Birds and the Bees——基本性知識

** euphemism for sex education; basic facts about sex and reproduction

~~初步的性教育；小學程度的資訊；基本性知識；性常識；兩性關係的基本常識；關於性的問題；性啟蒙教育；性及生育；人類生殖的課；人類的繁殖；繁衍後代的過程

~~ basic facts about sex; sex education; lessons about sex; discussion about sex; study about sexual behavior; study about sex and sexuality

!! This phrase alludes to sexual behavior in animals, e.g., birds laying eggs can be understood as female ovulation; and bees pollinating flowers can be understood as male insemination. It is used to avoid explicit explanation to children of human’s sexual behavior.

這個短語暗指動物的性行為，例如鳥類下蛋可以理解為雌性排卵；蜜蜂為花朵授粉可以理解為雄性授精。它用於避免向兒童明確解釋人類的性行為。

!! The phrase originated in the second half of 1800s, and it was made popular in 1928 when Cole Porter’s song Let’s Do It: “Birds do it, bees do it / Even educated fleas do it /Let’s do it, let’s fall in love.” The phrase may now be referred to any information that has been simplified down to the grade-school level.

這句話起源於十九世紀下半葉，並於一九二八年高爾 · 波特的歌曲《我們做吧》流行起來：“鳥類這樣做，蜜蜂也這樣做／甚至受過教育的跳蚤也這樣做／讓我們一起做吧，讓我們墜入愛河。”該短語現在可以指任何已簡化至小學程度的資訊。

>> Nowadays, even children at five already know about birds and the bees.

如今，即使是五歲的孩子也已經了解基本性知識了。

>> I know “religion and philosophy”; don’t talk to me like it’s birds and the bees.

我了解“宗教和哲學”；別像小學程度的資訊一樣跟我說話。

學勤進修教育中心

英語專科導師

李啟文 教授