Language Café

Laissez faire: 放任 放手 随意 Carly's partying lifestyle was due to her parents taking a laissez faire approach to parenting.Jordan's flight teacher was very laissez faire. He showed up late for class, always made excuses to leave class and dismissed his class early.The Hong Kong government is known for its laissez faire attitude in business with low taxes and low tariffs.Definition: The practice of noninterference in the affairs of others, especially with reference to freedom of action. Etymology: It is from an economic system in which transactions between private parties are free from intrusive government restrictions, tariffs, and subsidies, with only enough regulations to protect property rights. The phrase laissez-faire is French for "let it be".******Back seat driver: 后座司机 指手画脚 gesticulate Investigators of the famous air crash that killed the Polish President say that back-seat drivers were a contributing factor in the crash.I don't need any backseat drivers on this project, your advice is just a distraction.While cooking, Evan asked his mom to stop being a back-seat driver.Definition: A passenger in a vehicle who is not controlling the vehicle but who excessively comments on the driver's actions and decisions in an attempt to control the vehicle.Etymology: This term originated in the United States in the 1920s, when it was first used for a passenger legitimately directing a chauffeur, and it was quickly transferred to figurative use. Some backseat drivers exhibit this type of behavior simply because they feel the driver is taking risks they would not normally take. However, the practice is somewhat dangerous and instead more likely to cause crashes.******Friend-zoned 我们做朋友吧 你被当备胎了Jessie got friendzoned by Peter after showing up with tacky clothes to a party.Raymond friendzoned Melanie after he found out she was a dog-person.Sarah friendzoned Greg after he just tried too hard.Definition: When someone places the status of friend on a pursuer.Etymology:

Preaching to the choir: 多此一举The politician was wasting his breath explaining his policies at his party's rallies. He was just preaching to the choir.Sonia preached to the choir when she complained about relatives her kids disliked too.There is no point lecturing women about the problems of domestic violence. You are preaching to the choir since perpetrators are usually men.Definition: To make one's case primarily to one's supporters.Etymology: The members of the "choir" play the music, while those in the "chorus" sing along. While a preacher's job is to change (convert) the non-believers into believers ("the converted").******Elephant in the room: 敏感话题 心知肚明却避而不谈的问题Ellen and her parents wanted to talk about the elephant in the room when they found out she was pregnant.After smelling Eva's foot odour, Bill could not take it anymore and decided to talk about the elephant in the room.When Sara returned from Korea with double eye lids, a pointy nose and a sharper chin, her friends refused to talk about the elephant in the room.Definition: An obvious truth that is being ignored or unaddressed. Or a problem no one wants to discuss.Etymology: First used to question British schoolboys in 1915. with the question "Is there an elephant in the classroom". Because it is an idea that an elephant in the room would be impossible to ignore.******Second fiddle: 二流 副手 次要地位 B角 Ronaldo left the football club after being sick of playing second fiddle to Messi.Ivan played second fiddle at the radio station to the more experienced Jonas.Leo's anxiety problems forced him to play second fiddle in the airplane cockpit.Definition: To be in a subordinate position to someone.Etymology: This term alludes to the part of the second violin in an orchestra. Although many would argue it is as important as the first violin, it is the idea of subordinacy that became a metaphor in 1800.

Bucket list 人生清单 遗愿After Shawn watched the movie "Noah" he added climbing Mount Ararat to his bucket listAfter Daniel kept winning pub quizzes he added winning the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" to his bucket listMany people have travelling the world on their bucket list.Definition: list of things to do before you dieEtymology: derived from "kick the bucket " which is in turn dervied from when bigs were slaughtered by butchers. THey would be hung from a beam, that was balled a bucket. When the pig finally died, they would kick. The bucket list is a 2007 movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Even young people can use itxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxOut of one's league 不是我的菜John could not date Becka because she was out of his leagueChad used magic tricks to seduce girls and date out of his leagueThe wealthy, well educated, good looking girl never had any boyfriends because there was not a man in town in her leagueDefinition: doing something you are not prepared for. Most often used in terms of dating peopleEtymology: professional teams play in "leagues", which are groups of teams of similar experience or ability. Describing someone as "out of your league" is understood to mean that his or her abilities are higher than yours, the same way that David Beckham's ability at soccer/football would be higher than that of someone who played on an amateur neighborhood soccer/football team.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGot punked 被玩弄 被耍了In the TV series, What would you do, an African American woman got punked when she was forced to deal with racism at the barber shopGerald got punked when he thought there was a ghost of a little girl in the elevator with himCandace got punked when she thought there was a giant spider chasing her, which only turned out to be a dog in a spider costumeDefinition: to get embarassed in front of your crew or significant other. Generally while someone is filmingEtymology: First used in American actor, Ashton Kutchers, TV series Punk'd, where in one episode he tricks singer Justin Timberlake into thinking his house is getting raided by government agents.

