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啥是内卷、躺平？驻美大使科普中国热词

Thinking  1.“含着金汤匙出生”用英文怎么说？

                 2.如何理解“not have the luxury to do sth”？

Envoy to US explains the buzz on China

From "people first" and "heroes in harm's way' to "involution", Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang shared popular buzzwords to explain to people in the US the profound changes in China as he encouraged them to visit the country once the pandemic is over.

The phrase, "people first, life first" came from China's fight against the pandemic, a massive nationwide effort（同位语）that meant no place was left behind and no life was given up on."（定语从句）From a 30-hour-old baby to senior citizens over 100 years old, no cost was spared to save a life, and all the treatment was free," the envoy said. "Now the pandemic has been put under effective control in China, and sporadic or cluster cases in a few regions were all curbed 控制抑制very quickly."

Also made popular during China's efforts to control the pandemic was the saying ni xing zhe, or "heroes in harm's way", （倒装）which refers to everyday heroes such as medical professionals, military personnel and firefighters who put their duty before their lives and made sacrifices to fight the pandemic.

Another buzzword, tang ping, or "lie flat", describes Chinese youngsters who have little ambition and do the bare minimum （最低限度）to get by（勉强过活度日）. It turns out that the "lie-flatters" are from well-off families, born with a silver spoon in their mouths, or believe that whatever happens to them, they have basic medical insurance, pension （养老金）and unemployment subsidies （补助金）to fall back on, Qin said.

"This is totally different from previous generations, who didn't have the luxury to 'lie flat', because they had to tighten their belts and work hard to earn a living," he said.

The ambassador told a personal story to illustrate why the government unveiled a policy to address （设法解决）nei juan, or "involution", a buzzword meaning irrational or involuntary （非理性或被自愿）competition, which makes people feel burned out.（疲惫不堪、倦怠）

"I still remember over 10 years ago, my weekends were spent rushing my kid from one training school to another, and the courses he took ranged from math to physics," he said. That's why most parents felt a burden had been lifted （注意时态）when education authorities rolled out (出台政策、..普及) shuang jian, or double reduction. The policy reduced the excessive homework load and after-school tutoring hours for students, giving them more time for sports, play and hobbies.

The ambassador also shared some other buzzwords that he said "reflect the changing and unchanging elements in our values"（中国人价值取向的变与不变 ）as China experiences rapid economic growth and profound social transformation.（深刻的社会变革）

• 1.envoy /ˈenvɔɪ/

• n. 使者；使节；代表
  【释】someone who is sent as a representative from one government or organization to another
  【例1】A U.S. envoy is expected in the region this month to collect responses to the proposal. 一位美国的代表本月将在这个地区收集对该提议的反馈意见。
  【例2】a United Nations special envoy 联合国特使

• 2. buzz /bʌz/

• n. （愉快、兴奋或成就的）强烈情感，嗡嗡声
  【释】a long continuous sound, usually caused by lots of people talking at once. You can use buzz to refer to a word, idea, or activity which has recently become extremely popular.
  【例1】A buzz of excitement filled the courtroom as the defendant was led in. 被告被带进来时，法庭内充满激动的嘈杂声。
  【例2】There is a real buzz around the place. Everyone is excited. 这地方实在充满活力，大家真的很兴奋。

• buzzwords  热词、流行语
  

• 3. be put in harm's way/out of harm's way

• 在危险/安全的地方 （被动）
  【释】sb is placed in a dangerous place or situation/a situation that is safe from harm
  【例1】The children will be here soon - you'd better put that plate out of harm's way. 孩子们很快就会来这里——你最好把盘子放在安全的地方。
  【例2】These reporters put themselves in harm's way to shed light on important stories of our time. 这些记者不顾个人安危奔赴前线，报道我们这个时代最重要的故事。

• involution 内卷      profound changes 深刻变化

• people first, life first 人民至上，生命至上   

• a massive nationwide effort 举全国之力的大规模行动

• given up on sb. 放弃某人   

• sporadic   /spəˈrædɪk/  SYN intermittent 偶尔发生的、断断续续的

• 4. leave no stone unturned (No stone is left unturned.)

• 千方百计，竭尽所能，想尽办法

• 5. sporadic /spəˈrædɪk/

• adj. 偶尔发生的；阵发性的；断断续续的
  【释】happening sometimes; not regular or continuous
  【例1】sporadic gunfire 零星的炮火
  【例2】a sporadic electricity supply 不稳定的电力供应

【例3】More than 100 people have been killed this year in sporadic outbursts of ethnic violence. 今年有超过100人在零星爆发的种族暴力中丧生。  the bare minimum to get by低欲望生活

6.born with a silver spoon in your mouth 出生于富贵人家

【释】to have a high social position and be rich from birth
【例】Even if you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, it doesn't follow that you are intelligent or you will be happy all through your life. 即便你生于富贵之家，并不意味着你天资聪颖或者你一生都是幸福的。

• 7.

  fall back on

  借助于；依赖，依靠
  【释】to use something, especially a form of financial support, when other things have failed; to have recourse to something when in difficulty
  【例1】When the business failed, we had to fall back on our savings. 公司倒闭后，我们只得靠积蓄度日。
  【例2】If I lose my job, I'll have nothing to fall back on. 我要是丢了工作，就什么指望都没有了。

• 8.

  not have the luxury /ˈlʌkʃəri/  to do sth

  没有条件去做某事
  【释】it is beyond one's means to get to do/have something
  【例】We must press on, and do so knowing that we do not have the luxury of time. 我们必须加紧努力， 而且这样做是因为我们知道我们没有太多的时间。

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• 9.

  tighten one's belts

  勒紧裤腰带
  【释】to spend less than usual in order to save money
  【例】They can only tighten their belts and spend less on food and clothing. 他们唯有节衣缩食才能度日。

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