Chinese practice
腳踏兩條船
(Jiao3 ta4 liang3 tiao2 chuan2)
Photo: Huang Liang-chieh
照片:自由時報記者黃良傑
To straddle two boats
成語「腳踏兩條船」出自晚明哲學家暨歷史學家李贄〈西元一五二七到一六○二年〉的《藏書》。李贄又名李卓吾,他在《藏書》中寫道:「世間道學,好騎兩頭馬,喜踹兩腳船。」這段話的意思若譯成英文,就是to sit on the fence,意為心意不決或逃避做決定。
這段話到了清朝演變為今日常見的「腳踏兩條船」,意同英文的to have a foot in both camps。
英文的to have a foot in both camps意指某人同時和兩個不同的陣營或個人建立關係。這樣的做法,依據敘述的角度,可以是正面而務實的,也可以是負面、投機取巧的。
在現代中文裡,「腳踏兩條船」還衍伸出同時與兩個不同的人戀愛交往的意思,其英文為two-timing。在中文裡,同時有兩位情人也可稱為「劈腿」,字面上的意思就是將兩腿劈開,平貼在地面。
(台北時報編譯涂宇安譯)
例句:
政治人物常常腳踏兩條船,想要同時討好左派和右派的選民。
(Politicians often attempt to have a foot in both camps by simultaneously wooing voters on both the left and the right.)
他是個花花公子,常常腳踏兩條船,千萬別被他的甜言蜜語給騙了。
( He is a playboy and a habitual cheater, Don’t be fooled by his sweet words.)
英 文 練 習
To have a foot in both camps.
The idiom 腳踏兩條船 first appeared in a written work entitled Cangshu by the late Ming philosopher, historian and writer Li Zhi (1527–1602 AD, also known as Li Zhuo-wu):
“In this society, there are scholars who love to ride two horses and straddle two boats at the same time.” In English, this original meaning of the idiom could be translated as “to sit on the fence,” which means to hold no fixed opinion or to avoid making a decision.
By the Qing dynasty the idiom had evolved into its present form, which in modern Chinese has come to mean “to have a foot in both camps.”
In English, the phrase “to have a foot in both camps” means to maintain an interest in two parties or sides at the same time. Such behavior could be described as either pragmatic (positive) or opportunistic (negative) depending on one’s point of view.
In modern Chinese 腳踏兩條船 has also taken on another meaning: to have two lovers at the same time. In English this is also called “two-timing.” In Chinese, there is also an alternative way to describe two-timing, 劈腿, which literally means “to do the splits.”
(Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
Example sentence:
I have got a foot in both camps with investments in both equities and real-estate.
(我同時投資了股票和房地產。)
He is a very pragmatic man and always tries to keep a foot in both camps.
(他是個很務實的人,總愛和各個陣營保持關係。)
A: Apart from the musical Sunset Boulevard, Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki is also touring Taiwan after a 17-year wait. She’s holding two concerts starting tonight. B: Ayu has the most No. 1 hits of any Japanese solo artist, with 33 total. A: “Time” magazine even crowned her as “The Empress of Pop.” B: She staged shows in Taipei back in 2007 and 2008, causing an “Ayu fever” across Taiwan. A: Unfortunately, the singer has been deaf in her left ear since 2008, and is gradually losing hearing in her right ear. I’m so excited to see her singing in Taipei again. A: 除了音樂劇《日落大道》,日本歌后濱崎步睽違17年,今晚起在台北熱唱兩場。
Alan Turing, celebrated as the “father of computer science,” was a brilliant mathematician and scientist. Born in London in 1912, Turing showed exceptional talent in mathematics and science from a young age. At 16, he understood Albert Einstein’s work without difficulty. This intelligence carried him through studies at Cambridge University and later at Princeton University in the US, where he further explored complex mathematical theories. In 1936, Turing introduced the concept of the Turing machine, a theoretical device for solving mathematical problems. He described it as having an infinite tape on which symbols could be read, interpreted, and modified. With simple
Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, announced that it would cease letter deliveries at the end of 2025 due to the impact of digitalization. As 95% of its residents now use the Digital Post service, Denmark has seen a 90% decline in letter volumes since 2000, from 1.4 billion to 110 million last year. On top of that, the Postal Act of 2024 removes the government’s obligation to provide universal mail service and puts an end to postal exemptions from value-added tax, raising the cost of a single letter to 29 Danish krone (US$4.20). As a result, PostNord is switching
A: After touring Taipei, the play Life of Pi is now heading to Taichung. You wanna go? B: Did you forget? We’re going to Taipei this weekend to see the musical Sunset Boulevard and go to Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki’s concert. A: Oh yeah, that’s right. The classic composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber is touring Taiwan for the first time. B: I heard that it’s adapted from a 1950 film with the same title. A: And the show will feature legendary soprano Sarah Brightman, who is finally returning to the musical stage after 30 years. We can’t miss it. A: 在台北巡演後,戲劇《少年Pi的奇幻漂流》本週起將移師台中。要去嗎?