toothpaste back in the tube覆水难收

用一道家常菜感叹生活的意外，小日子里的满足感很真。

Who'd have ever thought that ...?

感叹事情出乎意料地变好时用；对陌生人说显得没话找话。

Never thought this would grow on me. ／ Funny how things become your favorite.

中性

Who'd have 连读，gumbo 重读，would become 轻快带过。

Who'd have ever thought that broccoli would become my favorite lunch? 谁能想到西兰花会变成我最爱吃的午饭？

一句话把界限和情意同时摆上桌，拒绝里还留了余地。

That doesn't mean I can't ...

拒绝对方又不想伤感情时用；对恋人这样说等于留后路。

That doesn't stop me from caring. ／ I still have feelings, even if I can't act on them.

口语

doesn't mean 连读，can't have 弱读，for you 收平。

That doesn't mean I can't help you. 那不代表我不能帮你。

一句轻描淡写的抱怨，把婚姻里说不出口的疲惫抖了出来。

It can be exhausting being around ...

向人倾诉相处之累时用；当着那位天才是说不出这句的。

Living with a genius wears you down. ／ It takes a toll being around him.

口语

exhausting 重音在第二音节，being around 连读，补语放慢。

It can be exhausting being around such a perfectionist. 跟这么个完美主义者待在一起，真的很累。

拿数学堵住俗套情话，理性得可爱，也是这个角色的招牌幽默。

I doubt it's ... possible for someone to ...

用理性拆穿套话、半开玩笑地拒绝时用；认真争论时说会显得较真。

I don't think the math checks out on that line. ／ That's not how probability works.

中性

mathematically 重读全词，for me to be 连读，one time 收平。

I doubt it's physically possible to be in two places at once. 我怀疑一个人同时出现在两个地方根本不现实。

用一支牙膏解释熵，把高深概念说成谁都懂的生活经验。

you can't get the toothpaste back in the tube

说明事情不可逆、覆水难收时用；正式场合改用 irreversible 更稳。

What's done can't be undone. ／ You can't put that back.

口语

toothpaste 重读，back in the 连成 back-in-the，tube 收尾。

Once you post it, you can't get the toothpaste back in the tube. 一旦发出去，就再也收不回来了。