我們在英文裡要提醒對方小心、保持警覺時,
最常說的是 be careful。
那還有沒有比較道地、母語感一點的說法呢?
正確答案:可以使用慣用語 keep someone on their toes
定義說明:
慣用語是指無法單從字面意思理解,
而是帶有延伸涵義的固定說法,
通常來自長時間使用後約定俗成的語言表達。
Keep someone on their toes 的意思是保持警覺、提高警惕、小心謹慎。
字面上是「讓人踮著腳站著」,
實際上是形容一個人隨時準備應對變化、不敢鬆懈。
此片語可依人稱變化使用。
例句:
以you做人稱時:
- Traveling alone can keep you on your toes.
(獨自旅行會讓你保持警覺。) - Unfamiliar environments often keep you on your toes.
(陌生的環境常常會讓你保持警覺。) - The pressure at work can keep you on your toes if you want to avoid getting fired.
(如果你不想被開除,工作上的壓力會讓你保持警覺。) - The guy doesn’t seem honest, which can keep you on your toes.
(那傢伙看起來不太老實,這會讓你提高警覺。)
用於其他人稱時:
- This strict policy keeps students on their toes.
(這項嚴格的政策讓學生保持警覺。) - Working with experienced coworkers keeps us on our toes.
(和經驗豐富的同事共事,會讓我們必須保持警覺。) - The new supervisor has kept us on our toes since he took over the position.
(自從新主管上任後,我們就一直處於高度警覺狀態。) - Unexpected problems at work can keep him on his toes.
(工作中突如其來的問題,會讓他不得不提高警覺。)
慣用語是不是很有趣呢?
剛到新環境時,多留意周遭、提高警覺總是沒錯的!



