“put one's foot in one's mouth”是英语中常用的俚语,字面意思是“把脚放进嘴里”,实际引申为:
无意中说错话;出言不逊;因失言而得罪人(通常是因为说话前没考虑周全,触及对方的敏感点或隐私)。该短语的结构固定,需注意以下几点:
1、 “one's”的替换:要根据主语换成形容词性物主代词(my/your/his/her/our/their)或名词所有格(如Tom's);
2、 动词形式:“put”的过去式/过去分词与原形一致(put→put→put),因此时态变化仅需调整助动词;
3、 常见语境:用于社交场合、日常对话中,描述“无心之失”的失言行为。
通过不同情境的例子,理解其实际用法:
I always put my foot in my mouth when I meet new people—I just can't stop talking about awkward topics!
(我见陌生人时总说错话——总忍不住聊尴尬的话题!)
He put his foot in his mouth at the party when he asked about Lisa's "husband"—she got divorced last month!
(他在派对上问起莉萨的“丈夫”,可人家上个月刚离婚——这可太失言了!)
She put her foot in her mouth by joking about his weight—he's been struggling with it for years.
(她开玩笑说他的体重,可他多年来一直在为此困扰——这话说得真不得体。)
Don't put your foot in your mouth when you meet my parents—they hate talking about politics!
(见我父母时别乱说话——他们讨厌聊政治!)
If you keep asking about her ex, you'll put your foot in your mouth for sure.
(如果你一直问她的前任,肯定会说错话得罪人。)
put one's foot in it:与原短语完全同义(更简洁的说法);
foot-in-mouth moment:名词短语,指“失言时刻”(强调某个具体的尴尬瞬间)。
例:That was such a foot-in-mouth moment when I forgot her name!
(我忘了她的名字,那真是个尴尬的失言时刻!)
“put one's foot in one's mouth”的核心是“无心但尴尬的失言”,关键在于“说话者并非故意,但结果冒犯了对方”。使用时需结合具体情境,突出“没考虑到对方感受”的语境。