這種做法在英語(yǔ)里叫:beat someone at their own game. Beat在中文里是打擊的意思,game是比賽,游戲。Beat someone at their own game,就是以其人之道,還治其人之身的意思。
我的朋友Jennifer如法炮制,把同事一些見不得人的照片放到網(wǎng)上,讓更多的人都看到,就可以說是, she beat them at their own game.
如果說這是一場(chǎng)搞笑的惡作劇的話,那么在下面這個(gè)例子里兩家餐館之間的血拼大降價(jià),就沒有這么好笑了。讓我們聽聽看。
例句-1:The restaurant across the street from ours was running a special. Guests who ordered a dinner entrée could receive another at half price. So we introduced an even better deal: buy one entrée, get the other free. Now our place is packed. We're beating the competition at their own game.
其中一位老板說:街對(duì)面的餐館推出特價(jià)活動(dòng),點(diǎn)一道主菜,第二道菜半價(jià)。我們以其人之道,還治其人之身, 決定買一送一,結(jié)果現(xiàn)在我們餐館里的生意特別紅火。我們?cè)谶@次較量中戰(zhàn)勝了對(duì)手。
如果是我,我也會(huì)光顧這家餐館的。經(jīng)濟(jì)不好的時(shí)候,商家就更要想方設(shè)法地吸引顧客。商業(yè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)真是英語(yǔ)里常說的"Dog-Eat-Dog",形容這種商業(yè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)真是恰如其分。
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剛才我們談到了商業(yè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的殘酷無情。不過有的時(shí)候,beat someone at their own game也會(huì)給生活增添不少樂趣。讓我們一起來聽聽下面這對(duì)夫妻之間的小故事。
例句-2:I thought taking my wife sailing was a pretty cool birthday surprise. But, for my big day, she took me skydiving in Mexico. Every year is the same. No matter what gift ideas I come up with, hers are better. She beats me at my own game all the time.
這個(gè)人說:我本來以為帶妻子去航海是一個(gè)絕妙的生日禮物,但是我過生日的時(shí)候,她卻計(jì)劃好了一起到墨西哥去跳傘。每年都是這樣。她總能想出更棒的生日禮物來,讓我自愧不如。
去年冬天,我跟老公學(xué)下國(guó)際象棋,怎么也贏不了他,結(jié)果我正好有機(jī)會(huì)采訪了一位象棋高手,跟他學(xué)了幾招,回家就把老公打敗了,I finally beat him at his own game.
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最近美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)不景氣,很多公司都在裁員。我前些天做了一個(gè)夢(mèng),夢(mèng)見早上去上班,結(jié)果接到通知,說我們被另外一家電臺(tái)取代了。They beat us at our own game. 一下子驚醒過來,好在是個(gè)夢(mèng)。
從上面的例子大家肯定已經(jīng)看出,to beat someone at their own game,這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)里的game可以用來指任何努力和工作。這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)可以追溯到十三世紀(jì)中葉,真可以說是歷史悠久了。