【影视实例】

影视来源：《马利和我》

剧情引导：

John去一家报社面试，老板问他为什么要到此地来，他说是因为大学老同学的竭力推荐，而这位老同学正在窗外指手划脚地扮鬼脸呢……

- Well, as you know, Sebastian and I were in college together... And he w - He was - He was always saying how great south Florida is... and that maybe my wife and I might enjoy it here, so we decided to come down here.

- Are you a comedian too?

- Excuse me?

- Like your friend over here.

- No.

- He's walking a very thin line. It's a good thing he knows how to write.

【台词翻译】

-你知道的， Sebastian和我是大学同学，他……那个……他总是说南弗罗里达有多好有多好……觉着我和我老婆会喜欢这里，所以我们就南下了。

- 你也是个小丑么？

- 啥？

- 就像你这位朋友似的。

- 不是。

- 他总是没个分寸。还好他挺能写。

【口语讲解】 walk a thin line

这个习语看字面就会想到走钢丝，引申义也有点接近，是 to balance two competing ideas or groups，保持双方面的平衡，就有点表示掌握平衡、拿捏分寸的意思咯。