摘要:Wake up and smell the coffee作为英语俚语,最早可追溯至20世纪60年代的美国口语,其字面义为“醒来闻闻咖啡香”,当时《芝加哥太阳报》的一名名为Ann Landers的作者在一篇文章中使用了这个习语,因此这句习语便流行起来实际喻指“认
Wake up and smell the coffee 作为英语俚语,最早可追溯至20世纪60年代的美国口语,其字面义为“醒来闻闻咖啡香”,当时《芝加哥太阳报》的一名名为Ann Landers的作者在一篇文章中使用了这个习语,因此这句习语便流行起来实际喻指“认清现实、不再自欺欺人”,隐含对他人逃避或误解现状的批评。该短语通过“咖啡”这一日常意象(象征清醒与真实),构建出“从混沌或迷思中觉醒”的隐喻逻辑,常用于非正式语境中,语气可随情境从温和提醒转为尖锐指责。
wake up and smell the coffee的释义:
to tell someone that they are wrong about a particular situation and must realize what is really happening;
If you tell someone to wake up and smell the coffee, you are telling them to face reality and accept the truth about a situation.
即“要清醒面对现实不再逃避;别再不再自欺欺人”等。例:
It's time for her to wake up and smell the coffee - their relationship is clearly over.
她该醒醒了,他们的关系显然已经结束。
After failing the exam for the third time, he finally woke up and smelled the coffee - his lack of preparation was the real problem.
第三次考试失利后,他终于认清现实:真正的问题在于自己准备不足。
She had to wake up and smell the coffee when she realized her procrastination was sabotaging her career prospects.
当她意识到拖延症正在毁掉自己的职业前景时,她不得不正视现实。
You need to wake up and smell the coffee, she's not interested in you.
你得清醒点,她对你没意思。
It's time to wake up and smell the coffee. Marriage is not just about romance but also about sharing daily responsibilities.
是时候清醒面对现实了,婚姻不只是风花雪月,还有日常责任的分担。
You should wake up and smell the coffee. Your parents are making great efforts to provide you with a good life.
你该清醒点,认清现实,父母正努力为你创造好的生活。
You two need to wake up and smell the coffee. Ignoring the problems won't make them go away.你们俩得清醒面对现实,逃避问题并不能解决问题。
He needs to wake up and smell the coffee - his business model is fundamentally flawed.
他必须认清现实,他的商业模式存在根本性缺陷。
It's time you woke up and smelled the coffee—your so-called "investments" are just a scam.
是时候认清现实了——你所谓的“投资”不过是场骗局。
He finally woke up and smelled the coffee about his career.
他终于对自己的职业现状醒悟了。
The marketing team needs to wake up and smell the coffee - our new product is not meeting consumer expectations.
市场团队必须认清现实,我们的新产品未能达到消费者预期。
The management needs to wake up and smell the coffee - customer satisfaction ratings are at an all - time low.
管理层必须正视现实,客户满意度已降至历史最低点。
Shareholders are calling on the board to wake up and smell the coffee before the company goes bankrupt.
股东们呼吁董事会在公司破产前认清现实。
During the board meeting, the CEO bluntly stated, "Gentlemen, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee. Our market share has been declining steadily, and we need to take immediate action.
在董事会会议上,CEO直言:"各位,是时候认清现实了。我们的市场份额持续下滑,必须立即采取行动。
The financial analyst warned his clients, "If you don't wake up and smell the coffee, you'll lose everything in this volatile market.
金融分析师警告客户:"如果不认清现实,你们将在这个动荡的市场中血本无归。
Her best friend finally told her, "You have to wake up and smell the coffee. He's not going to change, and you deserve better.
她的闺蜜终于说:"你得清醒点了。他不会改变的,你值得拥有更好的爱情。
The team has lost five games in a row—when are the coaches going to wake up and smell the coffee?
球队已连输五场——教练们何时才能正视现实?
After years of one - sided efforts, he realized it was time to wake up and smell the coffee - their relationship was never going to work out.
经过多年单方面的付出,他终于认清现实——这段感情注定没有结果。
He finally woke up and smelled the coffee about his financial situation.
他终于对自己的财务状况有了清醒认识。
She refuses to wake up and smell the coffee - her partner has been cheating on her for months.她不愿面对现实,她的伴侣已经出轨数月。
She keeps hoping he'll change, but it's time she woke up and smelled the coffee.
她一直期待他会改变,但她该清醒面对现实了。
Politicians need to wake up and smell the coffee—people are struggling to pay their bills.
政客们该醒醒了——民众连账单都难以支付。
Environmental activists are urging policymakers to wake up and smell the coffee - climate change is an existential threat that requires immediate action.
环保人士敦促政策制定者认清现实:气候变化是关乎生存的威胁,必须立即采取行动。
The media is calling on the government to wake up and smell the coffee - the healthcare system is on the verge of collapse.
媒体呼吁政府正视现实:医疗体系已濒临崩溃。
Wake up and smell the coffee! One small mistake in this OR could cost a life. 实习医生格蕾》(Grey's Anatomy)
清醒点!在手术室里一个小错误都可能致命。(导师严厉批评犯错的实习生)
Frankly, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. This is politics, and if you can't keep up, you'll be left behind. 《纸牌屋》(House of Cards)
坦率地说,你得认清现实。这就是政治,跟不上节奏就会被淘汰。(Underwood对犹豫不决的盟友说)
You think the world owes you a living? Wake up and smell the coffee, Sherman. You’re just another broke lawyer now.
你以为世界该养着你?醒醒吧,谢尔曼。你现在只是个破产的律师。
汤姆·沃尔夫(Tom Wolfe)小说 《虚荣的篝火》(The Bonfire of the Vanities, 1987)
Regulators must wake up and smell the coffee—these corporations have too much unchecked power.
监管机构必须认清现实——这些企业拥有过多不受约束的权力。《纽约时报》(The New York Times, 2019)
Oh, come on, Rachel! Wake up and smell the coffee! You’re not a waitress—you’re a fashion assistant. Start acting like one! 《老友记》(Friends, S5E14, 1999)
得了吧,瑞秋!清醒点!你不是服务员——你是时尚助理。拿出点样子来!
(瑞秋(Rachel)因职场挫折自怨自艾,莫妮卡(Monica)直言)
Mary, wake up and smell the coffee! Your brother-in-law is a drug dealer! 《绝命毒师》(Breaking Bad, S3E9, 2010)
玛丽,醒醒吧!你姐夫是毒贩!(汉克(Hank)对仍否认沃尔特
(Walter)涉毒的玛丽(Marie)吼道)
Hey, genius, wake up and smell the coffee—nobody likes a sore loser. 《生活大爆炸》(The Big Bang Theory, S10E24, 2017)
嘿,天才,认清现实吧——没人喜欢输不起的人。
(谢尔顿(Sheldon)因合作矛盾闹脾气,佩妮(Penny)调侃)
It's time you wake up and smell the coffee. Your perfect little world is about to come crashing down. 《绯闻女孩》(Gossip Girl)
你该醒醒了,你那完美的小世界就要崩塌了。(Blair对盲目乐观的Serena说)
综上所述,wake up and smell the coffee既适用于日常劝诫而提升英语交流的地道性和感染力,也可作为精准讽刺社会议题的修辞利器。
来源:翅膀英语一点号