经济学人短语精选 Vol.014

本期 6 个短语全部出自《经济学人》2026-09-19 期，主题是风险、治理与技术焦虑——从利率如何传导到预算，到大国 AI 实验室之间的互信裂痕，每个都配了原句、解析、拓展例句和造句公式。

本周精选短语（6 个）

• 习语类：tighten one’s belt、in cahoots with、no love lost
• 搭配类：feed through to、in fine fiscal fettle
• 隐喻类：take matters into one’s own hands

短语详解

1. feed through to

类型：搭配（经济类高频动词短语）

释义：逐步传导到；影响到（某一环节、价格或预算）。

原句：

However, they have been shifting towards shorter-term debt, meaning that higher interest rates feed through to budgets more quickly than they did.

解析：

• 经济写作的”传导”专用表达：利率传导到预算、成本传导到物价、汇率传导到出口，都可以用它。
• 与 pass on to 的区别：feed through to 强调”逐渐渗透、最终显现”的过程感，更符合经济学行文。
• 主语通常是价格、利率、成本等抽象变量。

拓展例句：

Higher energy costs will feed through to consumer prices within months.

造句公式：

[Shock/cost/rate] feeds through to [budget/prices/system]

2. tighten one’s belt

类型：习语

释义：勒紧裤腰带；削减开支、过紧日子。

原句：

In Britain it has risen to 2.7% even though the government has tightened its belt.

解析：

• 隐喻画面：腰带往里勒一格 = 花钱更省。主语可以是政府、家庭、企业。
• 常与 even though / as / be forced to 连用，写”虽已节流仍入不敷出”的转折。

拓展例句：

Households tightened their belts as mortgage payments rose.

造句公式：

government/households/firms tighten their belt(s)

3. in fine fiscal fettle

类型：搭配（fettle 一词的短语化用法）

释义：财政状况良好、家底殷实。

原句：

Switzerland, by contrast, is in fine fiscal fettle, with low debt, little inflation and bond yields that have correspondingly stayed low.

解析：

• fine fettle 本义”状态极佳”，加上 fiscal 后变成财经评论里的精致表达。
• 后面接 with + 具体指标（low debt, little inflation…）做支撑，是”判断 + 论据”的标准写法。
• 对比用法：By contrast, X is in fine fiscal fettle, while Y is stretched.（Y 财政吃紧）

拓展例句：

The city is in fine fiscal fettle after years of surpluses.

造句公式：

be in fine fiscal fettle, with + 具体指标

4. in cahoots with

类型：习语（口语化、贬义）

释义：与……勾结、串通一气。

原句：

Too many politicians are in cahoots with them.

解析：

• 比 cooperate with 负面得多，暗示秘密的、不正当的合谋。
• 常见搭配对象：criminals, smugglers, developers, lobbyists——新闻调查报道的高频词。
• 语气偏口语，正式法律文本更常用 in collusion with，两者可对照记忆。

拓展例句：

The official was accused of being in cahoots with smugglers.

造句公式：

be in cahoots with + 不良对象

5. take matters into one’s own hands

类型：隐喻

释义：亲自出手；不等官方、自行解决问题。

原句：

As the state recedes, South Africans are taking matters into their own hands.

解析：

• 核心含义：正式渠道失灵，人们只好自己动手——常隐含无奈甚至风险。
• 原句前半 As the state recedes（随着国家退场）是绝佳的原因铺垫，整句可整体背诵。
• 写治理失灵、信任危机、社区自救都非常顺手。

拓展例句：

When regulators failed to act, consumers took matters into their own hands.

造句公式：

as/when + institution fails/recedes, people take matters into their own hands

6. no love lost

类型：习语（固定否定结构）

释义：彼此不睦、毫无好感（形式否定、意义否定：“没有爱剩下” = 关系差）。

原句：

Not only do the two sides mistrust one another at a geopolitical level; there is also no love lost between American and Chinese labs.

解析：

• 固定句式：There is no love lost between A and B。between 后接双方，缺一不可。
• 历史上有歧义（也曾用来表示”深情不改”），现代用法已统一表示”关系差”。
• 常与 mistrust, rivalry, feud 等词同现，写竞争、对抗关系时是现成的点睛句。

拓展例句：

There is no love lost between the two regulators.

造句公式：

There is no love lost between A and B

应用模板

想表达	用哪个
经济变量传导	A feeds through to B
财政节流	tighten one’s belt
财政健康	in fine fiscal fettle
秘密勾结	be in cahoots with
自救行动	take matters into one’s own hands
关系紧张	no love lost between A and B

串联成段：

As higher rates feed through to budgets, governments tighten their belts. Where the state recedes, people take matters into their own hands—and where officials are in cahoots with criminals, there is no love lost between the public and the police.

翻译练习

汉译英（用上指定短语）：

1. 更高的运输成本会传导到食品价格。（feed through to）
2. 监管失败后，居民开始自行解决问题。（take matters into one’s own hands）
3. 这两家 AI 实验室之间关系并不好。（no love lost）

查看答案

1. Higher transport costs will feed through to food prices.
2. When regulation failed, residents took matters into their own hands.
3. There is no love lost between the two AI labs.