流行美语 第 52 课

to be canned
to kiss up to
今天Michael 和李华下了班以后就去逛街。他们边走边聊，李华会学到两个常用
语：to be canned 和to kiss up to。

M: Man, it was crazy at work today!
L: 真的？你们办公室今天发生什么事啦？
M: My friend George was late again, so the boss canned him!
L: 你的朋友George 今天上班迟到，你们老板对他怎么了？对他大喊大叫吗？
M: No, it's much worse than that. The boss canned him. In other words, the boss fired
him!
L: 什么？你是说George 被解雇了。所以To be canned 就是被解雇的意思啊？
M: Yeah, here, "canned" is the past form of "to can," which means¹ "to put something in
a can," or slang² for "to throw something in the trash can".
L: 噢，这里canned 就是把什么东西扔到垃圾桶。可这跟解雇人有什么关系呢？
M: Hehheh, when your boss "cans" you, he's getting rid of you. It is like he is throwing
you in the trash can.
L: 原来这是一种比喻啊。不过这种说法听起来挺吓人的。Michael, 你觉得George
应该被解雇 吗？
M: To tell the truth, George was not a very good employee³. If I were the boss, I would
have canned him too.
L： 哎呀，Michael，你这么说你的朋友未免太过份了吧！George 又没做坏事，为
什么要解雇他 啊？
M: Well, George was often very late to work. This month, he came in late a least four
times. The boss warned⁴ George many times before he finally canned him.
L: 看来你一点也不同情George。要是我的朋友碰上这种倒霉事，我至少也会替他
难过啊。
M: Hmph. When George was late, it caused me and the other employees⁵ a lot of trouble.
No one is really sad that he was canned.
L: 也许你说得没错。如果每个人都象George 这样老迟到，那会给其他人造成多
大的麻烦啊。
M: Well, you are right and wrong. Because George was canned, we all have a lot more
work to do right now.
L: 对，希望你们公司会赶快雇一个人来接替George 的工作。
M: I'm sure they will.
L： 哎，Michael，你有没有担心过自己有一天会被老板解雇呢？
M: Me? Not at all. I'm a good worker, and I kiss up to the boss all the time.
L: 你说你工作表现很好，而且你还经常亲你的老板。哎呀，Michael, 你好恶心哦，
你的老板 不是男的吗？
M: No no no...I said I "kiss up to" my boss. To "kiss up to" someone is to try to be extra
friendly to someone so they will treat you well.
L: 那你到底是怎么样"kiss up to"你的boss 呢？
M: Well, when I want to "kiss up to" the boss, I might bring him coffee, or help him
clean the office. I also try to say nice things about him and his family, or tell him he
just looks really cool.
L: 噢，现在我懂了。你不用说的那么好听，"kiss up to"无非就是拍什么人的马屁
嘛。哎呀，真没想到，你还是个马屁精啊。你不怕同事看不起你啊？
M: No, not at all. All of the employees kiss up to my boss. Actually, there's nothing
wrong with that, because our boss is a really nice guy.
L: 如果你的老板真象你说的那么好，或许讨好他也没什么错。
M: I Guess kissing up to someone can be useful, but not so that everyone hates you.
L: 你说的没错，拍马屁有时候是挺管用的，不过要是搞得人人都讨厌你，那就太
不值得了。
M: Don't worry about me. I don't want the boss to do anything for me, I just don't want
to be canned.
L: 其实我才应该向你学几招，去讨好讨好我的老板，也让他对我另眼相看。

今天李华学会了两个常用语：to be canned 和to kiss up to.To be canned 在这里就是
被解雇的意思，kiss up to 是讨好某人，拍马屁的意思。

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。

3 employee   

n.职员，员工，受雇人员

参考例句：

• Each employee received a like bonus.每个雇员都得到了相同数目的奖金。
• They brought around a new employee this morning.他们今天早晨请来了一位新雇员。

4 warned   

v.警告( warn的过去式和过去分词 )；提醒；告诫；预先通知

参考例句：

• Motorists have been warned to beware of icy roads. 已经提醒开车的人当心冰封的路面。
• I've warned her countless times. 我警告过她无数次了。

5 employees   

n.雇工，雇员( employee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She is always polite and considerate towards her employees. 她对待雇员总是客客气气，关心体谅。
• The company has a strict dress code—all male employees are expected to wear suits. 公司有严格的着装规定—所有男职员都要穿西服。