身穿十块钱一件的T恤，脚蹬九块九的布鞋，每天在菜市场跟人争分夺角… 这样的人，你会把他归入有钱人那一类吗？会，或者不会。这个真的很难说。因为不少有钱人确是不折不扣的cheapskate。

A cheapskate is a stingy person who buys cheap instead of higher quality or better stuff, even though they might be able to afford the better. Perhaps they are ungenerously trying not to spend much on their friends. Not particularly offensive, and often intended to ridicule in a light hearted manner.

Cheapskate指手里有钱却仍然放弃优质货品转而购买廉价物品的“吝啬鬼”。他们可能没什么恶意，只是不愿意在朋友身上花太多钱，有时也是一种轻松的自嘲。

The term is a North American origin. Skate began to appear in print in the US at the end of the nineteenth century, almost simultaneously meaning a worn-out horse, a mean or contemptible person, and a second-rate sportsman. Cheap was added early on to refer to a person’s tight-fisted nature rather than any of his other perceived inadequacies.

这个词来源于北美。Skate这个说法19世纪末期初现于美国，多指驽马、刻薄卑鄙的人，或者二流的运动员。前面加上cheap则表示某人“手紧”的本性，与他后天形成的缺点无关。

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试着做个“潜水艇父母”吧

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen）

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