Sound out 探口風，打聽

[圖片來源：Getty Images]

內容簡介

在工作和生活中，有時需要在行事前先探探他人的口風，從而瞭解對方對一件事情的真實看法。“探口風” 的地道英語表達是 “sound out”。聽節目，學習這個短語的具體用法。

文字稿

（關於臺詞的備註: 請註意這不是廣播節目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能沒有體現錄制、編輯過程中對節目做出的改變。）

Feifei
大傢好，歡迎收聽 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目。I’m Feifei.

Phil
And I’m Phil. We have a phrase that is about trying to find out what someone thinks – often without them knowing – it’s ‘sound out’.

Feifei
Sound out. 這個短語的意思是 “探口風，試探”。

Phil
I’ve got an idea for a new podcast. I need to sound the boss out about it.

Feifei
你想制作一個新的播客節目，但你並沒有直接向老板征得同意，而是先試探性地詢問瞭一下他。You need to sound the boss out.

Phil
I’m going to ask some questions to see if he’s looking for something new, and what he might be looking for – then I’ll be able to tell if my idea could work, or if I should change it a bit. I don’t want to just ask because I’m not sure if my idea is a good one or a bad one yet.

Feifei
所以，當我們想用英語表達 “通過問問題來試圖瞭解一個人對某件事情的看法” 時，就可以說 “sound someone out about something” 或者 “sound out someone about something”。

Phil
If you’re coming up with a plan, it’s a good idea to sound out what the people it will affect think about it. Then you can adjust your plan before presenting it to them. Have a listen to these examples.

Examples
Before we start working on anything new, we should sound out what our customers think about our existing products.

They sounded me out about the job before they actually offered it to me.

I sounded out some of her friends about what she liked before asking her out.

Feifei
你正在收聽的是 AYYBLOG英語教學的 “地道英語” 節目。以上我們介紹瞭短語 “sound out” 的含義和用法，它的意思是 “探口風，通過詢問打探來間接地瞭解一個人對某件事情的看法”。

Phil
It can be indirect, but it isn’t always.

Feifei
是的，在日常會話中，你也可以直接用 “sound you out” 來表達自己想要 “打聽一件事情”。Phil, Didn’t you use to live in Oxford? I’m going there soon. I need to sound you out about the best places to go.

Phil
I can give you all the details! And you keep saying that the restaurants are great near where you live – I need to sound you out about the best ones.

Feifei
I also need to sound you out about what we’re going to cover in the next episode – because we’ve come to the end of this one. See you soon!

Phil
Bye!