美国文化脱口秀 第404期:真不能跟外国人谈钱吗?

这周，大家都在讨论12万是否算高收入，中国的情况我们就不多说了。说说美国吧!怎么样在美国算高收入?美国人谈钱、谈收入真的这么难以启齿?

关键词：

工资：income，salary还是wage?

这些词都可以，不过每个的用法有区别：

Salary: 工资

多用于annual salary (年收入、年薪)

Wage: 工资

多用于hourly wage (小时薪酬)

Income: 收入

多用于monthly or annual income (月或年收入)

Make money 赚钱

We don't really talk about salaries. Too sensitive: 美国人真的互相不太聊工资、聊收入，很敏感

But when we do: 不过如果问，可以这样问：

Q:

How much do you make a month/a year?

What's the pay like?

A：

I make xxx.

The pay is (good) or (bad).

This topic makes most people uncomfortable and awkward: 这个话题让大多数人很不自在、很尴尬

Makes you seem very nosy if you ask: 如果你问，别人会觉得你很爱管闲事

美国，6位数是高薪

这几天，大家都在讨论的“12万”这个数字，英语怎么说?

正式：

120,000: a hundred twenty thousand

口语：

120 grand: a hundred twenty grand

120 K: a hundred twenty K

虽然美国人不太会谈具体的收入数字，但是会说大概范围：

A 5-figure salary: 5位数年薪

A 6-figure salary: 6位数年薪

If you make 6 figures, it's something to brag about: 如果有6位数年薪，那也值得夸耀

Most Americans don't make 6 figures: 大多数美国人都没有6位数年薪

"高收入"怎么说?

最口语的3种说法：

Someone makes a high salary: 收入不错

Someone makes a lot: 赚很多钱、收入高

You're doing pretty well for yourself: 收入不错哦

正式的说法：

High income earner: 高收入者

It's too formal. We don't use it in daily life: 太正式了，口语里不会这么说

税前、税后、到手

Gross income (before tax): 税前收入

Net income (after tax): 税后收入

还有一个很形象的说法

Take-home salary/pay: 到手收入

存钱、储蓄

To save up (动词)

Savings (名词)

It's hard to have savings nowadays: 现在要存钱真难

外国人怎么谈收入?

You don't talk about salary with mere acquaintances: 一般性的熟人不会谈

It's a very private and sensitive issue: 总之是个特别私人、敏感的话题

真不能跟外国人谈钱吗?

#1.好朋友能谈吗?With close friends

We usually talk about what we do, not the salary: 和朋友之间谈工作，主要是聊在做什么事, 不是工资

I don't know how much most of my friends make: 我不知道我好朋友的收入水平

但有一种情况下，美国人会和朋友谈工资：

If you're looking for work in the same industry: 如果你找工作，那个行业正好是你朋友从事的

You can ask them for advice to make sure you don't get the short end of the stick: 可以问一下工资建议，确保自己不吃亏

But don't ask the exact amount: 但也不会问具体的数字

Salary range: 大概的工资范围

Ballpark figure: 大概的范围，ballpark是口语的说法

#2.男女朋友呢?With your boyfriend or girlfriend

Only if you're in a steady relationship: 除非是关系特别稳定的

Maybe you're heading towards marriage: 有结婚打算的

People who just started dating don't talk about their salaries: 刚开始恋爱的，不会谈收入

#3.家人之间呢?With your own family

You talk about it with your parents and siblings: 和父母、兄弟姐妹会聊

Maybe not always the exact figure: 有时也不是具体的数字

The first time I realized how much my parents made was during college application: 我第一次意识到我父母的工资是申请大学的时候

You have to put in your parents' income to see if you qualify for grants and scholarships: 要填父母收入情况，看你是否有资格申请助学金、奖学金

#4.美国夫妻怎么管钱?With your husband and wife

In China, a lot of husbands give part of their salary to their wives: 在中国，很多先生会把收入的一大部分交给太太

The wife manages the household expenses: 太太会管理家用开支

Most married American couples have a joint bank account: 很多美国夫妻会有一个联名账户

It's a pool of money: 把钱都集中起来

But each person still has their separate card and access: 但是夫妻各自有自己的卡，和独立使用的权限

#5.要付父母房租?Pay rent to your parents

Most Americans think adults shouldn't live with their parents: 大多数美国人觉得, 成年后要从家里搬出去

Adults should be independent: 成年了，要独立

But many people are moving back or never leave home because rent is so expensive: 但是现在，越来越多的人搬回去跟爸妈住，因为租金太贵了

Most parents will ask their children to contribute a fixed amount each month: 很多父母会让孩子每个月付一笔固定的钱

To cover utilities, groceries: 贡献水电费、吃的喝的

In China, we also give part of our salaries to our parents: 在中国，我们也会给父母工资的一部分

But they save it up for us: 但是爸爸妈妈会帮我们存起来