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| 消费时代谈“节俭” | Xiāofèi shídài tán “jiéjiǎn” | 消费时代 xiāofèi shídài: consumption era
谈 tán: talk 节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality |
Talking about “frugality” in the age of consumption, |
| “节俭”是中国人的传统美德。 | “jiéjiǎn” shì zhōngguó rén de chuántǒng měidé. | 传统 chuántǒng: traditional
美德 měidé: virtue |
“frugality” is a traditional Chinese virtue. |
| 父母会告诉孩子“谁知盘中餐，粒粒皆辛苦”老人们会劝年轻人“由俭入奢易，由奢入俭难”。 | Fùmǔ huì gàosù háizi “shéi zhī pán zhōngcān, lì lì jiē xīnkǔ” lǎorénmen huì quàn niánqīng rén “yóu jiǎn rù shē yì, yóu shē rù jiǎn nán”. | 劝 quàn: advise
年轻人 niánqīng rén: young people |
Parents will tell their children that “who knows how hard it is to eat on a plate”, and older people will advise young people that “it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality”. |
| 这不难理解，在生活困难的年代，收入水平较低，大多数中国人重视积累，物质上舍不得消费，更顾不上精神消费。 | Zhè bù nán lǐjiě, zài shēnghuó kùnnán de niándài, shōurù shuǐpíng jiào dī, dà duōshù zhōngguó rén zhòngshì jīlěi, wùzhí shàng shěbudé xiāofèi, gèng gù bù shàng jīngshén xiāofèi. | 不难 bù nán: not difficult
理解 lǐjiě: understand 生活困难 shēnghuó kùnnán: hard life 年代 niándài: era 收入 shōurù: income 水平 shuǐpíng: level |
It is easy to understand that in times of hardship, when income levels were low, most Chinese people attached importance to accumulation and could not afford to spend on material things, let alone on spiritual things. |
| 但现在的情况已有所不同。 | Dàn xiànzài de qíngkuàng yǐ yǒu suǒ bùtóng. | 现在 xiànzài: now
情况 qíngkuàng: situation 已有 yǐyǒu: already have 所 suǒ: so 不同 bùtóng: different |
But the situation is different now. |
| 今天中国人的消费方式分为生存型，发展型和享受型这三种类型。 | Jīntiān zhōngguó rén de xiāofèi fāngshì fēn wéi shēngcún xíng, fāzhǎn xíng hé xiǎngshòu xíng zhè sān zhǒng lèixíng. | 消费方式 xiāofèi fāngshì: consumption method
分为 fēn wéi: divided into 生存型 shēngcún xíng: survival type 发展型 fāzhǎn xíng: developmental type 享受型 xiǎngshòu xíng: enjoyment type |
Today, Chinese people are divided into three types of consumption: survival, development and enjoyment. |
| 打个比方，身上有十块钱，用来买馒头是生存型消费，买书是发展型消费，喝咖啡就是享受型消费。 | Dǎ gè bǐfāng, shēnshang yǒu shí kuài qián, yòng lái mǎi mántou shì shēngcún xíng xiāofèi, mǎishū shì fāzhǎn xíng xiāofèi, hē kāfēi jiùshì xiǎngshòu xíng xiāofèi. | 身上 shēn shang: on one’s body
十块钱 shí kuài qián: ten yuan 用来 yòng lái: be used to 馒头 mántou: steamed bun |
For example, if you have ten yuan, buying steamed buns is survival consumption, buying books is development consumption and drinking coffee is enjoyment consumption. |
| 享受型消费自然包括在海外购买奢侈品。 | Xiǎngshòu xíng xiāofèi zìrán bāokuò zài hǎiwài gòumǎi shēchǐ pǐn. | 享受型消费 xiǎngshòu xíng xiāofèi: enjoyment type consumption
自然 zìrán: naturally 包括 bāokuò: include 海外 hǎiwài: overseas 购买 gòumǎi: purchase 奢侈品 shēchǐpǐn: luxury goods |
Enjoyment spending naturally includes buying luxury goods overseas. |
