British English Notes 01｜Bottle It & Brick It
两个从英剧里捡来的地道英式俚语。都和害怕有关，但意思并不一样。
出处是英剧 Criminal: UK（《审讯室：英国》）第二季第一集。整季戏几乎都发生在同一间审讯室里，全靠对话推进，是捡日常口语的好地方。
1. Bottle it — 临阵退缩、怂了
British slang · Informal
指原本打算做某件事，但因为紧张、害怕或缺乏勇气，最后没敢做。
Examples
- I bottled it.
我临阵退缩了。 - I'm bottling it.
我开始打退堂鼓了。 - Don't bottle it now!
别到这时候怂了！ - I was going to ask her out, but I bottled it.
我本来想约她出去，但最后没敢。
Related expression
Have you got the bottle to do it?
你有胆量做这件事吗？
这里的 bottle 在英式俚语里表示胆量、勇气。
2. Brick it — 吓坏了、紧张死了
British slang · Very informal
指非常害怕、紧张，尤其是在面对考试、面试、表演或其他有压力的事情时。
这个表达与更粗俗的 shitting bricks 有关。
Examples
- I'm bricking it.
我紧张死了。 - I was absolutely bricking it before the interview.
面试前我简直紧张得要命。 - Are you bricking it?
你是不是慌了？
From the TV dialogue
Still bricking it, though. But thank you.
不过我还是紧张得要命。但谢谢你。
这里的 though 放在句末，是一种很自然的口语表达，带有“不过话说回来”的意味。
3. What's the difference?
| Expression | Meaning | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| I'm bricking it. | 我紧张得要命 | Fear |
| I'm bottling it. | 我开始打退堂鼓 | Losing courage |
| I bottled it. | 我最终没敢做 | Backing out |
One sentence to remember
You can be bricking it without bottling it.
你可以害怕得要命，但仍然选择不退缩。
这两个表达的区别就在这里：
Bricking it is about how you feel.
Bottling it is about what you do — or fail to do — because of fear.
British English Notes · 01
Learning everyday English through British television.
Source: Criminal: UK, Season 2, Episode 1.
留言
还没有留言。