Jason: I have something to tell you but please don’t get upset.
Jen: What is it? Tell me.

Jason: I was trying to keep the farewell party for Jamie a secret, but I let the cat out of the bag and now she knows.
Jen: Oh no! Now we have to change our plans.
Jason: Sorry.

본문에서 Jason이 “I have something to tell you but please don’t get upset. 너한테 할 말이 있는데 듣고 나서 화내면 안 돼.” 라고 하자 제가 “What is it? Tell me. 뭔데? 말해봐.”라고 했습니다.

이어 Jason이 “I was trying to keep the farewell party for Jamie a secret, but I let the cat out of the bag and now she knows. 제이미 송별회를 비밀로 하려고 했는데 내가 무심코 말해버렸어.”라고 하자 제가 “Oh no! Now we have to change our plans now. 저런, 이제 계획을 바꿔야겠네.”라고 했습니다.

Now keep today’s expression ‘let the cat out of the bag’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Jason: I have something to tell you but please don’t get upset.
Jen: What is it? Tell me.

Jason: I was trying to keep the farewell party for Jamie a secret, but I let the cat out of the bag and now she knows.
Jen: Oh no! Now we have to change our plans.
Jason: Sorry.

Today’s expression is let the cat out of the bag. If someone lets the cat out of the bag, it means that they reveal something that was supposed to be secret. And this secret can be said carelessly or by mistake. Let the cat out of the bag은 무심코 비밀을 누설하다 라는 뜻입니다. 보통 고의 없이 실수로 비밀을 말하는 경우에 씁니다.

There is actually an old story behind the meaning of this expression. 이 표현이 어디서 유래했는지 알아볼까요? Back in the days, tradesmen sold items in a large cloth bag. 옛날에는 상인들이 천으로 된 큰 포대 안에 물건을 넣어서 팔았다고 합니다.

One day a woman asked for a pig. The tradesman held up a cloth bag with a cat in it, not a pig. He was basically trying to trick her. 한번은 어떤 여자 손님이 돼지를 사고 싶다고 하자 상인은 고양이가 들어있는 포대를 들어 올렸다고 합니다. 손님을 속이려는 의도로 말이죠.

그런데 손님이 안을 보고 싶다고 했고 어쩔 수 없이 포대를 열자 그 속에서 고양이가 튀어나왔던 겁니다. 결국, 거짓말이 탄로가 난 거죠. So the tradesman really ended up not being able to keep his secret. And he let the cat out of the bag.

오늘 본문에서 Jason이 제이미를 위해 준비한 송별회를 비밀로 하지 못하고 제이미에게 무심코 말했다고 하네요. “But I let the cat out of the bag and now she knows.”라고요. 이제 예문을 통해 오늘 표현에 대해 더 자세히 알아보죠. “Please don’t let the cat out of the bag.”라고 하면 “제발 비밀을 지켜주세요.”라는 뜻이 됩니다.

Now you know what today’s expression means right? Then we will listen to the conversation for the last time.

Jason: I have something to tell you but please don’t get upset.
Jen: What is it? Tell me.

Jason: I was trying to keep the farewell party for Jamie a secret, but I let the cat out of the bag and now she knows.
Jen: Oh no! Now we have to change our plans.
Jason: Sorry.

Let’s review. If someone lets the cat out of the bag, it means that they reveal something that was supposed to be secret. LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.