在英文中有好几个比较地道的短语,基本上都可以对得上中文的意思,请看以下的英语短语及其原版英文解释：
1."You can't have your cake and eat it too"
2."you can't have it both ways"
3."you can't have the best of both worlds."
To have one's cake and eat it too is a popular English idiomatic proverb or figure of speech,sometimes stated as eat one's cake and have it too or simply have one's cake and eat it.This is most often used negatively,to connote the idea of consuming a thing whilst managing to preserve it.It may also indicate having or wanting more than one can handle or deserve,or trying to have two incompatible things.The proverb's meaning is similar to the phrases,"you can't have it both ways" and "you can't have the best of both worlds."
而下面的几个,虽然也有人使用,但是在标准英语词典中却查不到：
You can not sell the cow and drink the milk.