又中又英｜Sticker Shock

Every time I return to HK, I am struck dumb by how expensive it has become. One of the first things I do when I arrive in Hong Kong is put one or two thousand dollars into my Octopus card for transportation and supermarket shopping. But the one or two thousand dollars seem to vanish into thin air after just several visits to the supermarket. I get sticker shock whenever I look at prices in supermarkets and restaurants. Before my recent return to Hong Kong, I was in Taipei for two months. Money in Taiwan goes a long way compared to Hong Kong.

If you are struck dumb, it means you are so shocked or surprised that you can hardly talk. To vanish into thin air means to disappear completely. To get sticker shock means to be surprised or shocked by the high price of something. If money goes a long way, it means you only need to spend a little of it to buy a lot. While in Taipei, I took a friend to a high-end Italian restaurant for dinner. We had a large salad, a large shrimp pizza, and shrimp pasta to share. The bill was just about HK$250.

A similar dinner at a high-end Italian restaurant in Hong Kong would cost about three times that. Money also goes a long way in Taiwan supermarkets. I was pleasantly surprised when I first went to the high-end supermarket in the shopping mall below my Taipei serviced apartment. I bought a bottle of single malt whiskey, cereal, fruit, milk, lettuce, and potato chips. It cost less than HK$300!

每一次回到香港，这里的物价飞升得有多高，都把我吓得哑口无言（struck dumb）。我抵港首先做的其中一件事，就是放一二百元进八达通卡，作为交通和超市购物之用。但我只是去了几次超市，那一二百元便已烟消云散（vanish into thin air）。每次我看着超市和餐厅的价钱牌，都会得到「价格冲击」（sticker shock）。最近这次回港前，我待在台北两个月。对比香港，在台湾的钱就很够用（goes a long way）。

若你是 struck dumb，那即是你震惊得哑口无言。To vanish into thin air就是消失得无影无踪。To get sticker shock的意思是对于价格高昂感到震惊。若money goes a long way，它的意思是你只花很少的钱便能买到很多东西。在台北的时候，我带了一个朋友去高档的意大利餐厅吃晚饭。我们叫了一大碟沙律、一个大的虾薄饼，以及一个虾意大利面，最后埋单也不过250港元。

要在香港的高档意大利餐厅吃这样的一餐，可要三倍的价钱了。一丁点钱也能在台湾超市花很久（goes a long way）。在台北我住的服务式住宅，楼下商场有间高档次的超市，我第一次赚物的时候很惊喜，因为我买了一瓶单一麦芽威士忌、谷物早餐、水果、牛奶、生菜和薯片，总额也不用300港元！

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