When in Rome 入乡随俗Everyone in this office is dresses so casually. Well, when in Rome.I don't normally drink wine when in Hong Kong, but now that I am on holiday in Greece. When in Rome!Back in China, karaoke is a private affair. But in the States, we sing in front of other people. Well, when in Rome!Definition: Behave however the people around you behave. Adapt yourself to the customs of the places you visit.Etymology: As it turns out, it's all to do with the travel arrangements of a couple of early Christian saints. The Bishop of Naples, Januarius once said in 390AD "When I go to Rome, I fast on Saturday, but here in Milan I do not. Do you also follow the custom of whatever church you attend, if you do not want to give or receive scandal."xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxPull the rug 釜底抽薪Roose Bolton pulled the rug from under Robb Stark by defecting.The school pulled the rug from under the basketball team, by withdrawing financial assistance.The government pulled the rug from under the people by refusing to bail out certain banks.Definition: To withdraw support suddenly.Etymology: If you pull the rug from under someone, they will topple over.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTrophy wife/husband 花瓶Glen was very happy being a trophy husband, since he could now afford a sports car.Any of Donald Trump's wives are trophy wives. 26 year old Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith is not a trophy wife; she married the 90 year old billionaire for love…said nobody ever.Definition: an informal term for a wife, usually young and attractive, who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband, who is often an older and wealthy "sugar daddy". The term trophy husband is the male equivalent.Etymology: One claim is that trophy wife originally appeared in a 1950 issue of The Economist newspaper, referring to the historical practice of warriors capturing the most beautiful women during battle to bring home as wives.

Zero-sum game 零和博弈The mayor, that is banning Christmas to preserve Chinese festival celebrations, thinks it is a zero-sum game.Many people think the World of Economics is a zero-sum game. Even when the 1928 Depression proves that it was not.Canada's radio station, that places a quota on foreign artists to encourage local singers, believes in a zero sum game. But people can tune into other stations.Disneyland is a zero-sum Game. As soon as you open the Shanghai Park, the Hong Kong Park will lose business.Definition: It is a theory that a participants gain or loss of something is exactly balanced by the loss or gain of another participant. Hence, if the total gains are added up and the losses subtracted, the sum will be zero.Etymology: From game theory.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTouch and go 虚惊一场It was touch and go when the immigration officer thought that we looked suspicious.It was touch and go when we were negotiating a price on the used car.Stanley was touch and go after being swept by a rip-tide, but has now continued swimming.Definition: It was an uncertain, but now we are fineEtymology: Comes from stagecoaches which would pass each other on narrow streets, if a vehicles wheels got entangled they would both be wrecked, if they were lucky, they would only touch and would continue as normal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxOne Hit wonder: 昙花一现Call Me Maybe's singer Carly Rae Jepsen is sometimes referred to as a One Hit Wonder.The soccer player who scored 4 goals against Liverpool and never scored again is known as a One Hit WonderMark Hamill is a one hit wonder for playing Luke Skywalker and struggling to find work ever since.Definition: To describe being famous from a singular event.Etymology: First described by journalist Wayne Jancik "an act that has won a position on the national, pop or Top 40 just once.

Feel out We need to feel out the landlord before asking him to lower the rent.Rick and his family wanted to feel out their new neighborhood before making a commitment to live there.Ross wanted to feel out his boss before asking for a raise.Definition: To find out what someone thinks about someone or something. This does not involve touching anyone.Etymology: This term alludes to physical groping. ***摸底You haven't even done something to feel him out and you agreed to marry him! What if he is a liar! 你都没有摸底就答应嫁给他了!他如果是骗子怎么办啊?Before applying for schools, I advise students to go to the campus to feel it out first before making the final pick! 申请学校的同学们,最好先去校园摸摸底再做选择.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Achilles heel Stanley's Achilles heel is women.Melanie's Achilles heel is spelling and grammar.Ben's Achilles heel is his inability to keep his cool.Definition: An Achilles heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, which can actually or potentially lead to a downfall.Etymology: In Greek mythology, when Achilles was a baby, it was foretold that he would die young. To prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability, and dipped his body into the water. But as Thetis held Achilles by the heel, his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles. But one day, a poisonous arrow, shot at him by Paris of Troy, was lodged in his heel killing him shortly after.***死穴 致命要害 致命弱点 He speaks perfect Mandarin, almost as good as a native speaker. But the four tones of the language are his Achilles heel, it betrays him from time to time. 他中文特别好,说得几乎像母语那样流利,不过四声是他的死穴,会时常出卖他.He is a very popular young politician who has a promising future, but alcohol is his Achilles heel. 他是个年轻有前途的政客,但嗜酒是他致命的弱点.

