又中又英——To ＂get a grip＂ on something.

　　Sometimes, when a friend or relative gets angry over something, I would say "chill". If I get angry my friends or relatives will tell me to "chill". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson used a different expression to tell French President Emmanuel Macron to chill. He used the expression when Macron blew his top after Britain, the US, and Australia signed a security agreement for Britain and the US to supply Australia with nuclear submarines. Macron blew his top because Australia cancelled an agreement to buy French submarines after Britain and the US agreed to help Australia develop and buy nuclear submarines using American technology. The expression Johnson used was "get a grip".
　　Expressions like "chill" and many other English expressions have different meanings. If you say there is a chill in the air, it means the air is cold. If you want to make your white wine cold but not freezing, you can chill it in the refrigerator. If two countries are not friendly with each other you can say there is a chill in relations. But if you tell someone to chill, it means you are telling that person to relax and not get angry. To "blow your top" means to get angry. Macron blew his top after the US, Britain, and Australia secretly agreed for Australia to cancel its agreement to buy French non-nuclear submarines and buy US nuclear submarines instead.
　　When Macron blew his top, Johnson told him to "get a grip". To "get a grip" on something can mean holding something tightly, like a can opener, so you can use it properly. It can also mean to have a new understanding of something. A teacher can explain a difficult issue to students so they can get a grip on the issue, which means to understand it. When Johnson said "get a grip" he meant Macron should chill, relax, and not be angry with the US, Britain and Australia because Australia decided to buy US nuclear submarines instead of French non-nuclear submarines.
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　　有时候，当一位亲友因某事而生气，我便会说 "chill"。若我发怒，我的朋友或亲戚也会告诉我要 "chill"。英国首相约翰逊就用了另一个的习语，去告诉法国总统马克龙去冷静、放松一下（chill）。在英国、美国和澳洲签署安全协议，让英美向澳洲供应核动力潜艇之后，马克龙怒不可遏（blew his top），约翰逊就用了那个习语。马克龙怒发冲冠（blew his top），因为当英国和美国同意协助澳洲运用美国的技术，去研发和购买核动力潜艇后，澳洲就取消了向法国购买潜艇的合约。约翰逊使用的习语是 "get a grip"。
　　像 "chill" 和许多其他的英文习语，都有很多不同的意思。若你说there is a chill in the air，意即空气中透着几分寒意。若你想冷却你的白酒却又不是在冰格雪藏的那么冰冻，你便可以把它放在雪柜中冷却（chill）。若两国有点不和，你可以说there is a chill in relations，即两国关系转冷。但若你叫某人要chill，意即你叫那人放松，别生气吧。To "blow your top" 意即发怒。当美国、英国和澳洲秘密协议让澳洲取消向法国购买非核动力的潜艇，转而购买美国的核动力潜艇后，马克龙就勃然大怒（blew his top）。
　　马克龙怒气冲天（blew his top），约翰逊就叫他去 "get a grip"。 To "get a grip" on something可以是指去牢牢抓住某物，例如一把罐头刀，好让你能妥当地使用它；这习语也可以是指去掌握某个新的概念，例如老师就会向学生讲解一个复杂的问题，好让他们可以get a grip on the issue，意即去了解该议题。当约翰逊说 "get a grip" 的时候，他的意思是马克龙好应去 chill、去放松，不再因为澳洲决定不向法国购置非核动力的潜艇，转而购买美国的核动力潜艇，而恼怒美、英、澳三国。
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中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