提高工作词汇量吗？在本学习指南中，将带您了解最有用的商业成语。我们列出了 45 个具有清晰定义和示例的商务英语常用用语，以帮助您对自己的商务英语充满信心。我们开始吧！

许多英语学生都在为电话英语对话和商业习语而苦恼。在本学习指南中，从我自己的商业工作经验中提供了一些有用的提示和事实。

商务英语习语列表

Back to the drawing board 从头开始

当计划或想法在业务中出错时，公司需要考虑新的计划或想法。因此，必须回到开始，意思是需要制定新的想法或计划。

That new range of beers we introduced in the bar to attract new customers had no effect. We need more customers so we need to go back to the drawing board and come up with some fresh ideas!

A ballpark figure 大概数字

在商业中，人们总是想知道某样东西的成本是多少。通常，他们想要立即获得信息，这可能是在任何适当的信息可用之前。因此，大致数字是使用早期可用的所有信息对某物可能成本的猜测或最佳估计。

I know that you don’t have all the information ready, but just give me a ballpark figure for what you think it will cost to build the new football stadium.

To be in good shape 状态很好

处于良好状态是一个习惯用语，用来表示公司做得很好并且很健康。这个成语也可以用来形容人、团队或情况。

• How’s the company doing at the moment?
• We’re in very good shape thanks; profits are excellent. The situation is much better than this time last year when our financials were not in good shape at all.

To be loaded 富裕或富有

to be loaded 是一个非正式的成语，意思是某人很有钱。同义词包括wealthy或者well off 在英国，也可以说to be minted

My boss is loaded! He comes to work in a different sports car every day.

To be broke破产

To be broke是“to be loaded”的反义词。这意味着没有可用的钱。破产并不等同于“穷Poor”。贫穷是一种普遍且永久的情况，而破产则更为暂时。有时这个成语会延伸到flat broken。

I can’t afford to lose this job! If I do, I’ll be flat broke.

破产有几个同义词——你可以说I’m skint或I’m in the red。如果你有一点钱，但不够买东西，那么你可以说I’m a little short at the moment。因此，如果您short，您的财务状况会比broke时稍好一些。

To break the bank太贵,花钱太多

破产意味着花很多钱，所以你剩下的钱就很少了。我们经常用这个成语来否定它，以表明我们有能力购买某物或物有所值。

Manchester United have just broken the bankand bought Paul Pogba from Juventus for £90 million.

To bring something to the table/party能带来什么有价值的东西

当你把东西带到餐桌上（或派对）时，你就为谈话、计划或项目贡献了一些有用的东西

We have employed outside consultants because we hope that their knowledge and expertise will bring something new to the table.

The big picture大局

在商业中，当人们谈论“大局”时，他们指的是概括的总体情况。“大局”是最重要的事情，你不提任何其他细节。

Our customers tend to just look at the big picture and don’t bother with the technical details. Is the new version of our product better than the last one – yes or no?

To cook the books造假账

To cook the books是一个成语，意思是以不诚实或非法的方式改变公司的财务状况。经常做账的会计要么偷公司的东西，要么掩盖自己的错误，不让别人看到。

Sam had to lie and cook the books in order to fool the shareholders into thinking the company was still making a profit.

To corner the market垄断市场

To corner the market是一个成语，意思是在销售产品或服务方面比所有其他公司更成功。这也意味着购买如此多的一个行业公司的股票（或购买如此多的全球商品供应），以至于价格可以被操纵。

Snack Co. has really cornered the fast food market. They have a branch in every town in the country!

To cut corners 偷工减料

当一家公司生产的产品或提供的服务看起来很便宜或质量很差时，通常是因为它没有使用最好的材料或只做所需的绝对最低限度。我们称这种方法为偷工减料；以尽可能低的成本或努力生产某种东西，但以牺牲质量为代价。

It’s well known that Toy Corp. cuts corners nowadays. In the past, their products had such a high-quality feel to them, but now they just look cheap.

To call the shots 作最后决定、下命令

发号施令的人是负责并告诉其他人该做什么的人。因此，通常是老板发号施令。

The directors call the shot sand nothing happens without their consent.

Cutthroat 竞争残酷的

Cutthroat是一个形容词，意思是在商业世界的情况下完全无情。人们会不择手段地赢得胜利，不会同情他人或妥协。

*The competition between the 3 clothing stores in the shopping mall is absolutely cutthroat. *

To do something by the book 照章办事

当你按部就班地做某事时，你会严格遵守所有的规则和指导方针。我们也可以说遵循关于指示的信函。

There was a queue and it took ages to reach the customer service desk. The clerk worked very slowly and* did everything by the book*. It was very frustrating!

The elephant in the room 明明存在的问题，却被人刻意的回避及无视的情形

这个成语用于商业，但也用于日常生活。它意味着每个人都知道但没有人愿意谈论的重要或大主题。这是因为这个话题让每个人都感到不舒服。

A number of fashion chains are under scrutiny because there are rumours that their factories use illegal immigrants and treat the staff very badly. But when discussing their great business profits, these rumours are certainly the elephant in the room.

