十个关于“快乐”的词

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　　Defined as pleasure derived from attaining what you consider to be good, the term happiness comes from the Old Norse root happ, which literally means “chance” or “good luck.” The noun happiness entered English in the 16th century, though the adjective happy predates this noun by 200 years.

　　Happiness的定义是，因获得你心目中美好的事物，油然而生的一种快乐。这个词来源于古斯堪的纳维亚语的词根happ，本意为“机会”、“好运”。名词happiness进入英语是在16世纪，其形容词happy比名词早了200年进入英语。

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　　Mirth is jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter. From Germanic origin, mirth shares a root with the word merry. It's been around since the time Old English was spoken.

　　Mirth就是欢乐(jollity)，尤其还伴随着笑声。来源于德语，与merry同属一个词根。古英语时代已经出现这个词。

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　　Joy is the emotion of great delight caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. This termed entered English way back in the 1200s from the Old French joie.

　　Joy是因意外的惊喜而满足带来的极大快乐。这个词来自古法语joie，13世纪进入英语。

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　　Bliss is supreme happiness, often associated with the joy of heaven. It comes from the Old English blis and is related to the terms bless and blithe.

　　Bliss是极致的幸福，通常用来形容天堂的乐福。来源与古英语blis，与bless(祝福)和blithe(无忧无虑的)都有联系。

　　- 5 -

　　Elation is a feeling of great joy or pride, or of exultant gladness. In Middle English elat means “proud.” Elation ultimately comes from Latin, by way of Old French.

　　Elation是极大的欢欣和自豪，或狂喜。在中古英语中，elat意即骄傲。Elation最早来源于拉丁语，通过法语传入英语。

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　　Glee is open delight or pleasure. This term has had musical associations since around 1000 when the noun glee could be used to refer to entertainment of the harmonious variety. The meaning of delight came about 100 years later. By the 17th century, glee was considered obsolete or comic by various dictionary editors, only to reemerge in common usage in the late 18th century.

　　Glee是喜形于色的快乐。这个词从1000年左右开始产生音乐上的联系，当时名词glee会被用来形容各种音乐合唱的娱乐活动。其关于“快乐”的这一层意思在100年之后才产生。到了17世纪，各类字典编纂者都认为glee已经古老而过时，或诙谐滑稽。18世纪末，这个词才重新被大众使用。

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　　Exultation is lively or triumphant joy, generally over success or victory. It comes from the Latin exultationem and has been used in English since the 1400s.

　　Exultation是欢腾而胜利的快乐，原因通常是成功或获胜。来源于拉丁语exultationem ，15世纪开始，在英语中使用。

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　　Euphoria is a state of intense happiness and self-confidence. The term is sometimes used in pathology to describe the state of patients. This term has existed in English since the late 1600s and comes from the Greek euphoria meaning “a state of well-being.”

　　Euphoria是强烈的快乐和自信的状态，有时用在病理学中，形容病人的一种状态(欣快症)。这个词从17世纪末开始在英语中使用，来源于希腊语euphoria，意为“康乐的状态。”

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　　Jubilation is a feeling or loud expression of joy, or a festive celebration. This term entered English in the late 1300s from the Latin meaning “shouting for joy.” It has since been immortalized in Simon and Garfunkel's song “Cecilia”: “Jubilation! She loves me again; I fall on the floor and I’m laughing.”

　　Jubilation是快乐的感觉，或喜悦的欢呼，或庆祝活动。这个词于14世纪末进入英语，来源于拉丁语，意为“欢乐地大喊”。这个词因为民谣摇滚双人组合“西蒙和嘎芬寇尔”的那首《Cecilia》而成为不朽，里面的歌词唱道：“Jubilation! She loves me again; I fall on the floor and I’m laughing.”

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　　Rapture is ecstatic delight or joyful ecstasy. It comes from the Latin raptura meaning “abduction,” “carrying away” and “rape.” In Middle French rapture means "abduction." This term can also refer to the carrying of a person to another sphere of existence. In Christian theology, the Rapture will happen when Christ returns to earth.

　　Rapture是醉心的喜悦和快乐的陶醉。来源于拉丁语raptura，意为“诱拐”“使着迷”“强暴”。中古法语中rapture即“绑架”。这个词还可以指将一个人引入另一种存在空间中。在基督教神学中，耶稣基督回到人世时，Rapture就会发生。