VOA词汇掌故2025--Knee Jerk and Gut Reactions: When We Are Not in Control

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

In life, some of our decisions and actions are well thought out. They involve research, examination, and time for thought. And other decisions and actions are not well thought out. We make them quickly, without thinking, almost like a pure physical reaction.

We can call these decisions, actions or reactions knee-jerk.

This term comes from a medical process. Meriam Webster defines the noun "knee jerk" as "an involuntary forward kick produced by a light blow on the tendon below the kneecap." It is an involuntary action. It's automatic.

The words "involuntary" and "automatic" are important when understanding the term "knee jerk" and when to use it. Knee-jerk reactions seem to happen automatically without a decision-making process.

We often use "knee jerk" as an adjective.

Like hitting your kneecap to move your leg, knee-jerk reactions or statements also seem like an involuntary reflex.

"Knee jerk" also describes predictable behavior. Again, hit the knee, the leg will kick every time. So "knee jerk" describes someone who always reacts quickly and without enough thought.

For example, let's say you are on a team with someone who never faces responsibility for their mistakes in the game. If brought to account, the player always blames the dropped ball on other teammates. You can say that player is having a knee-jerk reaction to criticism. They have a go-to response. It's like a reflex they can't control.

We often use knee-jerk in a criticizing or negative way.

Now, a gut¹ reaction also happens without thinking. But it is a bit different than a knee-jerk response. A gut reaction is a feeling. When we have a gut reaction, our instincts are telling us that something may not be right. Gut reactions are instinctual warnings.

So, we also use this expression a bit differently than "knee jerk." We usually talk about our own gut reactions or impulses, not others.

Here is an example:

One day, I was hiking on a mountain in California. I had hiked for about two hours and was near the top. The view, I was told, was truly beautiful. I couldn't wait to see it! Then, suddenly, I had a strange feeling. Something just didn't feel right. I can't explain why, but my gut instinct was to turn around and head back down the mountain. I later found out that a dangerous bear had been sighted in the same area that I had fled. I am so thankful I listened to my gut instinct.

And that's Words and Their Stories. Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

involuntary -adj. not normally under the control of the will

automatic -adj. largely or wholly involuntary :acting² or done without conscious thought or intention

reflex -n. an automatic response to a stimulus³ in which a nerve message passes from a sense organ to the spinal⁴ cord and then to a point of action (as a muscle or gland) often without first passing to the brain

negative -adj. not positive or helpful

instinct -n. behavior that is based on automatic actions

1 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

4 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。