看美剧学实用短语：Cut the apron strings
Cut the apron strings：to become independent or free oneself from parental or familial [fəˈmɪliəl] control or influence. It refers to the act of breaking away from dependency and taking personal responsibility for one’s actions and decisions. （剪断围裙带，比喻摆脱控制或影响）
中文释义：“剪断围裙带” 是一个习语表达，意思是变得独立，摆脱父母或家庭的控制或影响。它指的是摆脱依赖，对自己的行为和决定承担个人责任的行为。
场景一：选自美剧《绝望的主妇》S02E11 16:45
Bree: I didn’t kill George. 我没杀乔治。
Andrew: Well, no, but you sat there and let him die, 嗯，没错，但你眼睁睁地看着他死去。
——>> which, I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure there’s a crime in there somewhere. 我不是律师，但我敢肯定，这里面肯定涉及某种罪行。
Bree: Andrew… 安德鲁……
Andrew: Don’t get me wrong. I mean, I’m glad you did it. 别误会，我是说，我挺高兴你这么做的。
——>> But when the cops get here, my official position will be, uh, “oh, my God, I’m being raised by a homicidal [ˌhɒmɪ’saɪdl] maniac [‘meɪniæk].” 但等警察来了，我会正式表态：“天哪，我是被一个杀人狂养大的。”
——>> I think I might even throw in a few tears. 我可能还会挤出几滴眼泪来。
Bree: You would actually let the police arrest your own mother? 你真会让警察逮捕你亲妈？
Andrew: Hey, we all gotta cut the apron strings at some point. 嘿，总得有一天得和妈妈剪断那根“围裙带”。
场景二：选自美剧《绝望的主妇》S06E16 26:56
Sam: I’m sure Andrew respects and loves you very much. 我相信安德鲁非常尊敬并且爱您。
——>> I just worry that… 我只是担心……
Bree: What? 什么？
Sam: Well, it’s not unusual for children in a family business to have a sense of entitlement. 在家族生意里长大的孩子，常常会觉得一切理所当然。
——>> I hope you don’t mind me saying that. 希望您不介意我这么说。
Bree: No. Go ahead. 不介意，请继续。
Sam: This must be so hard. What do you do in this situation? 这一定很难。遇到这种情况，您会怎么做？
——>> Keep coddling [‘kɒdl] him, hoping he’ll change, 继续溺爱他，希望他能改？
——>> or do you cut the apron strings and trust that all the hard work you’ve done will allow him to thrive? 还是该剪断那根“围裙带”，相信您付出的一切足以让他成长？
Bree: It’s a good question. 这是个好问题。
——>> You know what? I’ve got everything under control here. 您知道吗？我这边一切尽在掌控中。
——>> Why don’t you go back to the house and catch up on your sleep? 你回家休息一下补补觉吧。
Sam: But there’s so much work to be done. 可还有很多工作没做完呢。
Bree: Sure, but that’s why you hired me, isn’t it—to help you out? 当然，但这不正是您雇我来帮忙的原因吗？
Bree: Thank you, Sam. 谢谢你，山姆。
场景三：选自美剧《生活大爆炸》S08E07 16:42
Leonard: I wonder where Dr. Lorvis is. 我在想洛维斯医生去哪儿了。
——>> He’s been gone a while. 他离开有一会儿了。
Penny: Maybe he’s playing bingo with his mommy. 也许他在和妈妈玩宾果游戏呢。
A bingo game is a lottery-style game where players have cards with numbers arranged in a grid. A caller randomly announces numbers, and players mark off the ones that appear on their cards. The first person to mark off a specific pattern — such as a line or all the numbers — shouts “Bingo!” and wins the round. （Bingo game（宾果游戏）是一种类似抽奖的数字游戏，玩家手上有一张排列着数字的方格卡片。主持人随机喊出数字，玩家将卡片上对应的数字标记出来。第一个标记出特定图案（例如一条线或所有数字）的人，会喊出 “Bingo!”（宾果！），并赢得该局。）
Bingo is often played in community centers, fundraisers, or casinos, and it’s also used metaphorically to mean “That’s exactly right!” or “You got it!” when someone says something correct. （宾果游戏常在社区中心、慈善活动或娱乐场所中进行。 在口语中，“Bingo!” 也常被用来表示“对了！正中下怀！”的意思，用来回应别人说得完全正确）
Amy: It’s sad how some guys can’t cut the apron strings. 真让人难过，有些男人就是剪不断和妈妈的那根“围裙带”。
Sheldon: Okay, now you’re messing with me. 好吧，你这是在取笑我了。（Mess with someone 的意思是“惹某人、戏弄某人或干扰某人”，有时带着开玩笑的语气，有时则带有挑衅或威胁意味。语气轻时可理解为“开玩笑”，语气重时则表示“别惹我”。）
以下是“Cut the apron strings”在日常生活与商务语境中的相关例句：
(Daily conversation)
It’s time for Jake to cut the apron strings and find his own apartment. （是时候让杰克独立生活，搬出自己住了。）
She’s almost thirty, but her mom still calls every day — she really needs to cut the apron strings. （她快三十岁了，妈妈还每天打电话，她真的该独立一下了。）
(Business context)
3. The company finally cut the apron strings from its parent firm and started managing its own finances. （这家公司终于脱离母公司的控制，开始独立管理财务。）
4. Our startup needs to cut the apron strings if we want investors to take us seriously. （我们的初创公司必须摆脱依赖，投资人才会认真看待我们。）