Guinea pig They're looking for volunteers to act as guinea pigs for a new AIDs vaccine.I do not want to be a guinea pig when they test the first hyperloop train.Joanna opted to be a guinea pig for a new hair shampoo.Definition: When someone is used as a guinea pig to test new ideas or products.Etymology: How science experiments used to use guinea pigs.***试验品 实验对象 尝试 Children from poor families are guinea pigs for the company's new baby formula. 贫困家庭的孩子成为这家婴儿奶粉公司的试验品.Is it moral to ask prisoners to be guinea pigs for experiments of new medicine? 让犯人充当新药的实验对象是否道德? This is a new program and we volunteered to be the guinea pigs to test the fan base. 这是新节目,我们主动尝试调查听众数量.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWear many hats The mayor wears many hats since he is also the police chief.People wanted Goodwin on their team for the survival challenge since he was a man of many hats. Mikeala wanted her dad to not wear so many hats so he could spend more time with her.Definition: To have more than one set of responsibilities.Etymology: Back in Victorian Britain when everyone wore hats, many of those hats were specific to a given trade, official position or function. So someone who had several roles would have several hats depending on the occasion.***身兼数职 大忙人Men love to wear many hats in order to feel important. 为了自我感觉良好,男人愿意身兼数职.She is a daughter, a wife, a mother, a professor, a social worker and a writer. She wears so many hats, I wonder how she juggles the different roles. 她是女儿,妻子,母亲,教授,社会工作者和作家,我好奇她是怎样玩转这些不同角色的.

Thinly veiled George Clooney's movie Syriana was a thinly veiled attack on George Bush's administration.Joanna spreading rumors to the new employee was part of her thinly veiled plan to stir things up.Kevin's constant saying he was right was his thinly veiled attempt to hide his own insecurity.Definition: Pretty obvious Etymology: A thin veil will expose the contents that are covered.***露骨 明显 几乎没有掩饰 His motive of coming to work on the grave yard shift is thinly veiled; he wanted to be in the same team with the pretty girl. 他想和美女一起,所以主动提出上大夜班,目的太明显了. The son has been very obedient recently. Everybody in the family knows it's his thinly veiled tactic to ask for more pocket money for the new semester. 儿子最近很听话,大家都明白他这露骨的一招是为了开学多要些零花钱. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Whole package Gloria was angry when her son Jordan broke up with his girlfriend Vicky, since Vicky was the whole package.Wow, Tim go for that girl. She is the whole package.Roy wanted to hire the intern on a full-time basis since he was the whole package.Definition: A person who possesses all the ideal qualities one is searching for. In terms of a stereotypical potential spouse, a person who is the whole package would have looks, intelligence, humor, kindness, confidence, financial stability, maturity, etc.Etymology: Refers to how an item lacks nothing.***完美 全部 Being promoted to division chief at the age of 35, getting married to his love at the same year, life at the moment is the whole package for him. It can't be better! 35岁提拔当主任,同年娶了心爱的姑娘,他目前的生活是完美的,不能再好了.The worst relationship is when the couple each thinks the other to be the whole package and later find out they are not! 最糟糕的恋爱关系是把对方当作自己的全部,后来发现并不是.

Bend over backwards Roger is a good person to have on the team since he will bend over backwards to help you.Elliot bent over backwards to make a good impression on his future in-laws.The banks should bend over backwards to make up for their mistakes during the financial crisis.Definition: To work very hard to accomplish something for someone.Etymology: This phrase transfers the gymnastic feat of a backbend to going through a lot of trouble to help someone else.***拼命 尽全力 In our life, who do you think will bend over backwards to help us when we are in difficulty? 生命中谁会在困难时尽全力帮助我们? To save the company in the red, all employees bent over backwards to cut the budget and save every penny in order to get through the difficult period of time. 为了拯救亏损的公司,全体员工节约开支帮助公司度过难关.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wing it Don't worry about the speech tomorrow, you can wing it.The actress was so talented she could wing it and still convince the audience.The chef winged it and the food tasted a bit off.Definition: To improvise.Etymology: It comes from the theater, where it alludes to an actor studying his part in the wings (the areas to either side of the stage) because he has been suddenly called on to replace another. The phrase was first recorded in 1885, it eventually extended to other kinds of improvisation based on unpreparedness.***即兴I love doing live broadcasting simply because I can just wing it. 我喜欢直播因为我喜欢即兴表演.Dad is such a good cook! The best dishes are those where he just winged it in the kitchen. 爸爸特会做菜,最好吃的就是他即兴做的.

Sugar coat Simon never sugar coated his criticism towards his employees.Lawrence sugar-coated his review on the new Romance movie because he was being paid under the table by the director. It is hard to sugar coat the Queen's speech since she had a cold.Definition: To make something seem more pleasant.Etymology: When you coat food that tastes bland or bad with sugar.***糖衣 粉饰 美化All the good memories have actually been sugar-coated by people who hold things or people dearly to themselves. 所有美好的记忆其实都被美化了.Artistic works either sugar coat or demonize the reality. 艺术作品不是粉饰就是丑化现实.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Stack the deck against Andrew was depressed at not getting promoted at work, and thought someone had stacked the deck against him.The company president stacked the deck so that his sycophant would get promoted.Annie thought the college had stacked the deck against her since she worked very hard on her application and still did not get in.Definition: To arrange things against someone or something.Etymology: It is derived from playing cards. Stacking the deck requires arranging cards to be dealt out to one's advantage.***做局 布局 算计He never reflected about his own mistakes and stubbornly believed that someone had stacked the deck against him. 他从不反省自己的错误,总认为有人做局跟他作对.There are people who have special talent for stacking the deck against their rivals. Whenever I spotted one, I would try my best to avoid them. 有人特别擅长做局(算计别人),如果发现,我尽量会躲开他们.