To fall on hard times 陷入困境

如果一家公司陷入困境，它就会陷入财务困境（以前相当繁荣）。这也适用于人。

BlackBerry used to be a market leader in phones, but nowadays the company has really fallen on hard times . In the past, BlackBerry was just as successful as Apple is today. But the company failed to move with the times, and people stopped buying their products.

To firefight交火

在商业中，交火意味着快速处理紧急问题，而不是以冷静或计划的方式。因此，通常发生在您忙于日常活动时，突然出现其他必须紧急处理的问题。

We have so much going on at the moment that we can’t deal with everything properly. We’re just firefighting to keep our heads above water!

To be in freefall 自由落体

自由落体是商业中用作形容词的术语，用于描述快速下降的事物。股价、资产价值、销售额或客户数量之类的东西有时会在快速下跌时被称为自由落体。

这个形容词的另一种选择是使用像“plunge暴跌”或“plummet坠落”这样的动词，这也意味着非常快地下降。

The price of oil went into freefall at the beginning of the covid crisis when all the airlines stopped flying.

A game plan 行动方案

A game plan 是一个更长的表达计划的方式。它倾向于在体育、政治和商业环境中使用。实际上，游戏计划和计划完全是一回事！

We increased our market share by sticking to the game plan that we created last year.

To get/bring (someone) up to speed 跟上进度

跟上进度（或让某人跟上进度）意味着掌握所有可用信息，以便您可以尽可能有效地完成工作。

I guess I should bring you up to speed on what’s happened since I came to see you yesterday.

*I need to get up to speed on the latest developments before I write the research paper. *

To get down to business 言归正传

To get down to business是一个表达，意思是开始一项任务或开始谈论一个特定的主题。 OK, everyone has arrived for our planning meeting. Let’s get down to business!

To go through the roof 超过了最高极限

在商业中，当某件事物超所值时，它会以极快的速度增长。该术语用于价格或销售等事物。可以使用具有相同含义的其他动词。例如，翱翔或射击。

When the new iPhone was released, there was so much demand that sales went through the roof.

To have money to burn 有用不完的钱

如果某人被描述为有钱可烧，那么该人（或公司）会在大多数人认为不必要的事情上花费大量金钱。此表达式通常与“必须”一起使用。

*Joe stayed in a luxury cabin for 28 nights on his world cruise, and when he got back, he bought a Ferrari. He must have money to burn! *

To be in the loop 参与其中

To be in the loop意味着您拥有有关特定主题的所有相关和最新信息。当某人离开一段时间并且同事需要让他/她了解所有新信息时，它通常在业务中使用。

Welcome back from your holiday Kevin. I’ve called this meeting to keep you* in the loop** on what happened last week, so you understand all the problems we’re facing.*

A knockdown price 减至最低的价格

当某样东西卖得很便宜时，它可以被描述为最低价格。这通常发生在卖家很快需要钱或产品供过于求的时候。这两种情况都会迫使价格下跌。

*I’ve just bought a second-hand Mercedes. I got it for a **knockdown price **as the owner was desperate to sell and needed the money today. *

有多种描述廉价购买东西的方式。除了knockdown price，您还可以将其描述为a bargain或a great deal。非正式地，您也可以说a giveaway, a snip, a steal或a rock-bottom price。

To line your pockets昧着良心赚钱

To line your pockets是一种表达方式，意思是不诚实地从你工作的人或组织那里赚钱。这通常是通过收取远远超过工作价值的费用来完成的。

The normal rate they should have charged was 1%, but they actually charged 3%. For a number of years they lined their pockets and became very rich!

To live within/beyond your means量入为出/量入为出

量入为出，意味着只花你赚到的钱，不借任何钱。入不敷出，意味着过一种比你挣的钱更贵的生活方式，所以你必须借（或偷！）钱来资助它。

He always has some money left at the end of the month and so lives within his means.

He was always seen in luxury cars, expensive restaurants and fancy clothes. He didn’t have a well-paid job, so he must have been living beyond his means.

To learn the ropes 掌握诀窍

To learn the ropes是一个成语，意思是学习如何完成任务或工作。

It took the new recruit a couple of months to learn the ropes at Snack Co.

英语习语通常有有趣的起源。例如，learning the ropes源于新水手必须学习如何打结和处理大型帆船桅杆的所有绳索。

To have a lot on your plate自顾不暇

To have a lot on your plate 是一个成语，意思是你有很多事情要做并且很忙。

I’m sorry but I can’t help you move house this weekend as I’ve a lot on my plate at work this month.

Money for old rope 容易赚钱 便宜事儿

Money for old rope是一个成语，用来形容不费吹灰之力就赚到的钱。当成本令人惊讶或您想抱怨某事的成本时，会使用它。

The lawyer charged me £100 for a 30-minute consultation, and he didn’t tell me anything that I didn’t already know. That’s* money for old rope!***

A money-spinner摇钱树

A money-spinner是一种被证明非常有利可图并产生大量现金的产品或服务。时不时地，企业会拥有非常成功的产品，并且会尝试尽可能长时间地保持该产品的运行时间。同义词包括 cash cow 和 golden goose。

In the 1990’s Pierre Omidyar launched a website called Auctionweb. It was very profitable and became a real money-spinner. Soon it changed its name to Ebay!

