“鳄鱼的眼泪”是怎么回事

“鳄鱼的眼泪”是一句有名的西谚。传说鳄鱼在吃人之前会“哭泣”。鳄鱼真的有同情心么？鳄鱼的眼泪到底是什么意思呢？还是让科学家告诉你答案吧！

'Crocodile tears' is a famous western saying meaning insincere sadness used to manipulate someone to the 'crocodile's' advantage. In western legends, crocodiles are not only brutal¹ but also very crafty². When looking at people, animals, fish or some other possible prey³, the crocodile will always 'cry' a few tears, as if it bemoans⁴ the state of the universe and pities the fate of humankind. But the tears are false, and only serve to lull⁵ hapless prey. Some say the crocodile even cries when it eats. The phrase 'crocodile tears' means fake tears or pretended sadness. It is used to mean someone who uses fake tears or false emotion to manipulate others into doing what they want. Interesting? Is the crocodile truly a sad soul? When tested by scientists, crocodile tears contain nectar and a kind of substance similar to farina, secretions⁶ that attract butterflies. The more butterflies there are drinking the crocodile's tears, the more tears a crocodile produces.

crafty: 狡猾的

bemoan the state of the universe and pity the fate of humankind: 悲天悯人

farina: 花粉