みなさん、こんにちは。

今日は「partner in crime」というフレーズをご紹介します。

このフレーズには「文字通りの意味」と「比喩的な意味」があります。
まずは「文字通りの意味」から見ていきましょう。

「partner in crime」は基本的に「accomplice (共犯者)」と同じ意味で、実際の犯罪に関与したり計画を手助けした人を指します。

[例文]
Police arrested the woman on suspicion of being her husband’s accomplice in a number of robberies.
(警察はその女性を、夫の複数の強盗事件の共犯の疑いで逮捕しました。)

Two of the most famous partners in crime in living memory are Bonnie and Clyde who were a couple infamous for robbing banks in 1930s America.
(記憶に残る最も有名な共犯者の二人は、1930年代のアメリカで銀行強盗で悪名高いボニーとクライドです。)

次に「比喩的な意味」の「partner in crime」です。
これは、親しい友人やパートナーのことで、友達の関係性によっては一緒に悪さをすることもあるかもしれません。
簡単に言うと、「partners in crime」は、ただ一緒に過ごす時間が多い人を意味することもあります。

[例文]
When I was younger, I always used to get in trouble at school with David. He was my partner in crime.
(若い頃、いつもデビッドと一緒に学校で問題を起こしていました。彼は私の相棒でした。)

Those two are inseparable. They’ve been partners in crime since kindergarten.
(あの二人は切っても切れない仲です。幼稚園の頃からの相棒です。)

This is my partner in crime Jane. We’ve been together now for about five years.
(これは私の相棒、ジェーンです。付き合って5年になります。)

As thick as thieves

It’s strange how friendships change over time. John and Jim used to be as thick as thieves when they were kids but now they hardly speak to each other.
(友情が時間とともにどう変わるか不思議です。ジョンとジムは子供の頃はとても仲が良かったのに、今ではほとんど話をしません。)

Brother from another mother

I think I’m going to break up with Andy. He’s really great and everything but he doesn’t spend any time with me. He’s always out drinking with his brother from another mother Paul and I’m getting tired of it.
(アンディとは別れようと思ってます。彼は本当に素晴らしい人なんだけど、全然時間を一緒に過ごしてくれません。いつも仲の良いポールと一緒に飲みに行ってて、それにうんざりしています。)

Sidekick

You wouldn’t think that a man and his dog could be so close but Brian’s number one sidekick was always his dog Jake. They went everywhere together and were almost never apart.
(男性とその飼い犬がこんなに親密になれるとは思わないでしょうが、ブライアンの１番の相棒は常に犬のジェイクでした。彼らはどこにでも一緒に行って、ほとんど離れることがありませんでした。)

このように、「partner in crime」はいくつかの方法で使うことができます。
伝説的なボニーとクライドのような実際の共犯者を指す場合もありますし、非常に親しい友情や恋人との関係を表現する場合もあります。

お役に立てれば幸いです。

ジェイミー

Hello everyone,

Today I’m going to introduce you to the phrase partner in crime. It has a literal meaning and figurative one too so let’s start with the former. 

Literal Meaning. 

Partner in crime is basically the same as the word accomplice, meaning a person who  has either aided in or helped to plan an actual crime. 

Example. 

• Police arrested the woman on suspicion of being her husband’s accomplice in a number of robberies.

• Two of the most famous partners in crime in living memory are Bonnie and Clyde who were a couple infamous for robbing banks in 1930s America.

That is the literal meaning and next moving on to the figurative meaning which is more like a close friend or partner who you may or may not get up to mischief with depending on the nature of your friendship. In short, partners in crime can also just mean someone you spend a lot of time with. 

• “When I was younger, I always used to get in trouble at school with David. He was my partner in crime.”

• Those two are inseparable. They’ve been partners in crime since kindergarten. 

• This is my partner in crime Jane. We’ve been together now for about five years. (This one means dating Mika)

Similar expressions

• As thick as thieves. 

“It’s strange how friendships change over time. John and Jim used to be as thick as thieves when they were kids but now they hardly speak to each other. 

• Brother from another mother 

“I think I’m going to break up with Andy. He’s really great and everything but he doesn’t spend any time with me. He’s always out drinking with his brother from another mother Paul and I’m getting tired of it.”

• Sidekick

You wouldn’t think that a man and his dog could be so close but Brian’s number one sidekick was always his dog Jake. They went everywhere together and were almost never apart. 

Wrapping Up

So there you have it. Partner in crime can be used in a few different ways. It can be used to talk about an actual accomplice such as the now legendary partnership of Bonnie and Clyde or it can be used to convey a very close friendship or even romantic relationship. 

Hope it comes in handy, 

Jaimie