昨天公司领导层开会，公布了上个月的绩效考核结果，不出所料小张排名垫底要被扣掉三分之一的KPI奖金......最棘手的是，老板让我去把这个消息通知小张，他只说了一句: "I don't want to kick him in the teeth."
坐在我旁边的财务小周没听明白就傻傻地问我“老板扣钱还不算，还想踢人家的牙吗？”我苦笑着答道: "我这差事比踢他的牙还苦呐~" 原来小张是因为上个月和女朋友闹分手无心工作才考核垫底的，这下又要被扣奖金，所以老板才会让我去通知他，他刚才是在说“我可不想打击他！”
原来，"kick (someone) in the teeth"是个常用的短语，意思是对某人不公平地对待或者严重的打击和挫折，大家不能光从字面儿上去理解为去踢谁的牙齿哈，这就像最近比较流行的一句话~伤害不大, 但侮辱性极强呢！
a kick (someone) in the teeth
令人极度失望的事 ; 重大的挫折；（尤指在需要帮助时遭受的）恶劣待遇，严重打击；痛心疾首；粗暴对待；侮辱；草率从事；突然的挫折；意想不到的斥责
【En】Something that is very disappointing or upsetting that happens when you need support. 当你需要支持时发生得非常令人失望或沮丧的事。If you describe an event as a kick in the teeth, you are emphasizing that it is very disappointing and upsetting. 如果你用kick in the teeth来描述一件事，你是在强调这件事非常令人失望和沮丧。A humiliating disappointment or setback. 令人屈辱的失望或挫折。To criticize, exploit, insult, or fail to help one who is in a trusting or vulnerable position. 批评、剥削、利用、侮辱或不帮助处于信任或弱势地位的人。To deliver a humiliating disappointment or setback to one. 给某人带来羞辱性的失望或挫折。To unexpectedly treat someone very badly and unfairly. 意外地对某人非常不好和不公平。If you describe the way someone treats you as a kick in the teeth, you mean that that person treats you badly and unfairly, especially at a time when you need their support. 如果你形容某人对你的方式是一脚踢在牙齿上，你的意思是那个人对你不好，不公平，特别是在你需要他们支持的时候。
【Scenario Listening 场景听力】
● This broken promise is a real kick in the teeth for our fans.
这个没有遵守的诺言对我们的球迷来说真是一个沉重的打击。
● This is another kick in the teeth for small businesses in the UK.
这是对英国小企业的又一次打击。
【Scenario Example 场景示例】
● She was dismissed from her job, which was a real kick in the teeth after all the work she'd done.
她辛辛苦苦做了那么多工作之后被解雇了，这使她深受打击。
● Losing my job after my car broke down was a real kick in the teeth.
我的汽车坏了，又丢了工作，这对我来说真是沉重的打击。
● This is a kick in the teeth of the bank's employees.
这是对银行员工的一种剥削。
● Can Jeff's employee review wait until next week? His girlfriend just left him, and I don't want to kick him in the teeth.
杰夫的员工考核能等到下周吗? 他女朋友刚离开他了，我可不想打击他。
● The Government' s decision is a real kick in the teeth for the unions.
政府的决定是对工会的重大打击.
● After telling us we'd lost our Christmas bonuses, the company kicked us in the teeth by saying we'd be expected to work Christmas Eve.
公司告诉我们圣诞节奖金没戏了之后，又说我们还得在圣诞夜工作，这使我们深受打击。
● Losing to our cross-town rivals because of such a terrible call by the ref really kicked us in the teeth.
由于裁判的一个糟糕判罚，我们输给了我们同城的对手，这对我们来说真是羞辱呀。
● When you extend a helping hand to one person, be careful not to kick someone else in the teeth.
当你帮助一个人时，小心不要伤害到另一个人。
● Mary worked hard to clean up John's room, but all she got for her trouble was a kick in the teeth.
玛丽辛辛苦苦把约翰的房间打扫干净，不料她所得到的却是一番斥责。
● The union expected that the coalfield would be given favourable treatment: `Instead we have been kicked in the teeth.'
工会原以为煤田会得到优待，结果却是这么地令人失望。
