熱氣」("yeet hei"),以致我吃花生刮傷口腔後,長了非常痛的口瘡。我希望借今天的專欄向所有提供戰勝(overcome)熱氣("yeet hei")良方的讀者致謝。我的專欄在《頭條日報》和《英文虎報》刊出,兩份報章的讀者均有來郵,告訴我該如何清熱氣("yeet hei")。
我上星期也說過,「熱氣」("yeet hei")一詞沒有準確的英文說法,它能引發口瘡。煎炸食物及荔枝一類的水果也會導致熱氣("yeet hei")。
噸(ton)是重量單位,等同2,240磅或1,016.05公斤。在北美,一噸(a ton)等同二千磅或907.19公斤。但a ton也是俚語,解作很多或大量。A ton of e-mails即是大量電郵。我從不吃咖喱或辛辣食物,也很少吃煎炸食物,但我仍然不時長口瘡。通常都是當我吃東西時刮傷口腔,那水泡(blisters)爆破後,便會長出口瘡。
有些讀者提議我喝啤酒,但我只喜歡紅酒!大部份讀者建議我喝俗稱廿四味的涼茶,但它實在苦得很。有一位讀者建議我用水煲一種甜的乾果,叫「羅漢果」。許多讀者叫我用鹽水漱口,我常常也這樣做。有些人叫我吃奇異果和西瓜,也有些叫我喝菊花茶,吃維他命B2,或在口瘡上放新鮮蘆薈。很感激各位這麼caring,意即仁慈對待與關心他人。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