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Neil: Hello, I'm Neil. Welcome to Question and Answer of the week.

Feifei: 大家好，我是馮菲菲。在《你問(wèn)我答》節(jié)目中我們會(huì)回答你在英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)中遇到的語(yǔ)法和詞匯問(wèn)題。Let’s listen to Maomao’s question.

Question

I'm Maomao（卯卯）from Beijing. Since Christmas is over, lots of stores have big sales on – I guess there might be some people spending money thoughtlessly then regret it or be blamed for it.

So could you tell me how British people express “燒包” when they want to say they’ve spent a lot to buy something that is not worth it? Thank you.

Feifei: 來(lái)自北京的卯卯這個(gè)問(wèn)題問(wèn)的很有意思，“燒包”這個(gè)詞是中國(guó)北方的方言。意思是說(shuō)一個(gè)人炫耀自己很有錢(qián)，擺出一副很得意的樣子。So Neil, 燒包 is an informal saying which is very popular in Northern China. We use this word to describe someone who has a lot of money and is very keen on showing it off. Do you have a similar expression in English?

Neil: Hmm, in English we could say someone is a ‘show-off’, or someone has‘money to burn’.

Feifei: 我喜歡 money to burn 這個(gè)表達(dá)，跟我們漢語(yǔ)里“燒包”的“燒”還有些聯(lián)系，意思是錢(qián)多的都可以用來(lái)燒了，比喻某人很富有。Show-off 的意思是愛(ài)炫耀或賣(mài)弄的人；這個(gè)短語(yǔ)還有一個(gè)動(dòng)詞形式 show off.

Neil: She has just bought a designer handbag to show off she has money.

Feifei: Show off 這里是一個(gè)動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)，意思是某人炫耀、顯擺自己。

Neil: Another phrase you can use to describe someone who likes show off their wealth is having ‘more money than sense’.

Feifei: More money than sense 這個(gè)表達(dá)的意思是亂花錢(qián)。What about the phrase ‘splash out’?

Neil: To ‘splash out’ means that you spend a lot of money on something that you don’t necessarily need.

Feifei: Splash out 有隨意花錢(qián)、揮霍的意思，常指某人花很多錢(qián)買(mǎi)自己不需要的東西。

Neil: He is going to splash out on a 5 star tour around the world.

Feifei: 他準(zhǔn)備花大價(jià)錢(qián)參加豪華五星旅游團(tuán)環(huán)游世界。He must be loaded!

Neil: Yes, he must be loaded. ‘Loaded’ is colloquial way of saying someone who has a lot of money.

Feifei: 如果我們說(shuō)誰(shuí)誰(shuí) loaded 那意思就是這個(gè)人很有錢(qián) ，這是個(gè)口語(yǔ)表達(dá)。

Neil： We can also say someone is ‘minted’.

Feifei: Minted 也是一個(gè)口語(yǔ)表達(dá)，意思是有錢(qián)的。

Neil: I went to my old school friend’s house at Christmas, it’s amazing, he’s definitely minted!

Feifei: Well, good for your friend. I am absolutely skint, all those Christmas presents I had to buy!

Neil: Good use of the word ‘skint’ - if someone’s skint, it means they have no money at all.

Feifei: Skint 的意思是身無(wú)分文，一點(diǎn)兒錢(qián)都沒(méi)有了。

Neil: Another word we often use meaning ‘having no money’ is ‘broke’.

Feifei: Broke 也有身無(wú)分文，沒(méi)錢(qián)了的意思。I’m flat broke 我一毛前都沒(méi)了。不過(guò)請(qǐng)大家注意，有時(shí)候我們會(huì)用 skint 和 broke 來(lái)夸大事實(shí) ，強(qiáng)調(diào)手頭暫時(shí)不富裕，所以在使用的時(shí)候要格外注意上下文語(yǔ)境。

Neil: So Feifei, it sounds like you are going to tighten your belt this month until pay day?

Feifei: I know, sad isn’t it? Tighten one’s belt 這個(gè)表達(dá)就是我們漢語(yǔ)里常說(shuō)的勒緊褲腰帶。Public transport fares have just gone up again, not sure how I’ll last until pay day.

Neil: Get a bike Feifei. Now here’s another phrase for you – to scrimp and save.

Feifei: To scrimp and save 節(jié)衣縮食。 Good phrase, Neil! This is exactly what I’m going to do for the next two weeks!

Neil: Well, let me recommend an eat as much as you want restaurant I know. Now that’s value for money.

Feifei: Value for money 物有所值。Really? You know a restaurant ? Come on then, where is it?

Neil: It’s just around the corner, I’ll show you.

If you have any questions about English grammar and vocabulary, please send them to questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.

Feifei: 你也可以在微博上給我們留下你在英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)中遇到的難題。好了，謝謝卯卯提出的問(wèn)題，下期《你問(wèn)我答》節(jié)目再會(huì)。

Neil: Goodbye.

本期詞匯總結(jié)：

Money to burn 字面意思錢(qián)多得可以燒了，比喻某人很富裕

Show off 顯擺、炫耀

More money than sense 亂花錢(qián)

Splash out 揮霍

Loaded 非常有錢(qián)的

Minted （非正式口語(yǔ)表達(dá)）非常有錢(qián)的

Skint 身無(wú)分文的

Broke 沒(méi)錢(qián)了

To tighten one's belt 勒緊褲腰帶

Scrimp and save 節(jié)衣縮食

Value for money 物有所值

（來(lái)源：BBC英語(yǔ)教學(xué) 編輯：Julie）