第 168 课：金钱习语

Lesson 168: Money Idioms

A hole in the wall. A cash machine (ATM). 墙上的一个洞。一台自动取款机（ATM）。 Example: John went to a hole in the wall to get some cash. 例如：约翰到墙上的一个洞里去取一些现金。

To break the bank. To win all the money at a casino gambling table. 倾家荡产。在赌场赌桌上赢走所有的钱。 Example: He broke the bank at the casino and walked away with a lot of money. 例子：他在赌场里输光了所有钱并带走了一大笔钱。

To laugh all the way to the bank. To make lot of money very easily, because of good luck or someone's stupidity. 一路笑着去银行。由于好运气或某人的愚蠢而轻松赚大钱。 Example: If we don't take this opportunity, you can be sure our competitors will, and they'll be laughing all the way to the bank. 例子：如果我们不抓住这个机会，我们的竞争对手肯定会抓住这个机会，而且他们会笑着去银行。

To not break the bank. To not be too expensive. 不要花太多钱。不要太贵。 Example: Going out for a drink in the pub won't break the bank. 例如：去酒吧喝一杯不会花光你的钱。

To bank on something/someone. Being sure that something or someone is reliable. 信任某事物/某人。确信某事物或某人是可靠的。 Example: Bert knows he can bank on Ernie whenever he has a problem. 例如：伯特知道，无论何时遇到问题，他都可以依靠厄尼。

To go for broke. To risk everything in order to achieve a result. 孤注一掷。为了达到目的不惜冒一切风险。 Example: The racing driver was 2 seconds behind the leader, so she went for broke to overtake him on a bend. 例子：这位赛车手落后领先者 2 秒，因此她孤注一掷地在弯道上超越了他。

To be broke. To have no money. 破产。没有钱。 Example: "I can't take you out tonight, I'm broke" said Fred. 例如：“我今晚不能带你出去，我身无分文。”弗雷德说。

A cash cow. A business that always makes a lot of profit. 摇钱树。指总能赚很多钱的生意。 Example: Even with iron ore at a record low price, mining it is still a cash cow for efficient Australian miners. 示例：即使铁矿石价格处于历史最低水平，铁矿石开采对于高效的澳大利亚矿工来说仍然是一棵摇钱树。

Hard cash. Money in the form of coins or notes. 现金。硬币或纸币形式的货币。 Example: This shop doesn't accept credit cards, they want hard cash. 例如：这家商店不接受信用卡，他们需要现金。

To cash in your chips. To die. 兑现你的筹码。去死。 Example: Fred's grandpa had just turned 90 when he cashed in his chips. 例如：当弗雷德兑现筹码时，他的爷爷刚满 90 岁。

Ready cash. Money that is available to spend. 现金。可供支出的钱。 Example: Frank has some investments, but at the moment he needs some ready cash to pay his bills. 例子：弗兰克有一些投资，但是目前他需要一些现金来支付账单。

To be strapped for cash. To be short of money. 资金匮乏。缺钱。 Example: Bert said to Ernie "Could you lend me a fiver? I'm a bit strapped for cash!" 例如：伯特对厄尼说：“你能借我五英镑吗？我手头有点拮据！”

A blank cheque. As much money to spend as you need. 一张空白支票。您需要花多少钱就花多少钱。 Example: "This is a high-priority project." Betty told her team. "We have a blank cheque to do it quickly!" 例如：“这是一个高优先级的项目。”贝蒂告诉她的团队。“我们有一张空白支票可以快速完成它！”

The other side of the coin. An opposite view of something. 硬币的另一面。对某事的相反观点。 Example: Driving a high-powered car is fun, but the other side of the coin is that it costs a lot for petrol and servicing. 示例：驾驶一辆大马力的汽车很有趣，但另一方面，它的汽油和维修费用也很高。

A bad debt. Money owed that is not likely to be paid. 坏账。指不太可能偿还的欠款。 Example: The economy is getting worse, and banks expect to lose millions as bad debts. 例如：经济形势日益恶化，银行预计将损失数百万美元的坏账。

dough (slang). Money. 面团（俚语）。钱。 Example: Fred was low on dough, and had to ask his girlfriend for a loan. 例子：弗雷德钱不够，不得不向女友借钱。

A fool and his money are soon parted. Foolish people spend money without thinking about it enough. 愚人与金钱很快就分道扬镳。愚人花钱时不加思索。 Example: If Ernie won a million dollars, a few months later he would be broke, because a fool and his money are soon parted. 例如：如果厄尼赢了一百万美元，几个月后他就会破产，因为傻瓜和他的钱很快就会分开。

