Black Friday 黑色星期五，又称黑色购物节，起始于1950年代，原本是在美国感恩节后 ( 11月的第3个星期四 ) 的第1天，店家会在这一天提前降价、抢先开卖耶诞商品，黑色也象征着获利，后来就成为美国民众在年底这段期间的重要采购日，而这股风潮也逐渐蔓延到全世界，成为零售与电商年终的重头商战之一。
Sale：拍卖
Buy one, get one free：买一送一
Discount：折扣
这几个字于电视广告、卖场、购物中心、商店几乎无所不在，各店家几乎都是花招尽出，吸引消费者的注意，强力鼓动消费欲望。然而除了这几个耳熟能详，甚至可朗朗上口的的字句外，还有一些和购物、消费、交易相关的说法， 今天也借这个主题一起来了解。
Belly up : 破产、倒闭
– When a business goes belly up, it’s bankrupt.
The business went belly up after only one year.
这家公司开了1年后就破产了
– Blow a deal : 搞砸一桩交易
– It means that the business deal won’t be going ahead.
We can’t afford to blow a deal with the new client. It will be a big loss to our company.
我们承受不起搞砸和新客户的交易，那将是公司的大损失
– Cut a deal : 达成协议或交易
– Come to an arrangement, especially in business; make a deal
A Germany company has reportedly cut a deal to produce software for government agencies.
据称一家德国公司已在为政府部门生产软体上达成交易
– Learning curve : 学习曲线，用以说明学习新工作或新技术，或对两者上手的难易程度。
– The process where people develop a skill by learning from their mistakes.
Mandy found that she has a steep learning curve in her new job.
Mandy 发现在她的新工作上需要花很多的时间和努力才能熟练上手
– Mean business : 认真严肃的，决心要达成目标
– Be serious, be focused on achieving a goal or an objective.
I could tell from the look on his face that he meant business.
从他脸上的表情我看得出来，他是认真的
– Put the cats among pigeons : 表示语言或行为造成轩然大波
– Do something that causes trouble or make a lot of people worried or angry.
The chairman didn’t realize that he put the cat among the pigeons with his last speech. 主席没意识到他上次的演讲引起了轩然大波
– Red tape : 表示繁文缛节、官僚作风
– Official rules and regulations that seem unnecessary or cause delay
It will take weeks to get through the red tape.
办完这些繁琐的手续得需要几个星期的时间
– Sell like hot cakes : 热卖、抢手
– To sell rapidly and in large quantities.
The pineapples and bananas are apparently selling like hot cakes.
凤梨和香蕉显然热卖，很抢手
