“Sacred Cow”并不是指“神圣的牛”，而是指那些“不容质疑的信仰，批评不得的风俗”。这个短语源自对印度教中牛的神圣地位的理解，作为一个比喻，它指的是那些内化在思想里的，免受批评或质疑的事物或观念。这个短语在美国英语中出现，类似的表达也存在于其他多种语言中。 比如，有些人对“专家”这一头衔以及他们的言论的盲目信奉，就是"Sacred Cow"。
For many in our culture, becoming a civil servant is a sacred cow.
对我们文化的许多人来说，成为公务员是不容置疑的信仰。
In many companies, the founding principles have become a sacred cow that nobody dares to question.
在许多公司中，创始原则已成为无人敢质疑的圣牛。
The old software system has become a sacred cow, despite its inefficiency and the availability of better alternatives.
尽管存在效率更高、更好的替代方案，旧软件系统已成为一个不可触碰的禁区。
Cutting the defense budget is often seen as a sacred cow, making it a difficult topic for politicians to address.
削减国防预算常被视为一个禁忌，这使得政治家很难处理这一话题。
In the academic world, certain theories have become sacred cows, protected from criticism by their long-standing prestige.
在学术界，某些理论已成为不容置疑的权威，因其长期的声望而免受批评。
The annual bonus has become a sacred cow in the company, with employees expecting it regardless of the company's performance.
年终奖金在公司已成为一个圣牛，员工期望得到它，不管公司的表现如何。
短语"Sacred Cow"源于印度教对牛的崇拜，认为牛是神圣的生物。这一成语在19世纪晚期的美国出现，其含义是指某些免受质疑和批评的思想或信信仰（通常是不合理的）。讽刺杂志《现实主义者》，有一个座右铭， "Irreverence is our only sacred cow 无礼是我们唯一的不受质疑的信仰"。
满分语法 