To be on the same page 维持生计

如果一家公司能够维持生计，这意味着它几乎有足够的资金来维持交易。因此，当公司开始遇到财务困难时，维持生计是主要目标。

That’s great! We are all on the same page on this matter. I’m glad we all agree.

To put something on the backburner 将某事暂时放在一边

当我们想买东西而且它很贵时，我们可以将某事暂时放在一边。它适用于我们想要一些东西并且我们不介意它要花多少钱的时候。这可以说是defer，delay和shelve。

*The directors have decided to put the Alpha Project on the backburner, and come back to it in six months’ time. *

To pull the plug (on something)终止

To pull the plug 意味着公司决定停止向业务或项目投入资金，结果将停止运营。

*Management have decided that the loss-making operation in Scotland cannot continue in business. They are pulling the plug on it, and it will close in six weeks’ time. *

To pay through the nose出高价，花大价钱

To pay through the nose is 意思是为产品或服务付出太多（多付）。付款人被产品供应商利用。

*When our Chinese supplier failed to deliver on time, we had to pay through the nose for spare parts from domestic providers! *

Red tape繁文缛节; 官僚作风;

Red tape 是一个成语，指有许多必须遵守的规则和规定。当这些规则和条例来自官方或政府部门时，使用的词是官僚主义。

Our organisation can help you to navigate all the red tape in obtaining a business visa to visit the UK.

A rule of thumb经验之谈

A rule of thumb 是用于描述一般准则或规则的成语，可以很容易地学会适用于特定情况。经验法则简短易懂，可以让人们应用简单的解决方案。

When you are working in the financial sector, as a rule of thumb, you should always stay up-to-date on the current market situation.

To stump up 付清，掏腰包

To stump up 意味着为某事支付或找到钱。这是非正式的，特别是在这个人不想付钱的时候使用。

My boss is tight with money. I’m not sure how to tell him he’ll need to stump up nearly £5,000 for new office furniture!

实际上，当我们真的不想付款时，我们可以使用一些非正式的表达方式来代替“支付”：to fork out、to shell out和to cough up。另一个有用的非正式表达方式是to chip in。这意味着为某事支付少量费用，其他人也分担费用。

To stay afloat 维持生计

如果一家公司能够维持生计，这意味着它几乎有足够的资金来维持交易。因此，当公司开始遇到财务困难时，维持生计是主要目标。

Things are not looking good. Sales are down and our overheads are going up. We need to concentrate on staying afloat!

To splash out随意地花钱

当我们想买东西而且它很贵时，心血来潮或随意地花钱。它适用于我们想要一些东西并且我们不介意它要花多少钱的时候。这可以说是一次奢侈的购买。

Snack Co. has just splashed out on a luxury office building in downtown New York.

Teetering on the brink在边缘摇摇欲坠

意思是非常接近正在发生的事情，这通常是大而坏的。To teeter 是一个非常不寻常的动词，您通常只会看到它与“on the brink of”或“on the edge of”等词一起使用。

*Before it went into liquidation, Zamora PLC had been teetering on the brinkof (the edge of) insolvency for a couple of years. *

To tide (somebody) over使（某人）渡过难关

To tide over 是帮助某人度过困难时期，尤其是在经济援助方面。

Winter clothing company Murray PLC has just borrowed an extra £2m from the bank in order* to tide it over *during the summer months.

有许多短语可以用来表示与To tide over。这些包括：’to keep the wolf from the door，to keep your head above water，to see somebody through and to bridge the gap。

To take your eye off the ball / To keep your eye on the ball 不注意，不小心

To take your eye off the ball意味着不注意最重要的事情。在商业中，这通常用于因没有跟上市场而关闭的公司。 把注意力集中在球上意味着恰恰相反——持续关注最重要的事情。在商业中，它用于描述因不断变化和适应市场而不断取得成功的公司。

Kodak took its eye off the ball in the 1990’s. This resulted in one of the biggest companies in the world going bankrupt!

To touch base摸底

To touch base意味着与某人联系以获取有关情况的更新。这是非常简短的联系，只是为了快速获取信息，或者在一段时间没有联系后打个招呼。

*I’ve not seen my client Zamora PLC for several months and I’d like to know how their business is going. I’m going to visit them today just to touch base. *

To weather the storm度过难关

To weather the storm意味着以尽可能小的损失在非常困难且具有潜在破坏性的情况下幸存下来。这种表达方式在商业中使用得相当多。

People buy newspapers less nowadays because there is so much news on the internet. The Times newspaper has* weathered the storm** by setting up its own radio station and online news service. *

结论

想提高您在商业和金融领域工作的英语水平吗？你来对地方了！我们经验丰富的教师提供定制的一对一培训，以快速建立您的信心和流利程度。立即联系我们 进行免费咨询，了解我们如何帮助您实现职业目标。