摘要：“a hot potato”的词源可追溯至19世纪初期，最早源自短语“drop something like a hot potato”，字面意为“像丢掉烫手的土豆一样抛弃某物”。其比喻逻辑源于刚煮熟的土豆热量高、难以手持，需迅速丢弃，进而引申为“人们不愿触碰

“a hot potato”的词源可追溯至19世纪初期，最早源自短语“drop something like a hot potato”，字面意为“像丢掉烫手的土豆一样抛弃某物”。其比喻逻辑源于刚煮熟的土豆热量高、难以手持，需迅速丢弃，进而引申为“人们不愿触碰、急于摆脱的事物”。1824年约瑟夫·唐纳森的回忆录中首次记录该表达的早期用法，后逐渐简化为独立习语“a hot potato”，沿用至今。

a hot potato核心语义

作为名词短语，核心语义为“棘手的问题、敏感争议的话题或难以处理的局面（或人）”，特指因存在争议、风险或责任重大，导致人们不愿接手、急于回避的人或事，与中文“烫手山芋”完全对应。其本质特征是“避之不及的复杂性”，既可指具体事务（人），也可指抽象话题。如：

Her husband dropped the secretary like a hot potato, as his wife grabbed her rival by the hair.

她丈夫像丢烫手山芋一样甩了秘书，因为他妻子揪住了情敌的头发。

The issue of immigration is a real hot potato in our country right now.

移民问题目前在我国是个真正的烫手山芋。

Tell the school you can’t do it. Drop it before it becomes a real hot potato for you.

跟学校说你做不了。趁它还没变成棘手问题赶紧推掉。

The Mideast conflict is really a hot potato for all politicians around the world.

中东冲突对全球所有政治家来说都是个烫手山芋。

If you're dating a guy who immediately wants to get seriously involved, drop him like a hot potato.

如果约会对象急于马上认真交往，就赶紧把他甩掉，别沾手。

The issue of employee layoffs became a hot potato during the meeting.

裁员问题在会议上成了烫手山芋。

Gun control remains a hot potato in U.S. politics even after mass shootings.

即便发生多起大规模枪击事件，枪支管控在美国政坛仍是个烫手山芋。

He’s hooked up with me and Hannah and now he’s trying to hookup with you. He’s a hot potato.

他跟我、汉娜都暧昧过，现在又想找你——他就是个谁都不想惹的麻烦人物。

You put me into a game of hot potato! 《妙贼警探》

你把我拖进了一个棘手的烂摊子！

The military base closure is a hot potato that no party wants to touch before the election. 《纸牌屋》

军事基地关闭问题在选举前是两党都不愿触碰的烫手山芋。

The dispute over the historical site has become a hot potato for the local government. Every official tries to avoid being assigned to handle it.

历史遗址的争议已成为当地政府的烫手山芋，每位官员都试图避免被指派处理此事。（2024年北京高考）

来源：翅膀英语一点号