BBC地道英语:Put your money where your mouth is 要有行动

Rosie: Hi, I'm Rosie, and this is Li… Li? Hurry up! Ah, here's the karaoke bar.

Li: Ahhh! Rosie, why is the bar on the top floor? So many stairs… Help me please. I'm so unfit. 我真的是很不健康，该锻炼了。我明天就去加入健身俱乐部。明天。

Rosie: Why don't you join the gym today?

Li: 算了，我还是明天去。Then I'll go every single day… I will. I really will.

Rosie: Li, you've been saying that for months but you never actually do it!

Li: This time I will, I promise.

Rosie: That's what you always say. You need to put your money where your mouth is.

Li: You want me to put my money where my mouth is? 把钱放在我嘴边？你不是要我吃掉纸币和硬币吧？That's disgusting!

Rosie: No, Li, that's not what I meant. To put your money where your mouth is means to stop just talking about something and to take action!

Li: Ah, so you didn't really want me to put all these coins in my mouth then?

Rosie: No, please don't. I want you to stop talking about joining the gym - and to join it for real! Here are some more examples:

A: If we played a game of tennis I would easily win!
B: Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? I challenge you to a game!

He always talks about how great the charity is – I think he should put his money where his mouth is and donate some money.

Li: 这么说　to put your money where your mouth is　是指别说大话，要拿出实际行动来才行。

Will you put your money where your mouth is?

Rosie: Yes – I think it’s a great expression. So many people just talk and talk about doing things and never actually do them!

Li: So you'd say you're one of those people who puts their money where their mouth is?

Rosie: Definitely.

Li: So the other day you were saying that you love singing… and here we are in a karaoke bar…　 Rosie说她很喜欢卡拉 OK, 现在呢她真又行动了！

Rosie: Well yes but… I'm really terrible actually. And some of our colleagues are here – how embarrassing.

Li: No excuses! Put your money where your mouth is and sing a karaoke song!

Rosie: Ohhhh… OK.

Li: 我的天哪，这嗓音也太恐怖了。Maybe sometimes it's best NOT to put your money where your mouth is!