又中又英｜Dusting off the welcome mat

Will the world return to a pre-pandemic normal now that China too has opened its borders and cancelled Covid restrictions? China was a holdout while other countries, one by one, tried to get back to normal. The word “holdout” refers to a person, organization, or country that continues to do something. As the world’s second largest economy, China’s opening-up will have a huge impact globally. Some countries popular with mainland tourists are already dusting off the welcome mat. They hope mainland tourists will return in droves.

To dust off something means to prepare something for use after it has not been used for a long time. A mat is a small piece of carpet some people put outside their front door for people to wipe their shoes before entering their home. A welcome mat is a mat with the word “welcome” written on it. It is put on the floor outside the front door to use as a mat as well as to say welcome to visitors. To return in droves means to return in large numbers. When countries dust off their welcome mats, it doesn’t mean they literally prepare a welcome mat after a long time or put out a real welcome mat.

It just means they want to welcome back people. I hope the world will return to a pre-pandemic normal, but I don’t think it will happen in the short term. Millions have died, the global economy is unstable, and many business executives are still holding meetings online instead of face to face. Countries will have to live in a new normal for now, but I think the old normal will return one day.

现在中国亦已开放边境，取消了新冠病毒防疫措施，世界会否重回世纪疫症前的正轨？之前当其他国家逐一尝试重返正常生活之时，中国还是个 holdout—— holdout一字是指顽固坚持去做某事、拒不妥协的一个人、机构又或国家。作为全球第二大经济体，中国开关对于全世界将会带来巨大的影响。一些受中国内地旅客欢迎的国家，已摩拳擦掌，扬出那张“欢迎光临”的门垫（dusting off the welcome mat）。他们都希望中国内地的旅客会联群结队地归来（return in droves）。

To dust off something是指把某事搁置了一段长时间后，重新复习或预备。A mat就是一些人放在正门外的一块小地毯，让人进家门前可以擦拭鞋底。A welcome mat就是写有“欢迎”、“welcome”字样的门垫（mat），它是放在正门外的地上，作为门垫（mat）之用，同时也用来欢迎访客。To return in droves是指一大群地蜂拥回来。当那些国家 dust off their welcome mats，并不是指他们真的把那张尘封日久的欢迎垫（welcome mat）重新拿出来拍去灰尘，又或铺出一张真正的“欢迎光临”地毯（welcome mat）来。

那只是指他们想欢迎人们回来。我希望世界可以重返世纪疫症前的正轨，但我不认为那会在短期内发生。数以百万计的人病殁，全球经济不稳，许多企业行政人员仍然选择上网而不是面对面开会。现时各国都需要活在新常态之中，但我认为终有一天，我们会回到旧常态之中。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