Rosie: Hi, I'm Rosie, and this is Li… Li? Hurry up! Ah, here's the karaoke bar.
Li: Ahhh! Rosie, why is the bar on the top floor? So many stairs… Help me please. I'm so unfit. 我真的是很不健康，該鍛煉了。我明天就去加入健身俱樂部。明天。
Rosie: Why don't you join the gym today?
Li: 算了，我還是明天去。Then I'll go every single day… I will. I really will.
Rosie: Li, you've been saying that for months but you never actually do it!
Li: This time I will, I promise.
Rosie: That's what you always say. You need to put your money where your mouth is.
Li: You want me to put my money where my mouth is? 把錢放在我嘴邊？你不是要我吃掉紙幣和硬幣吧？That's disgusting!
Rosie: No, Li, that's not what I meant. To put your money where your mouth is means to stop just talking about something and to take action!
Li: Ah, so you didn't really want me to put all these coins in my mouth then?
Rosie: No, please don't. I want you to stop talking about joining the gym - and to join it for real! Here are some more examples:
A: If we played a game of tennis I would easily win! B: Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? I challenge you to a game!
He always talks about how great the charity is – I think he should put his money where his mouth is and donate some money.
Li: 這麼說 to put your money where your mouth is 是指別說大話，要拿出實際行動來才行。
Rosie: Yes – I think it」s a great expression. So many people just talk and talk about doing things and never actually do them!
Li: So you'd say you're one of those people who puts their money where their mouth is?
Rosie: Definitely.
Li: So the other day you were saying that you love singing… and here we are in a karaoke bar… Rosie說她很喜歡卡拉 OK, 現在呢她真又行動了！
Rosie: Well yes but… I'm really terrible actually. And some of our colleagues are here – how embarrassing.
Li: No excuses! Put your money where your mouth is and sing a karaoke song!
Rosie: Ohhhh… OK.
Li: 我的天哪，這嗓音也太恐怖了。Maybe sometimes it's best NOT to put your money where your mouth is!