Blood money. Money that has been gained from the death of a person. 血钱。因某人死亡而获得的钱。 Example: The cobalt mines in Congo are dangerous places for workers - the owners make huge profits but much of that is blood money. 例如：刚果的钴矿对工人来说是危险的地方——矿主赚取了巨额利润，但其中大部分是血钱。

Easy money. Money earned with very little effort. 轻松赚钱。几乎不用付出任何努力就能赚到钱。 Example: A lot of people think playing in a band is easy money. 例如：很多人认为在乐队演奏很容易赚钱。

Funny money: Counterfeit money, or money from dishonest activities. 假币：伪造的钱币，或通过不诚实活动获得的钱币。 Example: The woman was caught trying to pay at a shop with funny money. 例子：一名妇女在商店试图用假钱付款时被发现。

A licence to print money. An activity that makes people very rich without having to make any effort. 印钞许可证。一种可以让人们不费吹灰之力就变得非常富有的活动。 Example: Running a tattoo removal business is a licence to print money. 例如：经营纹身去除业务就是一种印钞许可证。

Money doesn't grow on trees. Money isn't that easy to come by. 钱不是从树上长出来的。钱不是那么容易得到的。 Example: We can't afford to buy a new car because money doesn't grow on trees. 例如：我们买不起新车，因为钱不是从树上长出来的。

Money for old rope. A job that is an easy way of earning money. 用旧绳换钱。这是一份轻松赚钱的工作。 Example: Being a successful Facebook influencer seems to be money for old rope. 示例：成为一名成功的 Facebook 影响者似乎是一笔不小的财富。

Money talks. People who are rich have a lot of power and influence. 金钱万能。有钱人拥有很大的权力和影响力。 Example: Some property developers seem to ignore rules and regulations, probably because money talks. 例子：一些房地产开发商似乎无视规则和法规，可能是因为有钱能使鬼推磨。

Money to burn. To have a lot of money to spend on whatever you like. 钱多得花不完。有很多钱可以花在你喜欢的任何东西上。 Example: Betty knows a couple who go on a 4-week holiday cruise twice a year. They must have money to burn. 例子：贝蒂认识一对夫妇，他们每年会去两次为期四周的邮轮度假。他们肯定很有钱。

Put your money where your mouth is. To follow up what you say with what you do. 说到做到。说到做到。 Example: People who are genuinely interested in fighting poverty should put their money where their mouth is, by volunteering at a charity. 例如：真正有意消除贫困的人们应该通过参加慈善活动等方式，将自己的行动付诸实践。

Monopoly money. "Monopoly" is the name of a game using pretend money, so "monopoly money" is a slang term for money that has no value to the person spending it. 大富翁游戏币。“大富翁”是一种使用假钱的游戏的名称，因此“大富翁游戏币”是一个俚语，指的是对花钱的人来说毫无价值的钱。 Example: The billionaire is so rich, whatever he wants to buy, it's just monopoly money to him. 例如：这位亿万富翁非常富有，无论他想买什么，对他来说都只是垄断货币。

More money than sense. To spend your money foolishly. 钱多过理智。愚蠢地花钱。 Example: Anyone who spends $2,000,000 on a sports car has more money than sense. 例如：任何人花 200 万美元买一辆跑车都是有钱没脑子。

Pin money. Small amounts of money for treats. 零花钱。用来招待客人的小额钱款。 Example: Muriel saves up spare change for pin money treats for her grandchildren. 例子：穆里尔攒下零钱给她的孙子们买零花钱。

Pots of money. A lot of money. 一大笔钱。很多钱。 Example: Millionaires have pots of money. 例如：百万富翁拥有大笔金钱。

To throw money around. To spend money in a careless or wasteful way. 乱花钱。以粗心或浪费的方式花钱。 Example: Our next-door neighbours don't work but they have plenty of money to throw around. 例子：我们的隔壁邻居不工作，但是他们有很多钱可以挥霍。

To hit pay dirt. To discover something very valuable or very useful. 找到宝藏。发现非常有价值或非常有用的东西。 Example: After years of failure, the writer hit pay dirt with her third novel. 例子：经过多年的失败之后，这位作家终于凭借她的第三部小说获得了成功。

To pay through the nose. To pay too much money for something. 付出过高的代价。为某物付出过多的钱。 Example: I paid through the nose to get my kitchen renovated. 例子：我花了大价钱来装修厨房。

To pay top dollar. To pay a lot of money for something. 支付最高价。为某物支付大量金钱。 Example: If you want the best, you have to pay top dollar. 例如：如果你想要最好的，你就得付最高的价钱。

To pay your way. To pay for yourself rather than allowing someone else to do it. 支付自己的费用。自己支付费用，而不是让别人支付。 Example: On a first date, Alice insists on paying her way. 例如：第一次约会时，爱丽丝坚持要自己付钱。

