Expression: To Think Outside the Box

跳出思维定式

American English Podcast

2026-05-07

27 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

What does it really mean to think outside the box? In this episode, you’ll learn one of the most common expressions in American English, used to describe creativity, innovation, and doing things differently. We’ll break down the meaning, explore where the phrase comes from, and connect it to real-life situations. Then, we’ll dive into three fascinating stories of people who thought differently and changed the world: A coach who used a waffle iron to design a revolutionary running shoe A struggling cleaning product that became the toy Play-Doh A baker who invented the chocolate chip cookie Along the way, you’ll hear related expressions like break the mold, push the envelope, and go off the beaten path—all useful for talking about creativity and problem-solving. We’ll finish with a pronunciation exercise to help you sound more natural when speaking. ⭐ Get the full transcript, and all bonus material by signing up to Premium Content. Now available as part of  ⁠⁠the Academy⁠⁠.  ⭐ ⁠Join the Free Slang and Expression Challenge⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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单集文稿 ...

  • Hi, everybody.

  • My name is Shauna, and this is the American English Podcast.

  • My goal here is to teach you the English spoken in the United States.

  • Through common expressions, pronunciation tips,

  • and interesting cultural snippets or stories, I hope to keep this fun, useful, and interesting.

  • Let's do it.

  • Hi, everybody.

  • Welcome back.

  • I'm excited for another expression episode.

  • Today, we're going to be going over a very common one.

  • To think outside the box.

  • We'll dive into the meaning.

  • I 'll teach you the etymology or the origin,

  • and you 'll hear many stories that are about creativity and entrepreneurship,

  • which of course is related to the expression.

  • By the end, you should feel comfortable using this expression in conversation.

  • And saying things that are similar.

  • So expressions related to thinking unconventionally or acting in a way that is different from everybody else.

  • So at the very end, we'll also do a pronunciation exercise.

  • Stay tuned for that.