BBC地道英语｜Barking up the wrong tree 是什么意思呢？
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找错对象
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I’m Feifei…
大家好，欢迎收听地道英语，我是菲菲……
And I’m Rob. Hello. Errr, Feifei, you’re looking a bit angry.
我是罗布。大家好。呃，菲菲，你看去有点生气啊。
Me, angry! I am angry.
我，生气！我是很生气。
Oh no, what’s the problem?
噢不，怎么了？
I think you know Rob. Somebody told the boss that I spilt coffee over his computer yesterday – and now he’s angry with me.
我想你是知道的罗布。有人跟老板说我昨天把咖啡洒到他的电脑上了，现在他很生我的气。
Oh no. What kind of mean and horrible person would try and get you into trouble?
噢不是吧。这是怎样卑鄙又讨厌的人啊，要让你陷入困境。
You and the boss were the only people left in the office last night. Hmmm?
昨晚留在办公室的人只有你和老板。嗯？
Whoa – hold on Feifei. If you are implying it was me who told the boss, then you are barking up the wrong tree.
停，等一下菲菲。如果你是在暗示是我告诉老板的，那你可就是“叫错树了”。
Please don’t make me any angrier by saying that I am like a dog!
请不要说我像条狗来使我更生气了！
No, no Feifei. Just calm down. I should be angry because you are making the wrong assumption about who told the boss, OK? That’s what I mean by barking up the wrong tree – you want to blame someone but you got the wrong person. I didn’t even know you had done it.
不，不菲菲，冷静一下。在这件事上你弄错了，该生气的人是我，好吧？这就是为何我说“找错对象”，你想责怪某个人，但你弄错人了。我甚至都不知道你做这件事了。
OK, I’m sorry. So the phrase ’barking up the wrong tree’ means making the wrong assumption when trying to achieve something. Shall we hear some examples while I make you a coffee to say sorry…?
好吧，对不起。所以“找错对象”这个短语的意思是在试图完成某件事时，作出了错误的假设。在我给你冲一杯咖啡以示歉意的同时，让我们来听一些例子吧。
If you think I have enough spare cash to pay for your holiday, then you’re barking up the wrong tree.
如果你认为我有足够的闲钱来为你的假期付钱，那你就找错对象了。
You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think I was the one who said you were leaving. It wasn’t me!
如果你认为我是那个说你要离开的人，那你就找错对象了。不是我干的！
You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think I’m going to lend you my car. I’ve seen how you drive!
如果你觉得我会把车借给你，那你就找错人了。我可见过你是怎么开车的！
You’re listening to The English We Speak. We’re talking about the phrase ’barking up the wrong tree’. It means to make a wrong assumption about someone or something.
您现在收听的是地道英语。我们在谈论“找错对象”这个短语。它的意思是对某人某事做出错误的假设。
The phrase can also mean doing something in a way that will not work – you’re basically wasting your time. Like a detective trying to solve a crime by obviously arresting the wrong man – he’s barking up the wrong tree.
这个短语也可以指某事行不通，白费力气，你基本上是在浪费时间。就像侦探试图破案，但显然抓错了人，那他就是在白费力气。
OK Rob understood – and here’s your coffee to say sorry for barking up the wrong tree.
好的罗布，我明白了。这是你的咖啡，我为攻击错了对象而表示歉意。
Thanks – make sure you don’t spill it this time. The boss would be really angry!…what did I say?
谢谢，确保你这次没把咖啡洒出来。老板会很生气的！我刚才说了啥？
If I find out you did tell the boss, I’ll make sure to bark up the right tree, OK?
如果我发现你确实告诉了老板，我保证我将不会攻击错对象的，明白？
Oh Feifei, I hope your bark is worse than your bite. Bye.
噢菲菲，我希望你的吠声比你的狗咬更厉害。再见。
Bye.