tighten your belt 可不是你裤子松了

tighten your belt

含义

短语 "tighten your belt" 并不是指字面意义上的“你的裤子松了，需要勒紧裤腰带”，而是指的是在生活或经济上遇到困难时，节省开支，减少花费，节衣缩食。这个短语起源于大萧条时期，当时人们因为贫穷，体重减轻，裤子也变得松弛，不得不勒紧裤腰带。 例子：由于背负了房贷，小明不得不勒紧裤腰带了，出门尽量坐公交而不是打车，以此来减少开支。

例句

• With the economic downturn, many families had to tighten their belts.
  由于经济下滑，许多家庭不得不节衣缩食。
• With the recent job cuts, we've all had to tighten our belts and reduce our spending.
  最近由于裁员，我们都不得不勒紧裤腰带，减少开支。
• After the financial crisis hit, many businesses had to tighten their belts to survive.
  金融危机来袭后，许多企业不得不勒紧裤腰带以求生存。
• The government is tightening its belt with a series of budget cuts.
  政府正通过一系列预算削减来勒紧裤腰带。
• Now that I'm retired, I have to tighten my belt and live on a fixed income.
  现在我退休了，我必须勒紧腰带，靠固定的收入生活。
• If you plan to save for a house, you might need to tighten your belt and give up some luxuries.
  如果你打算存钱买房，你可能需要勒紧裤腰带，放弃一些奢侈品。

起源

tighten your belt这个短语起源于20世纪大萧条时期的美国。当时股市崩盘，各行各业都非常惨淡。底层人们负担不起食物，忍饥挨饿，导致体重下降裤子变松弛，不得不勒紧裤腰带过日子。