040讲: 软柿子

Donny在北京学中文，他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教他。今天是方方要问的：软柿子

Donny: 方方，Why do you look so tired? 

FF: 别提了，我今天又被同事叫去跑腿儿。。。好累啊！我真不想再当软柿子被人使唤了！我要告诉他们，I don't want to be a...a....

Donny：你不是昨天才帮他们买咖啡吗? 你应该让他们 run their own errands! You should stop being a push-over! 

FF: 你上次教我 run errands 是跑腿儿。那 a push-over 被人推来搡去，就是好欺负对不对? 

Donny: 没错。a push-over 就是好欺负的人，你刚刚说什么"软狮子" 来着?

FF: 不是软狮子，是软柿子，吃的那种柿子。 

Donny: Oh, "soft persimmon"? Sounds delicious! In English, you can also call a push-over a cowardly lion. A cowardly lion is someone who is supposed to be brave but lacks courage and acts cowardly. 

FF: cowardly lion? 懦弱的狮子? 一个狮子，一个柿子。太有趣了。

Donny: 美国经典电影 "The Wizard of Oz" 里的狮子就叫Cowardly Lion.

FF: 原来是这样，那我绝对不要当 cowardly lion. 

Donny: (Hahaha...) Yes, you should really stop being a cowardly lion and don't let people push you over. 

FF: 是啊！ 我要告诉他们，不许再欺负我！不要来烦我！你快告诉我，这两句话英语怎么说？

Donny: You can say "stop bullying me." Bully, B-u-l-l-y意思是欺负。“别烦我”更容易，我一说你准会，叫 Leave me alone.

FF: 我明天就去告诉他们，Stop bullying me! Leave me alone. 

Donny: That's right! Let's see what you've learned today. 

FF: 第一，软柿子可以说 push-over，也可以叫 cowardly lion. 

第二，欺负人是 bully.

第三，别烦我是 leave me alone.