“捡垃圾”常见的英语表达有:“pick up garbage / collect garbage / scavenge for garbage” 。
“pick up”有“拾起,捡起”的意思,“garbage”指“垃圾”,所以“pick up garbage”就是“捡垃圾”。
例如:“He is picking up garbage on the street.”(他正在街上捡垃圾。)“collect”有“收集,聚集”的含义,“collect garbage”侧重于有组织、有目的地收集垃圾。比如:“They often collect garbage to protect the environment.”(他们经常捡垃圾以保护环境。)
“scavenge”有“(在废弃物中)搜寻,捡取有用之物”的意思,“scavenge for garbage”更强调从垃圾中寻找有价值的东西或者为了某种目的而捡垃圾。如:“Some people scavenge for garbage to make a living.”(一些人捡垃圾为生。)