最愛出張嘴英文怎麼說?從光說不練到理論大師 6 種超傳神說法

同事開會講得超專業,結果要他做就什麼都不會?朋友看 YouTube 學修理,說起來頭頭是道但根本沒動過手?運動比賽結束後才在那邊說「剛剛應該怎麼做」?身邊總有些人最會出一張嘴、理論派得要死,說得超厲害但叫他們實際做就完全不行。這種「只會嘴」、「光說不練」、「說得比做得好聽」的人,英文到底怎麼形容?今天就來教你 6 種超道地的說法,從光說不練到理論大師、從事後諸葛到後座司機,讓你精準吐槽這些最愛出張嘴的人!

All talk

這個說法最直接也最口語,就是形容那種「計劃講一堆但從來不執行」、「說要做但永遠不做」的人。如果有人總是說要做大事但都沒行動,你就可以說 He’s all talk。可以單獨用 All talk,也可以說 All talk, no action 強調「光說不做」。

(1)
A: John said he’s going to start his own business next month.
A: John 說他下個月要創業耶。

B: Oh, please. He’s all talk. He’s been saying that for three years.
B: 拜託,他只會嘴,他已經講三年了。

(2)
A: She keeps saying she’ll quit smoking and start exercising.
A: 她一直說她要戒菸開始運動。

B: Yeah, she’s been all talk for years. I’ll believe it when I see it.
B: 對啊,她說了好多年了,我看到她真的做再說。

(3)
A: I thought you were going to learn Spanish this year.
A: 我以為你今年要學西班牙文。

B: I know… guess I’m all talk. I really need to start.
B: 我知道啦…我好像只會說,我真的要開始了。

(4)
A: That guy keeps bragging about all the big projects he’s going to do.
A: 那傢伙一直吹噓他要做的大專案。

B: Don’t listen to him. He’s all talk, no action.
B: 別聽他的,他光說不練。

Armchair critic

Armchair 是扶手椅或沙發,Critic 是評論家。這個說法形容那種「坐在沙發上批評專業人士」但自己沒實際經驗的人。看球賽時一直罵球員踢得不好、看別人工作一直出意見但自己不會做,這種人就是 Armchair critic。中文的「紙上談兵」典故來自戰國時代的趙括,他熟讀兵書、理論很強,但實戰完全不行,最後慘敗。

(5)
A: Have you worked with Pete before? I can’t stand that guy.
A: 你有跟 Pete 共事過嗎?我受不了他。

B: Oh, tell me about it! He’s such an armchair critic. He gives you tons of advice, but when it comes to actually doing the work, he’s useless.
B: 同意!他超會紙上談兵,給你一大堆建議,但要真的做事的時候他根本不會。

(6)
A: Why does he keep telling me how to fix my car? He doesn’t even own one.
A: 他為什麼一直跟我說要怎麼修車?他自己根本沒車。

B: Classic armchair critic. Lots of opinions, zero experience.
B: 典型的沙發評論家,意見一堆,經驗零。

(7)
A: Every time we watch a game, he acts like he knows better than the coach.
A: 我們每次看比賽,他都表現得好像比教練還懂。

B: Yeah, he’s an armchair quarterback. Never played a game in his life.
B: 對啊,他是沙發教練,這輩子從沒上場打過球。

(8)
A: Stop being an armchair critic and actually help me with this project.
A: 別再紙上談兵了,實際來幫我做這個專案。

B: Okay, okay. What do you need me to do?
B: 好啦好啦,要我做什麼?

Monday morning quarterback

這個說法來自美式足球,比賽通常在週日進行,到了週一大家才開始評論「應該怎麼做才對」。Monday morning quarterback 就是那種「當下不說話、事後才講一堆」的人。專案做完才說當初應該怎麼做、投資虧了才說早該賣掉,這種事後諸葛就是 Monday morning quarterback。

(9)
A: Now that the project failed, everyone has ideas about what we should have done.
A: 現在專案失敗了,每個人都有意見說我們當初應該怎麼做。

B: Yeah, typical Monday morning quarterbacks. Where were they when we needed input?
B: 對啊,典型的事後諸葛,我們需要意見的時候他們都在哪?

