Waste not, want not 是個諺語,意為「勤儉節約,吃穿不缺」,旨在告誡或鼓勵人們平時要勤勞節儉、不要浪費,將來才能衣食無缺。這個慣用語首次出現在 1772 年,但有一個押頭韻 (詩歌中一組詞以發音相同的子音做開頭) 的版本早在 1576 年就已開始在使用,那就是:Willful waste makes woeful want. (恣意的浪費將招致極端的匱乏)。
例句:
- Come on, finish your food, children. Waste not, want not! (孩子們,快點,把食物吃完。勤儉節約,吃穿不缺!)
- Tony never let his leftovers spoil in the refrigerator but made sure to eat them. “Waste not, want not,” he said. (東尼絕不會把剩飯剩菜放在冰箱裡壞掉,他一定會把它們吃掉。他說:「勤儉節約,吃穿不缺」)
- I just hate to throw out good food – waste not, want not. (我就是討厭扔掉好的食物 - 勤儉節約,吃穿不缺)