摘要：人们习惯从马的牙齿看出马的年龄。所以当收到一匹马作为礼物，有些人就会通过马的牙齿来判断这匹马的年龄。因为通常来说，幼马会比老马价高，而通过看马的牙齿可以辨别马的年龄。所以如果别人送了你一匹马，而你第一时间想到的是去看马的牙齿去判断它值不值钱，可算是相当无礼的行

人们习惯从马的牙齿看出马的年龄。所以当收到一匹马作为礼物，有些人就会通过马的牙齿来判断这匹马的年龄。因为通常来说，幼马会比老马价高，而通过看马的牙齿可以辨别马的年龄。所以如果别人送了你一匹马，而你第一时间想到的是去看马的牙齿去判断它值不值钱，可算是相当无礼的行为。

If someone offers you a gift, don't question it.

do not be critical of a gift you receive.

do not be unappreciative of or question a gift you have received.

这个俚语字母含义是不要往别人送你的马的嘴里看，赠马不看牙。实则引申含义：“不要挑剔别人送的礼物，不要对礼物吹毛求疵，不要对别人送的礼物挑三拣四，不要对礼物说三道四说短道长，不要对收到的礼物评头论足/嗤之以鼻/不屑一顾，不要对你收到的礼物不屑一顾或质疑”，例：

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.（Never look a gift horse in the mouth.）

不要挑剔别人送的礼物。

I know you don't like the dress very much, but it was a gift; you should not look a gift horse in the mouth.

我知道你不太喜欢这件衣服，但那是一件礼物，你不应该对礼物吹毛求疵/说三道四。

John gave Joe a basketball but Joe complained that the ball was old. His father told him not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

约翰送给乔一个篮球，但乔却抱怨球太旧，乔的爸爸警告他不要挑剔别人送的礼物。

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, be grateful for what you have received.

不要对别人送的礼物吹毛求疵，要对你收到的东西心存感激。

Even though the watch Mary gave you is not an expensive one, you should be quite contented with it and not look a gift horse in the mouth.

即使玛丽送给你的表是便宜货，你也该满足，不应该对礼物说短道长。

If I were you, I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Just be grateful that he was kind enough to give you his old watch when you needed one.

如果我是你，我就不会不屑一顾。他在你需要的时候把他的旧表给你，你要心存感激。

He gave me his old car as a gift; I know its not a great one, but I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

他给我旧的汽车当作礼物，我知道那辆车不怎么样，但我不会嗤之以鼻。

It's not what you were hoping for, but it's the best he could afford; I would advise you not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

虽然这不是你所希望的，但这是他能负担得起的最好的；我劝你不要不屑一顾。

千里送鹅毛，礼轻情意重，情义的好坏是不跟礼物的贵重成正比，真正的情义是天长地久，是心心相念。

来源：翅膀英语一点号