| 中国人有很強的购买力，这让许多国家十分欢迎中国游客。 | Zhōngguó rén yǒu hěn qiáng de gòumǎilì, zhè ràng xǔduō guójiā shífēn huānyíng zhōngguó yóukè. | 强 qiáng: strong
购买力 gòumǎi lì: purchasing power 欢迎 huānyíng: welcome 游客 yóukè: tourists |
The strong purchasing power of the Chinese has made many countries very welcoming to Chinese tourists. |
| 为了吸引更多的中国人，一些国家甚至简化了签证手续。 | Wèile xīyǐn gèng duō de zhōngguó rén, yīxiē guójiā shi zhì jiǎnhuàle qiānzhèng shǒuxù. | 吸引 xiyǐn: attract
简化 jiǎnhuà: simplify 签证 qiānzhèng: visa 手续 shǒuxù: procedure |
In order to attract more Chinese, some countries have even simplified their visa procedures. |
| 因此有人说，中国已进入了“消费时代” – 消费的目的不是为了满足生活的需要，而是为了满足被刺激起来的各种欲望，比如将购买名车，大房子视为是成功的人生。 | Yīncǐ yǒurén shuō, zhōngguó yǐ jìnrùle “xiāofèi shídài” – xiāofèi de mùdì bùshì wèile mǎnzú shēnghuó de xūyào, ér shì wèile mǎnzú bèi cìjī qǐlái de gè zhǒng yùwàng, bǐrú jiāng gòumǎi míngchē, dà fángzi shì wéi shì chénggōng de rénshēng. | 进入了 jìn rù le: has entered
消费时代 xiāofèi shídài: consumption era 满足 mǎnzú: satisfy 生活的需要 shēnghuó de xūyào: life’s needs 刺激起来的 cìjī qǐlái de: stimulated 欲望 yùwàng: desire 购买名车 gòumǎi míngchē: buy famous cars 大房子 dà fángzi: big house 视为是 shì wéi shì: regarded as 成功的人生 chénggōng de rénshēng: successful life |
It has therefore been said that China has entered the “age of consumption” – consumption not to satisfy the needs of life, but to satisfy stimulated desires, such as buying a fancy car or a big house, which is considered to be a successful life. |
| 从经济学角度讲，只有消费了，经济才能发展。 | Cóng jīngjì xué jiǎodù jiǎng, zhǐyǒu xiāofèile, jīngjì cáinéng fāzhǎn. | 经济学 jīngjìxué: economics
角度 jiǎodù: perspective 讲 jiǎng: speak 消费 xīaofèi: consumption 经济 jīngjì: economy 发展 fāzhǎn: develop |
From an economic point of view, the economy can only grow if consumption is made. |
| 随着服务业的发展，各种各样的广告，新产品不断刺激着人们产生新的消费需求。 | Suízhe fúwù yè de fǎ zhǎn, gè zhǒng gè yàng de guǎnggào, xīn chǎnpǐn bùduàn cìjīzhe rénmen chǎnshēng xīn de xiāofèi xūqiú. | 服务业 fúwùyè: service industry
广告 guǎnggào: advertisement 新产品 xīn chǎnpǐn: new product 刺激 cìjī: stimulate 人们 rénmen: people 产生 chǎnshēng: generate 消费需求 xiāofèi xūqiú: consumption demand |
With the development of the service sector, a wide range of advertisements and new products are constantly stimulating people to create new consumer demands. |
| 在衣食住行方面的需求已经被满足的基础上，消费者们当然有理由追求质量更高的生活。 | Zài yīshízhùxíng fāngmiàn de xūqiú yǐjīng bèi mǎnzú de jīchǔ shàng, xiāofèi zhěmen dāngrán yǒu lǐyóu zhuīqiú zhìliàng gèng gāo de shēnghuó. | 衣食住行 yīshízhùxíng: clothing, food, housing and transportation
需求 xūqiú: demand 满足 mǎnzú: satisfied 基础上 jīchǔ shàng 消费者们 xīaofèi zhě men 有理由 yǒu lǐyóu: have reasons 追求 zhuīqiú: pursue 质量更高 zhìliàng gèng gāo: higher quality 生活 shēnghuó: life |
With the needs for food, clothing and shelter already met, consumers certainly have a reason to seek a higher quality of life. |
| 但遗憾的是，今天资源浪费的现象非常严重。 | Dàn yíhàn de shì, jīntiān zīyuán làngfèi de xiànxiàng fēicháng yánzhòng. | 遗憾 yíhàn: regrettably