Hell to pay. To get into a lot of trouble. 付出惨痛代价。惹上很多麻烦。 Example: If the boss catches you making personal calls there'll be hell to pay! 例如：如果老板发现你打私人电话，那可要付出惨痛代价了！

A penny for your thoughts. To ask someone what they are thinking about. 一分钱换你的想法。询问某人在想什么。 Example: "You're very quiet, dear." said Frank to Muriel. "A penny for your thoughts." 例如：“亲爱的，你很安静。”弗兰克对穆里尔说。“一分钱买你的想法。”

A pretty penny. Very expensive. 相当贵啊。非常贵。 Example: Your new car must have cost you a pretty penny. 例子：你的新车一定花了你不少钱。

The penny drops. To finally understand something. 我恍然大悟。终于明白了一些事情。 Example: Fred looked confused for a while, but then the penny dropped. 例如：弗雷德一时看上去很困惑，但后来他恍然大悟。

To turn up like a bad penny. To arrive at a place or event where you are not wanted. 突然出现。到达不受欢迎的地方或参加不受欢迎活动。 Example: Whenever Fred wants money he turns up like a bad penny. 例子：每当弗雷德需要钱的时候，他都会突然出现。

A penny pincher. Someone who spends as little money as possible. 吝啬鬼。尽量少花钱的人。 Example: The man left the pub before it was his turn to pay for a round of drinks. He is such a penny pincher. 例子：这个男人还没来得及付酒钱就离开了酒吧。他真是个吝啬鬼。

In for a penny, in for a pound. To put a lot of money or effort into something. 一分钱一分货。在某件事上投入大量金钱或精力。 Example: The student spends hours on his English every day. In for a penny, in for a pound. 例子：这个学生每天花几个小时学习英语。一分耕耘，一分收获。

Dirt-poor. Extremely poor. 赤贫。极其贫困。 Example: Most of the population in this undeveloped outback area are dirt-poor and jobless. 例如：这个未开发的内陆地区的大部分人口都极其贫困且失业。

As poor as church mice. Very poor. 穷得和教堂里的老鼠一样。非常穷。 Example: When we first got married, we were as poor as church mice. 例子：我们刚结婚的时候，一贫如洗。

To hold the purse strings. To control the spending of a family's or an organization's money. 掌握钱袋。控制家庭或组织资金的支出。 Example: The Financial Director holds the purse strings for this business. 例如：财务总监掌握着这项业务的财政大权。

To loosen the purse strings. To allow more money to be spent. 放松钱袋。允许花更多的钱。 Example: With an election coming up, we can expect the Treasurer to loosen the purse strings in this year's Budget. 例子：随着选举的临近，我们可以预期财政部长将在今年的预算中放松钱袋。

To tighten the purse strings. To reduce the amount of money that can be spent. 勒紧钱袋。减少可支配的钱数。 Example: If we want to go on holiday this year we need to tighten the purse strings a bit. 例如：如果我们今年想去度假，就需要省点钱。

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If something is poor quality you can't do much to improve it. 猪耳朵做不出丝绸钱包。如果某样东西的质量很差，你就无法做出太大的改进。 Example: Alice knew that her cheap handbag wouldn't last very long, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. 例如：爱丽丝知道她的廉价手提包用不了多久，小菜一碟。

Filthy rich. Extremely rich. 超级有钱。极其有钱。 Example: Most well-known technology CEOs are filthy rich. 例如：大多数知名科技公司的 CEO 都非常富有。

To rob Peter to pay Paul. To borrow money from one person to pay back money you borrowed from someone else. 拆东墙补西墙。从一个人那里借钱来偿还从另一个人那里借的钱。 Example: If you keep robbing Peter to pay Paul, you'll never be out of debt. 例子：如果你一直拆东墙补西墙，你就永远也还不清债务。

To strike it rich. To suddenly become rich. 一夜暴富。突然变得富有。 Example: The entrepreneur struck it rich in the computer business. 例如：这位企业家因计算机生意而发了大财。

To spend money like water. To spend too much. 挥霍无度。花钱如流水。 Example: If you spend money like water, you'll always be broke. 例子：如果你花钱如流水，你就会一直身无分文。

To spend a penny. To use a toilet. 花一分钱。上厕所。 Example: Excuse me, I must go and spend a penny. 例如：对不起，我必须去花一分钱。

To have your fingers in the till. To steal money from the place where you work. 把手指伸进收银机。从你工作的地方偷钱。 Example: The shop assistant had her fingers in the till, that's why she lost her job. 例如：这位售货员把手指伸进了收银机，这就是她丢掉工作的原因。

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