又中又英 | Different strokes for different folks | 褚简宁
Cities such as New York, London, Sydney, and Hong Kong have a large variety of restaurants serving different types of cuisine. People can choose Italian, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and other types of food depending on their tastes. Different strokes for different folks. This idiom means different people have different preferences. Simple Cantonese food is what I like the best. I also love pickled ginger, especially the kind served with sushi. A Hong Kong friend who lives in Taipei always buys me a large jar of pickled ginger whenever I visit Taipei, which is where I now am.
He bought me a jar of pickled ginger but said I should eat it with preserved eggs, also known as century eggs, to enhance the taste of ginger. I once tried preserved eggs in Hong Kong. It made me sick. Chicken feet also made me sick when I tried it. My friends sometimes needle me by telling me to eat things such as preserved eggs, snake soup, and chicken feet even though they know I dislike the taste. To needle someone means to tease or irritate that person. I tell them eating those things is a bridge too far for me.
The expression “a bridge too far” means doing something that is too extreme or too ambitious. Some loyalists of US President Donald Trump want to amend the Constitution to allow Trump to serve a third term. Most Americans feel that is a bridge too far. The expression “a step too far” has the same meaning.
像纽约、伦敦、悉尼和香港这些城市，都有各样的餐厅提供不同类别的菜式。人们可以根据自己的口味，选择意式、日式、泰式、中式又或其他类别的食物。Different strokes for different folks，这句成语的意思是「咸鱼青菜，各有所爱」，每个人皆有自己的喜好。简单的广东菜是我的最爱。我也喜爱腌姜，尤其是寿司旁附带的那种。每当我到访台北，就是我现在身处的地方，一位住在台北的香港朋友总是会买一大瓶腌姜给我。
他买了一瓶腌姜给我，但说我必须跟皮蛋，也称为百年蛋一起吃，才能增强腌姜的风味。我曾在香港尝过皮蛋，它令我反胃。我试吃凤爪时也想作呕。有时我的朋友们就算知道我不喜欢皮蛋、蛇羹和鸡脚这些食物，也会叫我去吃，以此来调侃我（needle me）。To needle someone的意思是去逗弄、激怒某人。我告诉他们，吃这些食物对我来说是a bridge too far。
习语a bridge too far是指做某事实在太极端或雄心过大。一些美国总统特朗普的忠实支持者，希望修改美国宪法，以让特朗普做第三任期总统。大多数美国人也认为这太具野心、太大想头了（a bridge too far）。习语a step too far也有相同的意思。
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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
