chicken可以指作为家禽的鸡,也可指作为食品的鸡肉。作“小鸡”解时是个体名词,可数; 作“鸡肉”解时则是物质名词,不可数。

chicken feed
为数甚微的款项; 小额钱币 paltry amount〔sum〕
I wouldn't work for them; they're only paying chicken feed for a very demanding job.我不愿为他们工作,对非常费力的工作,他们给的钱太少了。

count one's chickens (before they are hatched)
过于乐观 count on the outcome of sth before it has happened
Don't count your chickens and buy that new outfit until you're sure the bonus has been paid.别指望得过早,等到你肯定会拿到奖金后再购置那套新衣服。

The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.鹰抓起一只小鸡就飞走了。
The new feed can fatten the chickens up quickly enough for market.新饲料能使鸡长得更快,以供应市场。
The old man likes raising rabbits, chickens, dogs and horses.这个老人喜欢养兔子、鸡、狗和马。
The farmyard was quiet, with just a few chickens scratching about.这农家庭院静悄悄的,只有几只鸡在四处扒食。
They had chicken breasts for supper.他们晚饭吃了鸡胸脯肉。
We all can eat off this large chicken for three days.这只大鸡够我们大家吃三天。
You can render the chicken down to make stock for soup.你可以把这只鸡做成汤。
For Christmas, we stuff the chicken with a mixture of bread and flavourings.过圣诞节时,我们在鸡腹内塞面包加各种调料。

鸡下蛋了。
［误］  The chicken laid an egg.
［正］  The hen laid an egg.
［析］  能下蛋的是成熟的母鸡,应该用hen; chicken是指小鸡,尚不到成熟期。

chicken还可作动词解,常与out连用,意思是“因害怕而打退堂鼓”。例如:
I used to ski but I've chickened out.我过去滑雪,但现在打退堂鼓了。
John was courageous and manly when others chickened out.当别人都害怕打退堂鼓了,可约翰却是勇气十足的,有个男子汉气魄。

［词源］  ＜中古英语chiken ＜古英语cycen(小公鸡)