时差N小时 勒紧裤带过日子

In these days of dieting and weight watching, most people would love to be able to tighten¹ their belt after losing a few kilograms. In times when food and jobs were scarce, however, tightening² one's belt was a sign that times were getting worse, and there was simply not enough food to put on the table.

在节食和减肥的日子里，大多数人会因为能够在减去几公斤后收紧腰带而感到高兴。然而，在工作难找和食品匮乏的时代，收紧自己的腰带则代表着生活的日趋艰难——这是因为餐桌上根本就没有足够的食物。

As time passed, this physical act of actually tightening one's belt became a symbolic³ statement, and hence an idiom. This means that today, you can use this expression even if you never wear a belt at all. Now, "tightening one's belt" simply means that the next few weeks or months or years are going to be more difficult, and we may have to work harder to get less.

随着时间的流逝，这样一个“勒紧腰带”的行为变成了象征性的表达方式，并因此成了一个成语。也就是说，如今即使你从来不系腰带，你也可以使用这种表达方式。现在，“勒紧腰带”这种表达方式意味着在未来数周、数月或数年你的生活会更加困难，而且你可能需要干得更多但享受得却更少。

1 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

2 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

3 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。