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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《你問我答》節目中我們會回答你在英語學習中遇到的語法和詞匯問題。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: 來自北京的卯卯這個問題問的很有意思，“燒包”這個詞是中國北方的方言。意思是說一個人炫耀自己很有錢，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 這個表達，跟我們漢語里“燒包”的“燒”還有些聯系，意思是錢多的都可以用來燒了，比喻某人很富有。Show-off 的意思是愛炫耀或賣弄的人；這個短語還有一個動詞形式 show off.

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

Feifei: Show off 這里是一個動詞短語，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 這個表達的意思是亂花錢。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、揮霍的意思，常指某人花很多錢買自己不需要的東西。

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

Feifei: 他準備花大價錢參加豪華五星旅游團環游世界。He must be loaded!

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

Feifei: 如果我們說誰誰 loaded 那意思就是這個人很有錢 ，這是個口語表達。

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

Feifei: Minted 也是一個口語表達，意思是有錢的。

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 的意思是身無分文，一點兒錢都沒有了。

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

Feifei: Broke 也有身無分文，沒錢了的意思。I’m flat broke 我一毛前都沒了。不過請大家注意，有時候我們會用 skint 和 broke 來夸大事實 ，強調手頭暫時不富裕，所以在使用的時候要格外注意上下文語境。

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 這個表達就是我們漢語里常說的勒緊褲腰帶。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 [email protected].

Feifei: 你也可以在微博上給我們留下你在英語學習中遇到的難題。好了，謝謝卯卯提出的問題，下期《你問我答》節目再會。

Neil: Goodbye.

本期詞匯總結：

Money to burn 字面意思錢多得可以燒了，比喻某人很富裕

Show off 顯擺、炫耀

More money than sense 亂花錢

Splash out 揮霍

Loaded 非常有錢的

Minted （非正式口語表達）非常有錢的

Skint 身無分文的

Broke 沒錢了

To tighten one's belt 勒緊褲腰帶

Scrimp and save 節衣縮食

Value for money 物有所值

（來源：BBC英語教學 編輯：Julie）