A telling-off is the act of speaking angrily to someone because they have done something wrong. It is a countable noun, and it lives almost entirely in the phrase "give someone a telling-off" or "get a telling-off": a teacher gives a child one, a boss gives a worker one.

A telling-off是 to someone對某人 speaking angrily生氣說話 the act of的行為，because they have done something wrong因為他們做錯了事。It它是 a countable noun可數名詞，and it lives almost entirely而且它幾乎完全活 in the phrase在片語裡："give someone a telling-off"唸某人一頓，or或 "get a telling-off"挨一頓唸：a teacher gives a child one老師唸孩子一頓，a boss gives a worker one老闆唸員工一頓。

The scale matters. A telling-off is words only — no punishment, no consequences beyond the scolding — and it is usually over in a minute.

The scale輕重的程度 matters很重要。A telling-off is words only只有話語——no punishment沒有處罰，no consequences beyond the scolding罵完之外沒有後果——and it而且 usually通常 in a minute一下子 is over就結束了。

It is British English, and it is warm and informal; the speaker is often smiling a little, even when reporting something unpleasant. Because of that, adults often use it about themselves half-jokingly: "I got a right telling-off from my wife." Americans would say "a talking-to" or "a scolding".

It它是 British English英式英語，and it warm and informal溫暖而口語；the speaker說的人 often常常 is smiling a little帶著一點微笑，even when reporting something unpleasant即使講的是不愉快的事。Because of that因為這樣，adults大人 often常常 half-jokingly半開玩笑地 about themselves用在自己身上 use it用它："I got a right telling-off from my wife."我被我太太狠狠唸了一頓。Americans美國人 would say會說 "a talking-to" or或 "a scolding"。

You will also see it without the hyphen, as telling off. The plural is tellings-off, though most people avoid it because it sounds odd.

You你 also也 will see it會看到它 without the hyphen不加連字號，as telling off寫成 telling off。The plural複數 is是 tellings-off，though不過 most people大多數人 avoid it會避開它，because因為 it sounds odd聽起來怪怪的。