Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
A person's nose is important for breathing and smelling. The nose is also used in many popular expressions.
Some people are able to lead other people by the nose.(牵着某人的鼻子走) For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose. She makes him do whatever she wants him to. Some people are said to be hard-nosed.( 顽强的, 倔强的, 顽固的)They will not change their opinions or positions on anything. If someone is hard-nosed, chances are he will never pay through the nose(被勒索) or pay too much money for an object or service.
It is always helpful when people keep their nose out of (别管闲事)other people's business They do not interfere. The opposite of this is someone who noses around (窥探, 探听)all the time. This kind of person is interested in other people's private matters. He is considered nosy.
Someone who keeps his nose to the grindstone (努力工作, 埋头苦干) works very hard. This can help a worker keep his nose clean (遵纪守法, 行为检点)or stay out of trouble.
One unusual expression is that is no skin off my nose (我根本不在乎). This means that a situation does not affect or concern me. We also say that sometimes a person cuts off his nose to spite his face. (赌气做出不顾后果的事)That is he makes a situation worse for himself by doing something foolish because he is angry.
More problems can develop if a person looks down his nose at someone or something. (看不起)The person acts like something is unimportant or worthless. This person might also turn up his nose at (轻视, 看不起) something he considers not good enough. This person thinks he is better than everyone else. He has his nose in the air (目中无人).
In school, some students thumb their nose at(轻视(规则, 法律等), 不在乎(别人的看法))their teacher. They refuse to obey orders or do any work. Maybe these students do not know the correct answers. My mother always told me if you study hard, the answers should be right under your nose (眼皮底下, 公然的)or easily seen.
I think we have explained the nose expressions. What about ears Well. I hope you are all ears (洗耳恭听)or very interested in hearing more expressions. We might even put a bug in your ear (关于…给你个点子)or give you an idea about something. We also advise you to keep your ear to the ground (对某事态表示关注). This means to be interested in what is happening around you and what people are thinking.
If you are a good person, you will lend an ear to your friends (洗耳恭听某人的诉说). You will listen to them when they have a problem they need to talk about. Our last expression is to play it by ear. This has two meanings. One is to play a song on a musical instrument by remembering the tune and not by reading the music(不看乐谱进行弹奏). Play it by ear(见机行事, 随机应变) also means to decide what to do at the last minute instead of making detailed plans.
This VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.
