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.

當你讀到這裏的時候，我已經身在台灣，在這兒我有許多朋友。他們都已經計劃好要為我 wine and dine—— to wine and dine是指去在昂貴的餐廳設宴，以美酒佳餚招待人。相比美國和香港的餐廳價格，在台灣外出用餐並不昂貴。每次身處台北，我總是會去夜市。我並不醉心於（not crazy about）夜市各種各樣的食物，它們並不很引起我的食慾。若你 are not crazy about something，意即你並不很喜歡某事物。

我去台北的夜市只是為了去 soak up the atmosphere——to soak up the atmosphere意思是以放鬆的方式去觀摩和感受一個地方的氛圍。台北的夜市總是聚集了許多遊客（thronging with tourists），尤其是香港的遊客。若一個地方是 thronging with tourists，意即它滿是遊客。我並不喜歡（not crazy about）在台北的夜市吃東西，但我在香港長大的時候，卻很喜愛在大牌檔吃飯。我最愛吃叉燒飯。

香港政府一直努力推廣夜市，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，意思即是它相形見絀。香港政府好應重新創建我在香港長大時去的那些大牌檔跟夜市。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