English:
Authentic English business idiom, referring to the behavior of shifting one's own fault, duty and work pressure to others or other departments.
中文:
地道商务英文习语,特指将自身过错、工作职责、工作压力转嫁到他人或其他部门的行为。
English: This Chinglish is a literal translation of the Chinese idiom '踢皮球' (tī píqiú), which vividly describes the act of passing responsibility among people. The authentic English idiom 'pass the buck' has a well-documented origin in 19th-century American poker culture (Wikipedia, 2025). During frontier poker games, a marker (often a knife with a buckhorn handle) was passed to indicate the dealer. Players who didn't want to deal would 'pass the buck' to the next player. By the early 20th century, this phrase had evolved to mean shifting blame (Dictionary.com, 2026). President Harry Truman famously used the reverse phrase 'the buck stops here' to emphasize accountability.
Chinese: 该中式英语是中文习语“踢皮球”的直译,生动描述了责任在人际间推诿的行为。地道英文习语“pass the buck”起源于19世纪美国扑克文化,有明确文献记载(Wikipedia, 2025)。在边境扑克游戏中,人们传递一个标记物(通常是鹿角柄小刀)来指示庄家。不想当庄家的玩家会“pass the buck”(传递鹿角柄小刀)给下一位玩家。到20世纪初,这个短语演变为推卸责任的含义(Dictionary.com, 2026)。美国总统哈里·杜鲁门曾用反向表达“the buck stops here”(责任止于此)来强调问责制,闻名于世。
📌 Example 1
A: Why didn't you handle this matter well? B: Don't pass the buck to me unreasonably.
A:这件事你为什么没处理好?B:别无缘无故把责任推卸给我。
📌 Example 2
A: Each department is passing the buck to each other on this issue. B: This will seriously delay the progress.
A:各部门在这件事上互相推卸责任。B:这会严重耽误进度。
📌 Example 3
A: We should solve problems practically instead of passing the buck. B: You are right, we must stop passing the buck.
A:我们要务实解决问题,而不是推卸责任。B:你说得对,必须停止互相推诿。
📌 Example 4
A: Is passing the buck allowed in the company? B: No, it is regarded as bad professional conduct.
A:公司允许员工推卸责任吗?B:不允许,这属于不良职业行为。
📌 Example 5
A: The leader is very angry about the phenomenon of passing the buck. B: We must take our own duties and not pass the buck.
A:领导对互相推卸责任的现象很生气。B:我们要各司其职,绝不推诿。
📌 Example 6
A: Don't pass the buck when you make mistakes at work. B: I understand, I will correct my mistakes actively.
A:工作犯错后不要推卸责任。B:我明白,我会主动改正错误。
📌 Example 7
A: Some employees like to pass the buck in team cooperation. B: This habit will damage team cohesion seriously.
A:有些员工团队合作时喜欢推卸责任。B:这种习惯会严重破坏团队凝聚力。
📌 Example 8
A: What should managers do with those who pass the buck? B: Clarify job responsibilities and impose constraints.
A:管理者该如何处理推卸责任的人?B:明确岗位职责,加以约束。
📌 Example 9
A: Passing the buck can never solve any real problem. B: Only facing difficulties can we make progress.
A:推卸责任永远解决不了实际问题。B:只有直面困难才能取得进展。
📌 Example 10
A: New employees should establish a sense of responsibility. B: Yes, never learn to pass the buck.
A:新员工要树立责任意识。B:没错,绝不要学着推卸责任。
📌 Example 11
A: Cross-departmental work needs clear division to avoid passing the buck. B: A clear system is the best way to restrict evasion.
A:跨部门工作需要明确分工避免推诿。B:清晰的制度是约束推卸责任的最佳方式。
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