Cat got your tongue
의미: Why aren't you speaking? Said when someone is unusually quiet.
'Cat got your tongue?' is asked when someone is unexpectedly silent—unable or unwilling to speak. Often teasing, sometimes accusatory. Implies the silence is suspicious or surprising.
예문
- What's the matter, cat got your tongue? 怎么了,怎么不说话?¿Qué pasa, te comió la lengua el gato?どうしたの、猫に舌を取られた?왜 그래, 할 말이 없어?
- Well? Cat got your tongue? 怎么?说不出话来了?¿Y bien? ¿No tienes nada que decir?ねえ?何も言えないの?그래서? 할 말 없어?
- She's usually so chatty—cat got her tongue. 她平时那么能说——今天怎么不吭声Normalmente habla mucho—hoy está calladaいつもはおしゃべりなのに—今日は静かね그녀는 보통 수다스러운데—오늘은 조용하네.
발음
/kæt ɡɒt jɔːr tʌŋ/
사용 가이드
맥락: silence, teasing, interrogation
어조: teasing, sometimes accusatory
✓ 올바른 표현
- Cat got your tongue?哑巴了?怎么不说话了?¿Te ha comido la lengua el gato?猫に舌を取られたの?고양이가 혀를 물어갔어?
흔한 실수
- Always phrased as a question
기원과 역사
Origins uncertain. Possibly refers to the cat-o'-nine-tails whip, which might render victims speechless with pain. Or simply the absurd image of a cat stealing someone's tongue.
어원: Disputed: possibly cat-o'-nine-tails or absurd image
최초 기록: 19th century
문화적 배경
Era: 19th century onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Pop culture: Universal expression
Regional notes: English-language universal.
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