there's the rub难就难在这儿

把说不清的恋爱规律一句点破，越无解越像真理。

Somehow they know not to ... until you ...

跟朋友感叹某种看透了的规律时用；对当事人说会显得冷。

Somehow they can tell when you've truly moved on. ／ They always show up the moment you stop waiting.

口语

Somehow 轻读，not to come back 连读，until 后稍停。

Somehow they know not to text until you stop checking your phone. 她们好像就是知道，等你不盯手机了才会来消息。

一句老练的劝慰，把情绪拉回到更大的坐标系里。

put something in perspective

朋友钻牛角尖时劝他用；正式文书里少用，语气偏口语。

You need to keep things in perspective. ／ Try to see it in perspective.

中性

have to 连读成 hafta，in perspective 重音在 -spec-。

Put it in perspective: one bad review won't end your career. 换个角度想，一篇差评毁不了你的事业。

最老套也最顺口的安慰，失恋时人人都被塞过这句。

There are plenty of fish in the sea.

安慰失恋的人时说；当事人正难受时，这话容易显得敷衍。

There are other fish in the sea. ／ Plenty more fish in the sea.

口语

plenty of 连读，fish in the 连成一串，句尾放平。

Don't fixate on one rejection; there are plenty of fish in the sea. 别为一回拒绝钻牛角尖，天涯何处无芳草。

把「你越使劲越糟」说成一句冷静的判词，扎心却让人没法反驳。

you can only do stuff to make ... not ...

劝人别再折腾、指出努力方向反了时能用；对正难过的人直接这样说会显得冷酷，别用。

The only thing you can do is push her further away. ／ Whatever you do now just makes it worse.

中性

In fact 轻起，only do stuff 连读，not want to come back 平稳收。

At this point you can only do stuff to make it worse. 到这一步，你能做的只会让事情更糟。