Have You Ever 'Spilled the Beans?'

词汇掌故：泄露秘密

Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目时间。

Beans are a popular food in many countries. From black to red, from kidney to pinto, beans are important in the diet of many cultures. Rich in fiber, protein and nutrients, beans are a healthy, plant-based food.

豆类在很多国家都是一种颇受欢迎的食物。从黑豆到红豆，从芸豆到斑豆，豆类在很多文化的饮食中都很重要。豆类富含纤维、蛋白质和营养素，是一种健康的植物食品。

So, spilling the beans at home or in a store would not be good. Food is important and does not belong on the floor.

因此，在家里或商店里抛洒豆类不好。食物很重要，不应该扔到地上。

"Spilling the beans" when you communicate with others is also a bad thing.

当你与别人交流时说漏嘴(Spilling the beans)也是一件坏事。

When you spill the beans, you share or make public secret information. You don't mean to do it. The secrets just spill out of you.

说漏嘴是指你分享或公开了秘密信息。你并不想这样做，但还是泄露了秘密。

However, this expression does not come from cooking beans or the fact that we shouldn't waste food.

但是，这种表达并非来自于烹饪豆类，也并非来自于不应该浪费食物这种现实。

The expression "spill the beans" has been a part of the English language for hundreds of years. Some word historians say the term was first used all the way back in the 1500s.

数百年来，“Spill the beans”这句表达已经成为了英语的一部分。一些词汇历史学家表示，这个词语的初次应用要追溯到十六世纪。

If you think that sounds old, you may be surprised to learn that the origin of "spill the beans" goes back to ancient Greece.

如果你认为这听起来很古老了，你可能会惊讶地发现“spill the beans”可以追溯到古希腊。

Several websites say this expression comes from one way ancient Greeks voted.

有几个网站表示，这种表达来自于古希腊人投票的一种方式。

Back then in some communities, people voted by dropping a white or black bean into a clay urn. If the container fell on its side or broke, the beans would spill out. And this would show everyone the results of the secret vote before all the beans were counted.

当时在一些社区，人们将白豆或黑豆扔入一个泥缸中来投票。如果这个容器翻到或者损坏，豆子就会洒出来。这会在统计结果出来前向大家泄露这次不记名投票的结果。

While this origin story is interesting, it does not explain why the term "spill the beans" does not appear in common usage until much later.

虽然这个起源故事很有趣，却没法解释为什么“spill the beans”这个词语直到很久之后才在习惯用语中出现。

Maybe it is because other expressions with the same meaning were simply more popular. For example, letting the cat out of the bag means the same as spilling the beans. We've explained the meaning of "to let the cat out of the bag" before. But it's always good to hear it again.

也许是因为其它具有类似含义的表达更受欢迎。例如，“letting the cat out of the bag”跟“spilling the beans”意思相同。我们之前的节目已经解释过“to let the cat out of the bag”的意思。但是再讲一遍也不错。

Americans use the verb "spill" in much the same way. Sometimes we simply say, "Spill it!" When you tell others to "spill it," you are asking them to tell you all the details about something immediately.

美国人以同样的方式使用spill这个动词。有时候我们只说“spill it!”当你跟别人这么说的时候，你是让他们立即告诉你有关某事的所有细节。

This term is very casual and could even sound offensive depending on the situation and expression in your voice. So it's best to use it with close friends, family or when you are joking around.

这个词很随意，甚至根据情景和表情可能会听上去很冒犯。所以最好是在跟好友、家人或是开玩笑时使用。

Blab is another word meaning "to spill the beans." Blab is not the nicest word, however. A man who blabbers keeps talking and talking, as if he can't keep his mouth closed.

Blab是另一个意为“to spill the beans”的单词。然而Blab不是一个褒义词。多嘴的人说个不停，好像嘴巴合不拢一样。

A blabber mouth is someone who can't keep their mouth shut. Blabber mouths are known for often spilling the beans and for letting more than a few cats out of the bag.

Blabber mouth是指嘴巴停不下来的人。Blabber mouths众所周知的就是经常说漏嘴，泄露更多秘密。

From among our expressions today -- spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, and blabber -- the blabber mouth does not always mean someone who gives away secrets. They sometimes just talk too much!

在我们今天学习的短语spill the beans、let the cat out of the bag和blabber中，多嘴的人并不总是指泄露秘密的人，他们有时候只是话太多。

Well, I don't want to be accused of being a blabber mouth. So, this will be the end this Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

那么，我可不想被人指责为喋喋不休的人。所以，今天的慢速英语词汇掌故节目就到这吧。

I'm Anna Matteo.

安娜·马特奥报道。

Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

Beans are a popular food in many countries. From black to red, from kidney to pinto, beans are important in the diet of many cultures. Rich in fiber, protein and nutrients, beans are a healthy, plant-based food.

So, spilling the beans at home or in a store would not be good. Food is important and does not belong on the floor.

"Spilling the beans" when you communicate with others is also a bad thing.

When you spill the beans, you share or make public secret information. You don't mean to do it. The secrets just spill out of you.

However, this expression does not come from cooking beans or the fact that we shouldn't waste food.

The expression "spill the beans" has been a part of the English language for hundreds of years. Some word historians say the term was first used all the way back in the 1500s.

If you think that sounds old, you may be surprised to learn that the origin of “spill the beans” goes back to ancient Greece.

Several websites say this expression comes from one way ancient Greeks voted.

Back then in some communities, people voted by dropping a white or black bean into a clay urn. If the container fell on its side or broke, the beans would spill out. And this would show everyone the results of the secret vote before all the beans were counted.

While this origin story is interesting, it does not explain why the term "spill the beans" does not appear in common usage until much later.

Maybe it is because other expressions with the same meaning were simply more popular. For example, letting the cat out of the bag means the same as spilling the beans. We’ve explained the meaning of "to let the cat out of the bag" before. But it’s always good to hear it again.

Americans use the verb "spill" in much the same way. Sometimes we simply say, "Spill it!" When you tell others to "spill it," you are asking them to tell you all the details about something immediately.

This term is very casual and could even sound offensive depending on the situation and expression in your voice. So it's best to use it with close friends, family or when you are joking around.

Blab is another word meaning "to spill the beans." Blab is not the nicest word, however. A man who blabbers keeps talking and talking, as if he can't keep his mouth closed.

A blabber mouth is someone who can’t keep their mouth shut. Blabber mouths are known for often spilling the beans and for letting more than a few cats out of the bag.

From among our expressions today -- spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, and blabber -- the blabber mouth does not always mean someone who gives away secrets. They sometimes just talk too much!

Well, I don’t want to be accused of being a blabber mouth. So, this will be the end this Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

I'm Anna Matteo.

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Words in This Story

fiber – n. plant material that cannot be digested but that helps you to digest other food

communicate – v. to give information about (something) to someone by speaking, writing, moving your hands, etc.

origin – n. the point or place where something begins or is created : the source or cause of something

clay – n. a heavy, sticky material from the earth that is made into different shapes and that becomes hard when it is baked or dried

urn – n. a container that is often shaped like a vase with a closed top

casual – adj. not involving a close or serious relationship

blab – v. to say something that was supposed to be kept secret : to talk too much

blurt – v. to say (something) suddenly and without thinking about how people will react