流泪的人总是让人同情。哭得梨花带雨，我见犹怜。但眼泪也有假的，比如猫哭耗子假慈悲，比如鳄鱼的眼泪。

英文里对假眼泪也有相同的说法：crocodile tears，意为鳄鱼的眼泪，实际上也就是猫哭老鼠假慈悲。Crocodile tears这个俗语来自一个古老的神话，说是鳄鱼往往发出一种哭的声音来引诱那些它们要吃的动物，然后一面吃一面流眼泪。这当然不是事实，但是这个说法已经成常用语。

例如：The truth is that Pete never liked his rich Uncle John. But you should have seen his crocodile tears when the old man died and left him a million dollars!

皮特从来都不喜欢他那有钱的叔叔约翰，这是事实。可是那老人去世的时候给他留了一百万美元，你可真该看看皮特当时那假流泪的样子。

又如：In his speeches the mayor always puts on a big show of crocodile tears for poor and homeless people. But I don't see him doing anything to help them.

这位市长在讲话时总是装得好像他对穷人和无家可归的人非常同情。但是，我并没有见到他做些什么来帮助他们。

另一个和“哭”有关的俗语是：sob story。Sob是哭泣的意思，story就是故事。Sob story的意思就是某人编造一个令人伤心的故事来赢得别人的同情，甚至于让人给钱来帮助他。

例如：Usually I don't give money to beggars. But this nice young man told me a sob story about needing money for a bus ticket to see his dying mother, so I gave him two dollars.

一般我是不给乞丐钱的。但是，这个看上去挺不错的年轻人告诉我他需要钱坐公共汽车去看他那快要死的妈妈。他说得这么悲惨，我就给了他两块钱。

又如：On my way to work this man stopped me and said he hadn't eaten in three days so I gave him a dollar. On my way home I saw him get into a new car and drive off and I know now he had given me a sob story.

在我去上班的路上那个人挡住了我，对我说，他已经三天没吃东西了。所以我给了他一块钱。可是，我在回家的路上看见他跨进了一辆新的汽车后就开走了。我这才知道他说的事全是假的。