大家好！欢迎回来MaoMi Chinese！
在两年前，MaoMi Chinese聊过“双十一购物节”。双十一，意思是两个十一，十一月十一日，每一年在这一天，中国都会有一个购物节。有点像美国的黑色星期五购物节。在这一天，很多人都会买很多东西。可是，今年的双十一购物节有点儿不太一样。人们都开始消费降级了。什么是消费降级？人们为什么开始消费降级？今天，我们一起来聊一聊吧。
几年前，人们一直在消费升级。消费，意思是买东西，花钱。消费升级，意思是买更好、更贵的东西。在过去的十几年里，中国的经济非常好，人们的工资也一年比一年高。当人们有钱的时候，人们会想要买更好，更贵的东西，会想要买更大的房子，更贵的车，这就是消费升级。但是，到了2020年，因为新冠疫情，很多人没有了工作，也有很多人的工资少了，这时候，就不能消费升级，只能消费降级了。消费降级，和消费升级相反，意思是人们少买东西，也买更便宜的东西。
每年的双十一，线上和线下的商店都会打折。有些打八折，有些打五折，甚至有些打三折，也有些买一送一，买二送一，等等。你去中国的市场买东西的时候，也可以问“打个折呗，好不好”。
以前，人们都会“剁手”买东西。“剁手”，不是真的要剁自己的手，这是一个玩笑，意思是人们看到很多商店打折，总是忍不住去买东西，买完了以后，又觉得很后悔，觉得不需要这个东西，开玩笑说要把自己的手剁掉，以后再也不买了。现在，人们不愿意“剁手”买东西了。现在，人们常常货比三家，买物美价廉的东西。货比三家，意思是买东西以前，先去不同的商店，比较以后，再决定买哪一个商店的东西。物美价廉，意思是东西很好也很便宜。现在，因为很多人的工资比以前少了，所以他们常常货比三家，只买物美价廉的东西。
也有很多年轻人都喜欢薅羊毛。薅羊毛，不是真的薅羊的毛，而是买最划算的东西。消费降级以后，很多年轻人再也不会被割韭菜。割韭菜，也不是真的去割韭菜这种蔬菜，而是被骗了。比如，看了这个广告以后，我去买了减肥药，结果一点儿用都没有，我才知道，我被割韭菜了。
你的国家有没有购物节？人们还喜欢购物吗？还是已经消费降级了？你是薅羊毛的人，还是被割韭菜的人呢？欢迎在评论区和我们分享哦！
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to MaoMi Chinese!
Two years ago, MaoMi Chinese discussed the "Double Eleven Shopping Festival." Double Eleven, meaning November 11th, is a shopping festival that occurs in China every year on this day. It's somewhat similar to the Black Friday shopping festival in the United States. On this day, many people buy a lot of things. However, this year's Double Eleven shopping festival is a bit different. People have started to practice "consumption downgrade." What is consumption downgrade? Why are people starting to practice consumption downgrade? Today, let's chat about it together.
In the past few years, people have been experiencing consumption upgrade. Consumption, meaning buying things, spending money. Consumption upgrade means buying better and more expensive things. In the past decade, China's economy has been doing very well, and people's salaries have been increasing year by year. When people have money, they want to buy better and more expensive things, such as bigger houses, more expensive cars – that's consumption upgrade. However, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs, and many others experienced salary cuts. At that point, they couldn't afford to upgrade their consumption, and they had to practice consumption downgrade. Consumption downgrade, the opposite of consumption upgrade, means people buy fewer things and opt for cheaper items.
Every year on Double Eleven, both online and offline stores offer discounts. Some offer 20% off, some 50% off, and even some with 70% off. Some stores offer buy one get 1 free, buy 2 get 1 free, and so on. When you go shopping in markets in China, you can try to ask ‘Could you offer me a discount.’
In the past, people used to "chop their hands" buying things. "Chop hands" doesn't mean actually chopping off one's hands; it's a metaphor. It means people couldn't resist buying things when they saw many businesses offering discounts. After buying, they often regretted their purchases, feeling like they didn't need those items. Jokingly, they said they would chop off their hands so they wouldn't buy again. Nowadays, people are less willing to "chop hands" and instead compare prices and buy cost-effective items. Comparing prices before buying is known as "comparing three stores," and cost-effective means both good quality and affordable prices. Nowadays, due to reduced salaries for many people, they often compare prices and only buy cost-effective items.
There are also many young people who like to engage in "sheep shearing" (薅羊毛). Sheep shearing doesn't involve real sheep; it means buying the most cost-effective items. After consumption downgrade, many young people are no longer willing to be "harvested like leeks." Harvesting leeks doesn't mean literally harvesting vegetable leeks; it means being deceived. For example, after seeing an advertisement, I bought weight loss pills, but they turned out to be useless. That's when I realized I had been harvested like leeks.
Does your country have a shopping festival? Do people still enjoy shopping, or have they also embraced consumption downgrade? Are you someone who engages in "sheep shearing," or have you been "harvested like leeks"? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
Another interesting contemporary topic. I’m impressed by your podcasts: there’s a good range of topics, the level of difficulty is pitched just right for me as an intermediate learner, your delivery speed is also just right, and you have a voice that is easy on the ear. I’ve only come across your podcasts in the last few weeks. I regret not knowing about Maomi Chinese much earlier – but with more than 140 podcasts, I have plenty to keep me going. You’re providing a great service. 加油 加油 ⛽️
谢谢老师。我就刚刚发现你的播客。为我的听力水平很适合
太好了，希望对你有用！