资源浪费 zīyuán làngfèi: resource wastage 现象 xiànxiàng: phenomenon 严重 yánzhòng: serious |
Unfortunately, however, there is a great deal of waste of resources today. |
| 人们为了自己方便，大量地使用一次性产品。 | Rénmen wèile zìjǐ fāngbiàn, dà liáng dì shǐyòng yīcì xìng chǎnpǐn. | 方便 fangbiàn: convenience
大量 dàliàng: large quantity 使用 shǐyòng: use 一次性产品 yīcìxìng chǎnpǐn: disposable products |
People are using a lot of disposable products for their own convenience. |
| 誠有的年轻人将“节俭”视为落后，认为这种观念已经过时了。 | Chéng yǒu de niánqīng rén jiāng “jiéjiǎn” shì wéi luòhòu, rènwéi zhè zhǒng guānniàn yǐjīng guòshíliǎo. | 年轻人 niánqīngrén: young people
将 jiāng: regard 节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugal 落后 luòhòu: outdated 认为 rènwéi: believe 观念 guānniàn: concept 过时 guòshí: outdated |
Some young people see “frugality” as backwardness and consider it outdated. |
| 他们认为赚钱的目的就是消费，生活的目的就是享受，其实这是一种误解。 | Tāmen rènwéi zhuànqián de mùdì jiùshì xiāofèi, shēnghuó de mùdì jiùshì xiǎngshòu, qíshí zhè shì yī zhǒng wùjiě. | 赚钱 zhuànqián: earn money
目的 mùdì: purpose 消费 xīaofèi: consumption 目的 mùdì: purpose 享受 xiǎngshòu: enjoy 误解 wùjiě: misperception |
They think that the purpose of making money is to consume and the purpose of living is to enjoy. |
| 今天这个时代谈节俭是非常有必要的。 | Jīntiān zhège shídài tán jiéjiǎn shì fēicháng yǒu bìyào de. | 时代 shídài: era
节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality 有必要 yǒu bìyào: necessary |
It is necessary to talk about frugality in this day and age. |
| 节俭不是说不消费，不享受，而是说应该节约资源，保护环境，反对过度消费。 | Jiéjiǎn bùshì shuō bu xiāofèi, bù xiǎngshòu, ér shì shuō yīnggāi jiéyuē zīyuán, bǎohù huánjìng, fǎnduì guòdù xiāofèi. | 节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality
消费 xīaofèi: consumption 享受 xiǎngshòu: enjoy 节约 jiéyuē: save 资源 zīyuán: resources 保护 bǎohù: protect 环境 huánjìng: environment 反对 fǎnduì: oppose 过度消费 guòdù xiāofèi: overconsumption |
Frugality does not mean not consuming or enjoying oneself, but that one should conserve resources, protect the environment and oppose excessive consumption. |
| 年轻人更应该有社会责任感，应该根据自己的能力来合理消费，健康消费，绿色消费。 | Niánqīng rén gèng yīnggāi yǒu shèhuì zérèngǎn, yīnggāi gēnjù zìjǐ de nénglì lái hélǐ xiāofèi, jiànkāng xiāofèi, lǜsè xiāofèi. | 社会责任感 shèhuì zérèngǎn: social responsibility
合理消费 hélǐ xiāofèi: rational consumption 健康消费 jiànkāng xiāofèi: healthy consumption 绿色消费 lǜsè xiāofèi: green consumption |
Young people should be more socially responsible and should consume reasonably, healthily and greenly according to their ability. |
| 只有在这样的原下，生活才会少一点儿后顾之忧。 | Zhǐyǒu zài zhèyàng de yuán xià, shēnghuó cái huì shǎo yīdiǎn er hòugùzhīyōu. | 少一点儿 shǎo yīdiǎn er: a little less
后顾之忧 hòugù zhī yōu: worry about the future |
Only under such an original will life be a little less worrisome. |
| _____________ |
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Vocabulary
消费时代 xiāofèi shídài: consumption era
谈 tán: talk
