过期作废
文/王逢鑫
前些日子，媒体曝光了上海福喜食品有限公司出售过期肉的丑闻。查阅《现代汉语词典》中“过期”这个词条，看到仅提供“超过期限”一个解释，该释文看似简单。可是我们在汉译英时，会发现情况比较复杂，操作起来需要细化。要看什么东西有什么用途，什么人做什么事情，超过了什么期限。
“过期”的第一个意思指“商品，包括食品和药品，超过保质期”。英语动词可以译为to expire, to pass the expiration date / expiry date / sell-by date；形容词可以译为 expired, out-of-date，例如：
1. 你绝不要服用过期药品，因为它们可能不安全或者无效用。
You mustn’t take medicines after they are expired because they may not be safe or may not work.
2. 他在这家食品店买了一包香肠，拿回家才发现已经过期。
He bought a package of sausages in the grocery, and took it home only to find it passed its expiration date.
3. 这个超市低价处理快要过期的商品。
The supermarket sells at low price the items that are about to pass their sell-by dates.
4. 据报道，上海福喜食品有限公司向全中国一连串快餐连锁店和餐馆出售包含过期肉的肉制品。
Shanghai Husi Food Company was reported to have sold meat products containing expired meat to a string of fast food chains and restaurants across China.
5. 最近，上海关闭了一家涉嫌向麦当劳和肯德基等知名快餐店供应过期肉的食品加工厂。
Shanghai has recently shut a food production factory for allegedly selling out-of-date meat to fast-food giants like McDonald’s and KFC.
“过期”的第二个意思指“文件、合同、证件以及各种票超过有效期”。换个角度，有时还可以说成“到期”或“过时”。英语动词可以译为to expire；作为时间状语，可以译为after the specified time，例如：
6. 他们两年前签订的合同已经过期/到期。
The contract that they signed two years ago has expired.
7. 我的驾照已经过期/到期，需要换证。
My driving license has expired, and I need to change a new one.
8. 对不起！你的签证已经过期，需要申请新签证。
Sorry! Your visa has expired, and you need to apply for a new visa.
9. 您的月票在一个月内有效，过期作废。
Your monthly ticket is valid within one month, and it is no longer valid after the specified date.
“过期”的第三个意思是指“申请、休假、借贷、缴费等超过规定的期限”，有时亦作“逾期”。英语动词可以译为 The deadline has passed；形容词可以译为overdue, expired，例如：
10. 申请已经过期，我们不再接受任何对这个职位的申请。
The application deadline has passed and we are no longer accepting applications for this job.
11. 你从社区图书馆借的小说已经过期一周了。
The novel you borrowed from the community library is one week overdue.
12. 从图书馆借书过期/ 逾期不还，每本罚款一元。
For each library book overdue, one will have to pay a one-yuan fine.
“过期”的第四个意思指“先前出版发行的报刊杂志”。英语可以译为back numbers, back issue, older issue, past issue, previous issue；有别于current issue, latest issue（最近一期），例如：
13. 他喜欢收集过期的连环漫画杂志。
He likes to collect back numbers of comic magazines.
14. 这家旧书店出售过期杂志，但是售价高于原先价格。
In the second-hand bookshop, back issues of the magazine are available but cost more than they did originally.
15. 他正在研究抗日战争的历史，需要一些过期报纸作为参考。
He is studying the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan, and needs some old newspapers for reference.
16. 这个学生在图书馆的过期学术期刊里搜索科研资料。
In the library, the student searched for the materials he needed for his scientific research from the past issues of academic periodicals.
17. 他经常到阅览室去阅读过期电影杂志。
He often goes to the reading room to read previous issues of film magazines.
18. 我在街角的报刊亭买了一份最新一期的《英语世界》杂志。
I bought a new the World of English from a news stand at the street corner.
19. 这位图书馆管理员向我展示了一份刚收到的最近一期《科学》杂志。
The librarian showed me a copy of the latest issue of the Science Magazine they had just received.
“过期”的第五个意思指“旧情已经逝去”，英语可以译为 overdue, bygone, 例如：
20. 这位老人深情地回忆：“我的爱情已经过期。”
The old man recalled with deep emotion and said, “My love is overdue.”
21. 过期的爱情总是保留着余味长久的记忆。
Bygone love always retains the long-term memory with agreeable aftertaste.
“过期”的第六个意思指“信息已经过时”。英语动词可以译为 to go out-of-date, to be out-of-date；形容词可以译为out-of-date, outdated, 例如：
22. 由于使用了过期的时刻表，他没有赶上火车。
He missed the train as a result of using an out-of-date timetable.
23. 这些是你需要始终关注的资料。你要时时保持更新，不要有垃圾邮件和过期信息。
These are the profiles that need your attention consistently. You must keep them free of spam and outdated information.
“过期”的第七个意思指“婴儿超过预期的分娩时间”。英语可以译为overdue。“过期妊娠”可以译为 post-term pregnancy, prolonged pregnancy；“过期分娩”可以译为 post-term birth；“过期产儿”译为post-term infant，例如：
24. 这个孕妇的胎儿超过预产期两周。
The baby of the pregnant woman is two weeks overdue.
25. “过期妊娠”是指“任何延续或超过294 天的妊娠”。
Post-term pregnancy is defined as any pregnancy that lasts 294 days or more.
26. 过期分娩会给母婴都带来风险。
Post-term births can carry risks for both the mother and the infant.
27. 过期产儿是远超过正常妊娠期（≥294 天）才出生的过熟儿。
A post-term infant is an overly mature baby that has not been born until well after the usual term pregnancy ( ≥294 days).