Watercooler games refer to discussions between co-workers, usually about non-work related things like office politics or suspected inter-colleague romances. 

 

Watercooler games指同事之间有关办公室政治以及同事间恋情等非工作相关话题的议论，我们可称之为“办公室八卦”。

 

It's a classic workplace scene: Two or three co-workers arrive at the office watercooler more or less simultaneously¹ and a brief -- and ideally non-work-related -- conversation ensues. Nowadays, these confabs are just as likely to break out in the coffee room, alongside the photocopier², or while waiting to use the fax machine. But the "watercooler" was long ago chosen as the symbolic³ location for spontaneous workplace chinwagging. 

 

这个短语为我们展现的是办公室常见的一个情景：三两个同事前后来到茶水间，然后一些简短的寒暄就开场了，寒暄内容通常与工作无关。现在，这样的寒暄或闲聊可能会发生在咖啡间、复印机旁，或者等候使用传真机的间隙。但是watercooler（茶水间、饮水机）在很久以前就被选为办公室闲聊的标志性场所了。

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