Reader question:
Please explain "take your hat off in this sentence: "You've got to take your hat off to somebody when they're doing right, and I take my hat off to him."
My comments:
In this quote (引文), the speaker says, to give credit where it's due, he takes his hat off by way of gratitude of praise. In other words, the speaker wants to admire "him" for doing something right.
This expression, taking one's hat off, has its root in the traditional practice of people taking their hats off in different situations. First of all, people wore hats a lot more in the past than they do nowadays, especially in cold areas. When two men met in the street, they might say hello or they might greet each other by taking their hat off and slightly waving it in the other person's direction.
Or, for example, when a man saw a woman, he took off his hat. That was good manners. Or people took off their hats when they were passing a funeral (葬礼) ceremony. Or everybody took their hat off when an anthem(圣歌) was played in a sports stadium.
Customs may have changed, but taking one's hat off as a gesture of respect or a sign of praise or thank-you has remained - in the metaphorical (隐喻) sense.
Hereafter, the saying "I take my hat off to you" is used whenever someone's done something we think outstanding and praiseworthy.
