核心畫面

Think of what is under something rather than what is on top. A wall stands because of the ground it was set into; a claim stands because of what it was set on. In both cases you cannot see the base once the thing is built — you only find out how good it was when weight is put on it.

「底下那一塊」,而不是上面看得到的部分。一面牆能立著,靠的是它嵌進去的地面。一個說法能成立,靠的是它站在什麼上面。兩更多收起「底下那一塊」,而不是上面看得到的部分。一面牆能立著,靠的是它嵌進去的地面。一個說法能成立,靠的是它站在什麼上面。兩種情況有個共同點:東西蓋好以後,底下就看不見了。要等到有重量壓上去,才知道當初打得穩不穩。ground 這個字同時是「地面」也是「依據」,兩個意思都從這裡長出來。

Two branches

人的底子打得穩

把「底下那一塊」看成一個人受過的基礎訓練。

adjective · C1

Trained so thoroughly in a subject or a skill that you have the basics firmly in place and can build on them. It is nearly always followed by 'in' and the name of the subject or skill.

根基扎實的

說法站得住腳

同一個「底下那一塊」,這次底下的是事實和理由,上面的是一個想法。

adjective · C1

Resting on real facts or good reasons, so that a fear, a belief, a complaint or an argument makes sense to other people and is not just a feeling.

有充分根據的