Why Do Onions Make You Cry?

Hey, I'm home! Wait... are you crying?

嘿，我回來了！等等……你在哭嗎？

Ugh, it's these onions! I can't see anything!

唉，都是這些洋蔥！我什麼都看不到了！

Oh no! Okay, put the knife down for a second.

哎呀！好了，先把刀放下一下。

Seriously, why do onions always do this to me?

說真的，洋蔥為什麼老是這樣折磨我？

Actually, it's some pretty cool science!

其實，這背後有很酷的科學原理！

An onion is full of tiny cells, like little bags.

洋蔥裡滿是微小的細胞，就像一個個小袋子。

When you cut it, you break those cells open.

你一切，就把那些細胞弄破了。

That lets two chemicals mix together,

這樣兩種化學物質就會混在一起，

and they make a gas that floats up into the air.

產生一種會飄到空氣中的氣體。

And then the gas goes straight into my eyes?

然後那種氣體就直接跑進我眼睛裡了？

Exactly. It irritates the surface of your eyes.

沒錯，它會刺激你的眼睛表面。

So your eyes make tears to wash it away.

所以你的眼睛就會流淚，把它沖掉。

Hmm, so crying is my body protecting me?

嗯，所以流淚其實是身體在保護我？

That's right! Your eyes are just doing their job.

對啊！你的眼睛只是在盡忠職守。

Well, I wish they'd do it a bit more quietly!

好吧，我只希望它們能低調一點！

Okay, so how do I stop it?

好吧，那我要怎麼避免呢？

First, put the onion in the fridge for half an hour.

首先，把洋蔥放進冰箱冰半個小時。

Cold onions release the gas more slowly.

冰過的洋蔥釋放氣體會慢一些。

And use a really sharp knife,

還有，要用很利的刀，

because a blunt knife crushes more cells.

因為鈍刀會壓碎更多細胞。

What about holding bread in my mouth? My mom always does that!

那嘴裡含一塊麵包呢？我媽每次都這樣！

Ha, sadly there's no real proof that works.

哈，可惜沒有真正的證據證明那招有用。

Oh, and leave the root end until last,

哦，還有，根部留到最後再切，

because that part has more of those chemicals.

因為那部分含有更多那種化學物質。

And open a window, or turn on the fan.

再打開窗戶，或是開個電風扇。

Okay, cold onion, sharp knife, window open. Here goes!

好，冰洋蔥、利刀、開窗。開始囉！

Wait... this is actually so much better!

等等……真的好多了！

See? Science wins again!

看吧？科學又贏了！

Thanks! Now you can chop the garlic.

謝啦！現在換你切大蒜。

Ha, nice try! Garlic doesn't make anyone cry!

哈，想得美！大蒜又不會讓人流淚！