产假 maternity leave

英语自学网

　　自12月1日起，修订后的香港《雇佣条例》生效。根据该条例，雇员凭注册中医开具的医生证明书，可享有疾病津贴、生育保障及长期服务金等法定权益。生育保障方面，怀孕雇员一旦被证明因怀孕或分娩引致疾病，便可享受额外产假。
　　请看《中国日报》相关报道：With effect from December 1, an employee who produces a medical certificate issued by a registered Chinese medicine practitioner will be entitled to specified statutory benefits under the Employment Ordinance, including sickness allowance, maternity protection and long service payment.
　　For the purpose of maternity protection, an additional period of maternity leave is required on the grounds of illness or disability due to pregnancy.
　　报道中的“maternity leave”就是我们所说的“产假”。Maternity指“孕妇的，初为人母的”，其相关搭配如下：maternity dress(孕妇装);maternity hospital/ward(产科医院/病房);maternity nurse(助产士)。
　　此外，“产科医院/病房”也可单独用maternity来表示，如：Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.(受训的护士必须在产科工作几个星期。)
　　值得一提的是，maternity另一形容词形式“maternal”常用来形容“母亲的，母亲似的，母系的”，如maternal love(母爱);maternal uncle(舅舅)。