已經踏入2021年，疫情持續，復甦亦需要時間，相信新一年仍是困難重重。疫情逆境下，心態要保持正面，迎難而上，就如英文的一句習慣語keep one's chin up，字面意義是保持下巴（chin）向上，其實意思是抬起頭，振作起來，在有困難和不如意的時候，不要垂頭喪氣，意志消沉，要堅持下去，保持勇氣和自信。
Time is difficult, but we have to keep our chins up and keep on working hard.
日子很艱難，但是我們必須抬起頭，挺起胸膛，繼續努力奮鬥。
He kept his chin up despite the various setbacks. He had never lost faith.
儘管遭遇連番挫敗，他仍然昂首挺胸，從不失去信心。
鼓勵別人在困境時盡力勇敢面對，不要表現出悲傷和氣餒，可以說keep your chin up或者簡單的chin up。
Keep your chin up. We shall be able to get through the crisis.
振作起來。我們必定可度過危機。
Chin up! You will find a job finally.
不要放棄，奮發精神！你最終必會找到工作。
拳擊賽中，突出下巴並不是好事，因為容易被對手擊中，但這動作亦表現了與對手拚搏的決心，因此有短語stick one's chin out，或是lead with one's chin，字面意義是伸出下巴，引申意思就是做事或說話有攻擊性，有進取心，顯現決心和勇氣，不計後果，要據理力爭的意思。
Her parents had wanted her to study law in the university, but she stuck her chin out and became a singer.
她的父母本想她在大學修讀法律，但是她不理反對，堅持自己的決定，成為一名歌手。
These workers stuck their chins out, protested against the administration and fought for their rights.
這些工人勇往直前，抗議行政部門，爭取自己的權利。
We need to go back to negotiations. We may not be able to gain anything from just leading with our chins.
我們必須回到談判桌。單靠對峙對抗，不可能爭取到什麼。
拳擊賽中不幸被擊中，下巴受了一拳，但都得承受，繼續比賽，所以有另一句用語take it on the chin，字面意義是下巴捱一拳，實際是讚賞人能夠坦然接受挫折，勇敢面對逆境，沒有怨天尤人。這用語同時形容人能夠面對失敗和批評，沒有逃避困難，因此有些時候也可以說take defeat / criticism on the chin，無怨尤地承認和接受失敗與批評。
He was rather upset when he was fired. But he took it on the chin and looked for other opportunities.
他被解僱時相當不快。不過，他勇敢面對，沒有怨言，另覓工作機會。
The company suffered quite a big loss during the recent recession, but they took it on the chin and tried their best to stay in business.
近期的衰退令該公司蒙受相當重大損失，不過他們承受下來，盡力經營下去。
He is a great leader. One of his strengths is that he is always ready to take criticism on the chin.
他是一個偉大領袖。他的其中一個強項是常能坦誠接受批評。
新一年未必事事如意，困難當中我們要學會keep up our chins（昂首挺胸不放棄）、stick our chins out（有決心地勇敢奮發），和take it on the chin（坦然面對逆境）。
● Lina CHU
[ linachu88@gmail.com ]
隔星期五見報