习语:“他懂得其中的门道!”
中国有句俗语:内行看门道,外行看热闹。所谓“懂门道”,即知晓驾驭事物的内在诀窍。英语中,片语“to know the ropes”可表达“懂门道/在行”相应的语义内涵。 就词源而言,“rope”原指“船上的绳索”。习语“to know the ropes”出自水手——航船上的新手要成为合格的水手首先得学会摆弄桅绳,在新手学会操作那一大堆桅绳后(after he learns the ropes),他自然而然也就是熟知桅绳操纵的老手了。由此,“to know the ropes/to learn the ropes”常喻指“掌握诀窍/内在规律”,而“to show the ropes”则用来形容“教某人学习其中的门道”。 看下面两个例句:Nobody knows the ropes about the auto business better than my Uncle Joe. He's been selling cars for thirty years and he's become an expert at closing deals with customers. 做汽车生意没人能比Joe叔叔更在行。他销售汽车有三十年了,已经成了和顾客讲价成交的专家。 You won't find the job difficult, once you learn the ropes.一旦掌握诀窍,你就会觉得着工作并不难。
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