节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality
传统 chuántǒng: traditional
美德 měidé: virtue
劝 quàn: advise
年轻人 niánqīng rén: young people
不难 bù nán: not difficult
理解 lǐjiě: understand
生活困难 shēnghuó kùnnán: hard life
年代 niándài: era
收入 shōurù: income
水平 shuǐpíng: level
现在 xiànzài: now
情况 qíngkuàng: situation
已有 yǐyǒu: already have
所 suǒ: so
不同 bùtóng: different
消费方式 xiāofèi fāngshì: consumption method
分为 fēn wéi: divided into
生存型 shēngcún xíng: survival type
发展型 fāzhǎn xíng: developmental type
享受型 xiǎngshòu xíng: enjoyment type
身上 shēn shang: on one’s body
十块钱 shí kuài qián: ten yuan
用来 yòng lái: be used to
馒头 mántou: steamed bun
享受型消费 xiǎngshòu xíng xiāofèi: enjoyment type consumption
自然 zìrán: naturally
包括 bāokuò: include
海外 hǎiwài: overseas
购买 gòumǎi: purchase
奢侈品 shēchǐpǐn: luxury goods
强 qiáng: strong
购买力 gòumǎi lì: purchasing power
欢迎 huānyíng: welcome
游客 yóukè: tourists
吸引 xiyǐn: attract
简化 jiǎnhuà: simplify
签证 qiānzhèng: visa
手续 shǒuxù: procedure
进入了 jìn rù le: has entered
消费时代 xiāofèi shídài: consumption era
满足 mǎnzú: satisfy
生活的需要 shēnghuó de xūyào: life’s needs
刺激起来的 cìjī qǐlái de: stimulated
欲望 yùwàng: desire
购买名车 gòumǎi míngchē: buy famous cars
大房子 dà fángzi: big house
视为是 shì wéi shì: regarded as
成功的人生 chénggōng de rénshēng: successful life
经济学 jīngjìxué: economics
角度 jiǎodù: perspective
讲 jiǎng: speak
消费 xīaofèi: consumption
经济 jīngjì: economy
发展 fāzhǎn: develop
服务业 fúwùyè: service industry
广告 guǎnggào: advertisement
新产品 xīn chǎnpǐn: new product
刺激 cìjī: stimulate
人们 rénmen: people
产生 chǎnshēng: generate
消费需求 xiāofèi xūqiú: consumption demand
衣食住行 yīshízhùxíng: clothing, food, housing and transportation
需求 xūqiú: demand
满足 mǎnzú: satisfied
基础上 jīchǔ shàng
消费者们 xīaofèi zhě men
有理由 yǒu lǐyóu: have reasons
追求 zhuīqiú: pursue
质量更高 zhìliàng gèng gāo: higher quality
生活 shēnghuó: life
遗憾 yíhàn: regrettably
资源浪费 zīyuán làngfèi: resource wastage
现象 xiànxiàng: phenomenon
严重 yánzhòng: serious
方便 fangbiàn: convenience
大量 dàliàng: large quantity
使用 shǐyòng: use
一次性产品 yīcìxìng chǎnpǐn: disposable products
年轻人 niánqīngrén: young people
将 jiāng: regard
节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugal
落后 luòhòu: outdated
认为 rènwéi: believe
观念 guānniàn: concept
过时 guòshí: outdated
赚钱 zhuànqián: earn money
目的 mùdì: purpose
消费 xīaofèi: consumption
目的 mùdì: purpose
享受 xiǎngshòu: enjoy
误解 wùjiě: misperception
时代 shídài: era
节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality
有必要 yǒu bìyào: necessary
节俭 jiéjiǎn: frugality
消费 xīaofèi: consumption
享受 xiǎngshòu: enjoy
节约 jiéyuē: save
资源 zīyuán: resources
保护 bǎohù: protect
环境 huánjìng: environment
反对 fǎnduì: oppose
过度消费 guòdù xiāofèi: overconsumption
社会责任感 shèhuì zérèngǎn: social responsibility
合理消费 hélǐ xiāofèi: rational consumption
健康消费 jiànkāng xiāofèi: healthy consumption
绿色消费 lǜsè xiāofèi: green consumption
少一点儿 shǎo yīdiǎn er: a little less
后顾之忧 hòugù zhī yōu: worry about the future
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