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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> Speak Shenzhen -> 
Mind one’s p’s and q’s 注意言谈举止
    2019-12-16  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

A: So, tonight’s the night, Jeff. How do you feel?

B: A bit nervous, but mostly excited. I’ve been practicing my speech all morning.

A: Just go out there, smile, and don’t forget: mind your p’s and q’s!

Note: This idiom, sometimes used as “to watch one’s p’s and q’s,” means “to pay careful attention to one’s own behavior or affairs, be cautious or discreet.” The origin of the phrase goes back to the mid-19th century. One explanation is a literal interpretation of the saying, regarding the lowercase letters “p” and “q” in the context of the school-room or typesetting in the printing office. In the early days of printing presses, each line of text had to be set up one letter at a time. Since the letters in the press were reversed (so they’d print forward), the typographer needed to be careful not to confuse one letter for the other. Reminding someone to “mind his p’s and q’s” means to pay attention to the details.

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