又中又英｜Pale in comparison with something else

By the time you read this, I will be in Taiwan where I have many friends. They are already making plans to wine and dine me. To wine and dine means to entertain people with good wine and food at an expensive restaurant. Eating out in Taiwan is not expensive at all compared with restaurant prices in the US and Hong Kong. I always go to the night markets whenever I am in Taipei. I am not crazy about the different types of food at the night markets. They don’t look appetizing to me. If you are not crazy about something, it means you don’t like it.

I go to Taipei’s night markets just to soak up the atmosphere. To soak up the atmosphere means to observe and enjoy the place where you are in a relaxed way. Taipei’s night markets are always thronging with tourists, especially Hong Kong tourists. If a place is thronging with tourists, it means it is full of tourists. I am not crazy about eating at Taipei’s night markets, but I loved eating at dai pai dongs while growing up in Hong Kong. I loved char siu rice the best.

The Hong Kong government is trying hard to promote night markets but the night markets in Hong Kong pale in comparison with those in Taipei. If something pales in comparison with something else, it means it is not as good. The Hong Kong government should re-create the dai pai dong stalls and night markets I went to when growing up in Hong Kong.

当你读到这里的时候，我已经身在台湾，在这儿我有许多朋友。他们都已经计划好要为我 wine and dine—— to wine and dine是指去在昂贵的餐厅设宴，以美酒佳肴招待人。相比美国和香港的餐厅价格，在台湾外出用餐并不昂贵。每次身处台北，我总是会去夜市。我并不醉心于（not crazy about）夜市各种各样的食物，它们并不很引起我的食欲。若你 are not crazy about something，意即你并不很喜欢某事物。

我去台北的夜市只是为了去 soak up the atmosphere——to soak up the atmosphere意思是以放松的方式去观摩和感受一个地方的氛围。台北的夜市总是聚集了许多游客（thronging with tourists），尤其是香港的游客。若一个地方是 thronging with tourists，意即它满是游客。我并不喜欢（not crazy about）在台北的夜市吃东西，但我在香港长大的时候，却很喜爱在大牌档吃饭。我最爱吃叉烧饭。

香港政府一直努力推广夜市，但香港的夜市pale in comparison with 台北的那些夜市——若某事 pales in comparison with something else，意思即是它相形见绌。香港政府好应重新创建我在香港长大时去的那些大牌档跟夜市。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