几天前，The Wall Street Journal (华尔街日报)上，刊登了一篇关于中国凉茶品牌——王老吉的报道。
快速浏览，提取框架
- 第一个海外凉茶博物馆在纽约曼哈顿开放
- 品牌起源和经营现状
- 品牌口号和春节寓意的融合
- 王老吉在全世界的发展
- 和美国市场的渊源，和世界大事合作
- 展望未来，欢庆百年老店
在这篇报道中挖掘一下，可以获得一些值得积累和收藏的，十足中国味儿的词汇和表达方式。
细细品读，提取精华
Wang Lao Ji Eyes Global Presence with Herbal Tea Museum in New York
标题可以理解为，凉茶博物馆落成纽约，王老吉跻身国际市场。
这里面有个用得比好的词，就是"eye"这个所有人都认识的词。作为名词，它的意思是，眼睛。在标题中是它的动词用法，这里应该作"密切关注、研究"之义。例如，"Shareholders eyed changes in the stock market"。
Iconic Chinese tea brand Wang Lao Ji opened its first overseas herbal tea museum in Manhattan on November 18. The company, also known as Wong Lo Kat, is ushering in a new chapter of its global strategy with the New York-based museum. By prioritizing its cultural philosophy, the popular beverage has expanded from China to the global market. Over nearly two centuries, the red-canned drink has evolved to become known around the world. Wang Lao Ji’s continuous expansion is a show of commitment to the time-honored brand.
这段内容，讲述了中国标志性的茶品牌王老吉在曼哈顿开了第一个海外凉茶博物馆，开启了全球战略的新篇章。这里面有个非常好的表达方式，即"usher in"， "迎接；开创"，可以理解为open, start, begin, witness等等，The company, also known as Wong Lo Kat, is opening/ starting/ beginning a new chapter of its global strategy.
此外，很重要的一个动词prioritize，说明了王老吉是通过把它的文化哲学放到最重要的位置，而让王老吉的饮料从中国市场拓展到了国际市场。从"has expanded from China to the global market"和"has evolved to become known around the world"可以体会其发展过程。历经超过近两个世纪，王老吉世界驰名。持续的拓展象征了王老吉忠于老字号。
有一个经常出现在广告或者其他产品宣传总的词，老字号。用这篇报道中的说法就是time-honored brand，字面的意思是"被时间给予荣誉的品牌"。
China’s Oldest Herbal Tea Sets Trend for Healthy Drinks
Originating in southern China’s Guangdong province, herbal teas are natural therapies that represent the essence of traditional Chinese medicine. Used to cure diseases, herbal teas have become a healthy and auspicious botanical beverage known to all Chinese after more than a century of evolution.
Inaugurated in 1828 during the reign of Daoguang Emperor in the Qing Dynasty, Wang Lao Ji now has 190 years history, making it an icon of contemporary China. Its first herbal tea shop was founded in Guangzhou, China’s then only trading port. According to folk records, the herbal tea cured imperial envoy Lin Zexu of sunstroke during an investigation into a major opium case in Guangdong in 1839. He sent a copper pot as a gift to the shop owner and bestowed the name Wang Lao Ji. The tea’s reputation has since spread widely. Its annual sales have reached more than 20 billion yuan (USD 2.88 billion), not only taking up 70% of the Chinese market share of herbal tea, but also setting a major trend for healthy botanical drinks.
这两段主要讲述了王老吉的过去和现在。
小标题中用了"set trend for..." 来说明王老吉在健康饮品中的带头作用，可谓设定业内之趋势。
两段的开头都是用了意为"开始、发源于"的动词originate (发源于) 和inaugurate (揭牌)，但不同的是，同样表示"开始，起源于"的意思，但是却使用了的动词的主被动不同语态。
自王老吉从1828年清道光统治年间的广东揭牌创立，如今已经有190年的历史，成为当代中国的一个符号。在"during the reign of Daoguang Emperor in the Qing Dynasty"中的”the reign of Daoguang Emperor"意思是，道光皇帝的统治。凉茶，体现了中医的精髓，历经百年的发展，成为所有中国人都知晓的，健康吉祥的植物饮料。
文中还讲了王老吉名字来历的小故事：
王老吉的第一家凉茶店开在了广州。当时，广州是中国唯一的贸易港口。民间记录，1839年，当时正在广东府调查鸦片大案钦差林则徐中了暑，正是因此凉茶解了暑。于是，林大人送去一个铜壶，并赐予"王老吉"一名。自此，此茶声誉广为流传。如今，王老吉的年销售额已经超过200亿元人民币。不但占据中国凉茶市场的百分之七十，更是为健康植物饮料设定了趋势。
"Its annual sales have reached more than 20 billion yuan."中的"reach"，意思是"达到"，如果是我，我可能会把这句话写成"Its annual sales have exceeded 20 billion yuan"，即"其年销售额已逾200亿元"。"exceed"就是"超过"的意思，替代了"reach... more than"，感觉更简洁一点。
这两段中，有很多可以用来和老外唠中国历史和文化时，用得上的词儿。不论是"Daoguang Emperor (道光皇帝)"，"reign (统治)"，"imperial envoy (钦差)"， 还是"sunstroke (中暑)"，"copper pot (铜壶)"，"bestow (赐给)"，相信和老外唠中国文化的时候，应该会派上用场。
Wang Lao Ji is very popular in China. The drink’s widely recognized slogan promotes a healthy lifestyle: “Keep internal heat away, drink Wang Lao Ji.” The drink also has a slogan for the Chinese New Year: “Celebrate an auspicious new year, drink Wang Lao Ji.” During the spring festival, people in many Chinese provinces, including Zhejiang, Henan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangdong, give their relatives and friends the drink as a gift to signify health and auspiciousness.
