Thinking formulary and social attitude vary from person to person within those who are from different culture backgrounds. Even towards the same thing, they have different angles of views. This phenomenon is quite common in the use of similes. The same vehicle can present different senses in the eyes of Chinese and westerners. The phrase “a bone in one’s throat” and “骨鲠在喉” seem to be the same meaning at the first sight. Actually, they are not. If a westerner says, “it’s like a bone in my throat .” He implies you that he is not willing to talk about it. The bone makes him too painful to open his mouth. Its Chinese equivalent is“难以启齿”. But if a Chinese says“这可真像骨鲠在喉啊”. He gives an opposite meaning to the westerner. He wants to tell others what he knows, because he cannot bear if the “bone” is not thrown out . 浅谈文化差异对英语明喻汉译的影响(6):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_5539.html