(10)
A: I knew we should have invested in that stock. I could’ve made a fortune.
A: 我就知道我們應該投資那支股票,我本來可以賺大錢。

B: Don’t be a Monday morning quarterback. You didn’t say anything at the time.
B: 別馬後砲,你當時什麼都沒說。

(11)
A: Looking back, the coach should have put in the backup player.
A: 現在回頭看,教練應該讓替補球員上場。

B: Easy to say now. Monday morning quarterbacks always have the answers after the game.
B: 現在說很容易,事後諸葛總是在比賽後才有答案。

(12)
A: If I were the manager, I would have handled it differently.
A: 如果我是經理,我會處理得不一樣。

B: Well, you weren’t there making the decision, so stop being a Monday morning quarterback.
B: 你當時又不在那裡做決定,別事後諸葛了。

Backseat driver

Backseat driver 原本是指坐在後座卻一直指揮駕駛的乘客,「你應該轉彎」、「開慢一點」、「你開錯路了」。現在這個說法可以比喻任何「不負責決策卻一直出意見」的人。專案裡不參與卻一直給意見、不做事的人意見最多,這種人就是 Backseat driver。

(13)
A: Can you please stop telling me how to drive? You’re being a backseat driver.
A: 你可以不要一直告訴我怎麼開車嗎?你在當後座司機。

B: Sorry, I’m just trying to help.
B: 抱歉,我只是想幫忙。

(14)
A: Why does Mike always have so many opinions about our project when he’s not even involved?
A: 為什麼 Mike 對我們專案有這麼多意見,他根本沒參與?

B: He’s a total backseat driver. Lots of opinions but no responsibility.
B: 他完全是後座司機,意見一堆但不負責。

(15)
A: Every time we make a decision, she criticizes it, but she never offers to help.
A: 我們每次做決定,她就批評,但她從不主動幫忙。

B: Classic backseat driver behavior.
B: 典型的後座司機行為。

(16)
A: I don’t need a backseat driver. If you’re not going to do the work, stop telling me how to do it.
A: 我不需要後座司機,如果你不做事,就別告訴我該怎麼做。

B: Fair enough. I’ll let you handle it.
B: 好吧,我讓你處理。

Talk a good game

這個說法形容那種「說起來很專業、理論講得很好,但實際做起來完全不行」的人。面試時把自己講得很厲害但做不出來、說自己是專家但一做就錯,這種「說得比做得好聽」的人就是 Talk a good game。

(17)
A: That new hire talked a good game in the interview, but he can’t deliver.
A: 那個新人面試時說得很厲害,但他做不出來。

B: Yeah, I noticed. He’s all theory, no practice.
B: 對啊,我發現了,他全是理論,沒實務。

(18)
A: He keeps saying he’s an expert in marketing, but his campaigns never work.
A: 他一直說他是行銷專家,但他的活動從來沒成功過。

B: He talks a good game, but the results speak for themselves.
B: 他說得很好聽,但結果說明一切。

(19)
A: She told everyone she could finish the project in a week.
A: 她跟大家說她一週就能完成專案。

B: She talks a good game, but it’s been three weeks and nothing’s done.
B: 她講得很厲害,但都三週了什麼都沒完成。

(20)
A: Don’t be impressed by people who just talk a good game. Look at their actual work.
A: 別被那些只會講的人唬住了,看他們實際的作品。

B: Good advice. Actions matter more than words.
B: 好建議,行動比言語重要。

Full of hot air

Hot air 是熱空氣,也可以比喻「空洞的話」、「沒有實質內容的廢話」。Full of hot air 就是形容那種「說得天花亂墜但都是空的」、「吹牛吹得很誇張」的人。講了一堆結果都做不到、說得很大但沒實力,這種人就是 Full of hot air。

(21)
A: He keeps bragging about how successful he’s going to be.
A: 他一直吹噓他會多成功。

B: Don’t listen to him. He’s full of hot air.
B: 別聽他的,他滿口空話。

(22)
A: That politician promised to fix everything, but nothing’s changed.
A: 那個政治人物承諾要解決所有問題,但什麼都沒變。

B: Politicians are often full of hot air during election season.
B: 政治人物在選舉期間常常滿口空話。

(23)
A: Why do you always believe what he says? He never follows through.
A: 你為什麼總是相信他說的?他從來不兌現。

B: You’re right. He’s full of hot air. I need to stop listening.
B: 你說得對,他都是空話,我不該再聽了。

(24)
A: He said he’d invest a million dollars in our startup.
A: 他說他要投資一百萬美金在我們的新創公司。

B: I’ll believe it when I see it. He’s usually full of hot air.
B: 我看到再說,他通常都是空話。

最愛出張嘴英文說法比較表

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