Body language is a very powerful tool of communication, not only among people but in the animal world.
In many ways, we produce idioms (习语), which are all understandable by borrowing examples from animal communication.
For example, we know that a frightened cat will arch (拱起) its back high in a rigid curve (弯曲) . From this starting point we might hear the expression "He gets my back up" meaning "He makes me angry".
In the same manner, we know that many animals, if challenged by attackers, will not turn and run away because this will encourage the attackers to attack them more forcefully. Instead, they will move backwards slowly to get out of harm's way, always still facing their attackers. We call this action "backing off" and it can be used just as well with humans as with animals.
In the case of humans, however, the backing off may not be physical but oral, as in using a kinder tone of voice and gentler words instead of fighting against the attackers.
