内容简介

又是一年即将过去。在与家人、朋友或同事展望未来时，英国人常会用到表达 “turn over a new leaf”。它的意思是 “重新开始，改过自新”，用于形容 “开启人生新的阶段或摆脱过去的坏习惯问题和困扰、重新开始新生活”。“Leaf” 在这个表达中的意思并非 “树叶”，而是是 “书中的一页”，因此这个表达还有一个非常类似的说法 “turn the page”。听节目，跟主持人菲菲和 Phil 一起学习表达 “turn over a new leaf” 的用法。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Feifei
大家好，欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。在每期节目中，我们都会介绍一个英语母语人士或讲英语流利的人会用到的习惯用语或者短语。I'm Feifei, and I'm with Phil.

Phil
Hi, any plans for 2025, Feifei?

Feifei
It's a new year so I think it's time to turn over a new leaf.

Phil
Turn over a new leaf? I'm not sure it's the right time of year to be doing gardening, Feifei.

Feifei
It's not that kind of leaf, and it's just an expression. It means to make a change and make a new start. You stop doing something negative. 'Turn over a new leaf' is the expression we're learning in this programme.

Phil
So, it's a bit like making a new year's resolution?

Feifei
Yes. The 'leaf' in this expression is a leaf of paper, like a sheet of paper, so to 'turn over a new leaf' means to turn the page and start a new chapter of your story. You're trying to move on from something negative. For example, I've been feeling very inactive. I've never managed to get into going to the gym, but in 2025 I'm going to turn over a new leaf and get fit. Phil, what about you? Do you think you should turn over a new leaf?

Phil
Turn over a new leaf for 2025? Hmm, maybe I should start eating more healthily. I love cooking, but nothing I cook is that healthy, and I love to give myself huge portions. That's probably something negative that I should change. Yes, that's how I'm going to turn over a new leaf. Now let's hear how some of our colleagues are going to turn over a new leaf.

Examples
I've got this terrible habit of biting my nails, but I've decided I need to turn over a new leaf, so in the new year I'm stopping that. That's my new year's resolution.

I was a bit naughty in primary school sometimes, but my teacher told me to turn over a new leaf, and I did. I was very well-behaved from then on.

So, these days I always look at my phone instead of trying to remember things that I probably know, and so I'm going to turn over a new leaf in the new year and use my brain instead and try to remember things.

Feifei
你正在收听的是 BBC 英语教学的 “地道英语” 节目。以上我们一起学习了短语 “turn over a new leaf” 的用法。

Of course, it's not just about New Year's resolutions. Any time you want to put something negative behind you and make a change, you can try to turn over a new leaf.

Phil
A similar expression that people use is 'turn the page'. We can use it metaphorically to talk about starting a new chapter in our lives. Starting a new job, for example.

Feifei
“Leaf” 作名词的时候有 “书中的一纸页面” 的意思。“Turn over a new leaf” 这个表达借由 “翻开新的一面” 来比喻 “重新开始，改过自新”。不论是开启了人生新的阶段、做出了重要的决定和改变，还是摆脱了某个长久以来的问题或困扰、用崭新的面貌开始新的生活或者工作，我们都可以用 “turn over a new leaf” 或者 “turn the page” 来形容。

Phil
We'll finish here, but if you feel like you don't know enough expressions and idioms in English and you want to turn over a new leaf – come back for the next episode. See you then!

Feifei
Bye-bye!