Rope是“绳子”，show someone the ropes字面解释就是“教某人有关绳子的知识”。这是什么意思呢？请看对话：

    A: Morning, Ms. White. I am the new secretary, Hailey. The HR director said you will help me with orientation.

    B: All right. Since you are new to the company, let me show you the ropes. Tip No. 1: Work slowly and cautiously until you have learned the ropes.

    Note: It means to explain to someone how to do a job or activity. This idiom is of nautical origin. Sailors had to learn which rope raised which sail and also had to learn a myriad of knots. There is also a suggestion that it comes from the world of theater, where ropes are used to raise scenery. “To know/learn the ropes” means to “understand how to do something” or “learn the basics about something.”