【原】“规规矩矩”英语怎么说？

【英语习语】

as good as gold

【习语注释】

该习语中的good最初并不表示“乖巧（well-behaved）”，而表示“真实的”，相当于genuine。该习语最初是用来表示“像黄金一样的真实可靠”，所以现在也常用来表示“一诺千金；一言九鼎”；后来更常用来喻指小孩“乖巧听话；规规矩矩；本分可靠”。

【习语运用】

His promise is as good as gold.   

他的保证非常可靠。

The boys were as good as gold on our walk.   

我们散步的时候，这帮小男孩表现得很乖。

We took the children to a restaurant for a meal and they were as good as gold.   

我们带着孩子到餐馆去吃饭，他们都很乖。

【闲话习语】

该习语起初用来表示“像黄金一样真实可靠”，比如在1827年10月的《The Old Bailey》庭审记录中（当月在《The Morning Post》报纸中刊载），有这么一段话：

"Child and the others then went with him to another house in Chancery Lane; they there gave him a paper, which they said was "as good as gold", and would be paid on Monday next."

在接下去的几年里，一些文学作品中引用了该习语，比如Charles Dickens在他的作品《A Christmas Carol》（1843年）中，这么写道：

"And how did little Tim behave?" asked Mrs. Cratchit... "As good as gold," said Bob, "and better."

那么，你还知道英语里“规规矩矩”的其它说法吗？欢迎留言探讨。