这一段提到了王老吉广告中，大家耳熟能详的两句广告词：“怕上火，喝王老吉”和“过吉祥年，喝王老吉”。"widely recognized"，字面意思是"广为人知的"，恰恰类似成语“耳熟能详”。读完这一段，我恍然大明白，原来“上火”用英语说是"internal heat (内热)"。这里体会一下老外的表达习惯，即不想要什么，就说"keep... away"，有一句众所周知的英语名言："An apple a day keeps the doctor away"。还有，就是"过年"中的"过"被翻译为"celebrate (庆祝)"，也恰到好处。
文中说到，过年的时候，"give their relatives and friends the drink as a gift to signify health and auspiciousness"，很多省份，包括浙江、河南、云南、贵州和广东都通过馈赠亲友王老吉来象征健康和吉祥。都到此，有种华尔街日报植入广告之嫌。"auspiciousness"即是"吉祥"之义，中国人喜爱的词语，自然要收藏。
Living a healthy, natural lifestyle has become more widely accepted throughout the world since the beginning of the 21st century. Beneficial botanical drinks such as Wang Lao Ji are ushering in a new era of healthy consumption. Wang Lao Ji has developed its own tailored global strategy in response to this rising demand.
An improved product trading system established overseas has allowed Wang Lao Ji to distribute its goods to 60 countries and regions on five continents. The U.S. has become its second-largest market after the Chinese mainland, with tens of millions of yuan worth of exports and a growth of more than 30% on a yearly basis.
The themed museum in New York has a modern exterior and the interior was built with traditional Chinese features. A multimedia exhibition introduces the brand’s stellar past of 190 years and the successes it has achieved. Inside the museum stands a Wang Lao Ji-branded shop of instant herbal teas, where trendy drinks in various flavors are offered to customers. They can have an authentic sip of China while learning about Chinese culture from a new perspective.
自21世纪之初开始，活得健康，活得自然，已然成为全世界普遍接受的理念。像王老吉这样的健康饮品正见证了这一健康消费时代，并用与之量身定制的发展战略回应这一不断上升的需求。这三段的第一段中"widely accepted"意思就是"普遍接受的"，"a new era of healthy consumption"则表明了这一个新时代的特征便是"healthy consumption"。
"develop"意为"开发，发展"，说明了王老吉对于这一健康消费时代的回应，是“developed its own tailored global strategy”来"in response to this rising demand"。体会文章写作者妙用介词短语"in response to"来让整段话连贯流畅起来。例如，"I am writing in response to your application for financial aid."
随着每年千万元级别的出口额和每年30%的增长，美国已经成为除中国大陆之外，王老吉全球第二大市场。作者用一个小小的介词"with"， 给读者补充了更多的信息。这里的"on a yearly basis"也就是"every year"每年的意思。类似的表达，比如，"Living in Beijing, I encounter traffic jams on a daily basis"， 生活在北京，我每天都会遭遇交通拥堵。
再说到纽约的凉茶博物馆，外部现代风，内部则是传统中国风。一个多媒体展览介绍品牌的190年光辉历史。"stellar"这个词很高大上啊，意思就是"extraordinary (非凡的)""splendid (灿烂的)"。而且里面还有一个王老吉品牌店，多种口味速溶凉茶，供君品尝。我这么说，读者头脑中应该会有一个画面感，但是，是静止的。这就是作者"stand"一个动词的使用，让整个场景更加动态了，是高段位的用词方法。
作者还用了一个非常漂亮的表达方式"They can have an authentic sip of China while learning about Chinese culture from a new perspective.
