《中英對照讀新聞》Chinese couples can’t afford a second child－中國夫妻養不起第二胎

中國夫妻養不起第二胎。（路透檔案照）

◎張沛元

Before her son was born, Chen Huijuan was happy to splash out on skincare products, clothing and socializing with friends. Now, she even hesitates to buy a new dress.

兒子出生前，陳惠娟（譯音）樂於在護膚保養品、衣服以及與友人社交上花大錢。現在，她連買件新洋裝都猶豫再三。

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Living in Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province, Chen earns $730 (5,000 yuan) a month as a high school teacher, while her husband makes $2,500 (16,000 yuan) a month working for the sales department of an American company in neighboring Shanghai.

住在江蘇省東部的蘇州的陳惠娟是高中老師，月薪730美元（人民幣5000元），她老公任職於鄰近上海市的一家美商公司的營業部，月薪2500美元（人民幣16000元）。

Raising their 2-year-old, Xiyan, swallows at least a third of the family’s annual income. Comparatively, in the US it costs a similarly positioned family a fifth of their income to raise a child.

養育2歲大的兒子熙彥（譯音）至少吃掉這個家庭3分之1的年收入。相較之下，在美國，類似經濟處境的家庭養1個小孩，只要花5分之1的年收入。

Chen’s financial struggle mirrors the difficulties facing millions of other middle-class families across China, and is a major reason why the ruling Communist Party is struggling to boost the country’s birth rate.

陳惠娟的財務困境，反映出中國各地千百萬的其他中產階級家庭所面臨的困境，也是執政的中國共產黨努力想辦法要提升生育率的主要原因。

《新聞辭典》

splash out something：片語動詞，花大筆的錢；揮霍。例句：She splashed out on a Hermès Birkin bag.（她花大錢買了一個愛馬仕柏金包。）

hesitate：動詞，猶豫，躊躇。例句：My sister never hesitates to tell me when I look fat.（只要我看起來很肥，我姊絕對毫不猶豫讓我知道。）

mirror：動詞，反映，反射。