"中的"have an authentic sip of"，原本"sip"就是"喝一小口"的意思，比如"I had a sip of the wine"。但这里，作者把抽象的中国文化具象化了，来参观的人从新角度了解中国文化的时候，可以真正尝一尝中国凉茶，品一品地道的中国滋味。用"while"连接起来两个句子，说明一件事情伴随着另一件事情，同时发生。"authentic"即"真实的，地道的，原汁原味的"之义，比如"authentic expressions (真实地道的表达)"。
还有几个生活中可以拿来就用的词汇"instant herbal teas"中的"instant"就是"立刻，马上"的意思，"instant tea"即"速溶茶"，类似的词汇再比如"instant noodles"和"instant coffee"。
Selling a World-class Drink across the Globe
Wang Lao Ji is not new to the U.S. As early as the late 19th century, the Chinese traveling to America sold the herbal tea in America. Liang Qichao, a Chinese scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, wrote in his book that he saw Wang Lao Ji sold in America during his tour of the country in 1898.
Over a century later, Wang Lao Ji, following the Belt and Road Initiative, has been more connected to the world. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Wang Lao Ji held promotional tours for its products in Sao Paulo and presented the culture of Chinese herbal tea on a global stage. It was the only official herbal tea brand for the 2017 Fortune Global Forum and the designated herbal tea for World Routes 2018.
这两段，简单回顾了一下王老吉和美国的渊源可上溯至19世纪初。作者提到，在先贤学者梁启超所著的书中，提到早在1898年旅美时，见王老吉已在美出售了。
百余年后，王老吉跟随一带一路的倡议，与世界更加紧密相连。2014年FIFA世界杯期间，王老吉在圣保罗举办促销之旅，并且在国际舞台上，呈现了中国凉茶文化。
2017年，王老吉作为唯一官方凉茶品牌，亮相财富全球论坛上。"official"即"官方"之义，比如经常说的"官方网站"，即"official site"。2018年的世界航线发展大会上，王老吉更是特定的凉茶品牌。
The oldest herbal tea brand has stepped up efforts to make Wang Lao Ji a household name throughout the world. With a plan to set up more museums in 56 cities worldwide, Wang Lao Ji aims to increase exchanges on Chinese herbal teas and tea culture. The company also aims to diversify the world with the traditional Ji (meaning “lucky” in Chinese) culture and the health philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine.
This year marks the 190th anniversary of the brand’s establishment. At a new historical starting point, Wang Lao Ji has created a 10-year plan for better development. It will continually champion a lifestyle that is healthy while catering to consumers’ needs to pursue a holistic lifestyle. Wang Lao Ji will strengthen the herbal tea sector and create a plan to boost botanical energy drinks so that the beverage emerges as a global industry leader.
In today’s health-conscious global beverage market, Wang Lao Ji herbal tea is set to embrace historical opportunities and thrive with other Chinese brands across the world.
这一组段落的第一段中说到，"The oldest herbal tea brand has stepped up efforts to make Wang Lao Ji a household name throughout the world. "这个最老牌的凉茶品牌加紧了努力，要让王老吉成为全世界家喻户晓的名字，这其中的"household name"通常指的就是一个家喻户晓的商品。
"step up"则作"加紧(努力；生产等)"之义，例如，“These under- developed countries stepped up the pace to catch up with the others”。
谈到计划未来将在世界范围超过56个城市，开设更多博物馆的王老吉，作者用了两个"aim to"阐述了其未来的目标，一则，增加对外交流中国凉茶和茶文化；同时，用"吉"文化和传统中医的健康哲学，来丰富整个世界。
下面一段"This year marks the 190th anniversary of the brand’s establishment. "中的动词"mark"，以及"At a new historical starting point..."呼应了整篇报道开头部分的"The company, also known as Wong Lo Kat, is ushering in a new chapter of its global strategy with the New York-based museum"中的内容部分，道出今年标志着品牌成立的第190年。
王老吉制定的未来10年更好的发展计划中，将继续支持健康的生活方式，迎合消费者追求全面的生活方式的需求。它将加强凉茶部门，制定提升植物能量饮料的计划，来使其成为国际产业领导者。
这篇报道的最后，作者说，在如今健康意识觉醒的国际饮料市场上，王老吉做好了准备，迎接历史性的机遇。"Wang Lao Ji herbal tea is set to embrace historical opportunities"中的"set"就是准备好的意思，口语中，经常用"I'm all set."来表示"我全都准备好了"。同时，和其他中国品牌一道，在全世界兴盛起来。
小小的后记
通读整篇报道，了解一个中国品牌的发展，顺便积累词汇和表达，更为中国的品牌走向世界，而感到骄傲和自豪。
不知不觉写了这么多，完成了才觉得有点渴了。开一瓶coca cola？太没有文化内涵了，还是来一罐王老吉，更有滋润！
FOOTNOTES
1. 报道来源：THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, NOVEMBER 29, 2018 ~ VOL. CCLXXII NO. 127
2. 词典参考：Merriam-Webster，Google翻译，百度百科
3. 历史内容参考：广州王老吉药业股份有限公司官方网站、广州王老吉药业股份有限公司企业文化手册（2013版）
4. 文中图片来自华尔街日报
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