Stocktaking is when a shop or company counts everything it actually has — every box, every item — and checks that against what the records say it should have. Shops often close for a day to do it, and you may see a sign saying 'Closed for stocktaking'.

Stocktaking is when a shop or company counts everything it actually hasstocktaking是指店家或公司把手上實際有的東西全部點過一遍 every box, every item每一箱、每一件 and checks that against what the records say it should have再拿去跟帳上應該要有的數字核對。 Shops often close for a day to do it店家常常會為此休一天 and you may see a sign saying 'Closed for stocktaking'你可能會看到招牌寫著「盤點公休」。

It matters because the two numbers rarely match: things get broken, miscounted, or stolen, and stocktaking is how a business finds out. Americans usually say 'taking inventory' or just 'inventory' instead.

It matters because the two numbers rarely match這件事重要是因為兩個數字很少對得起來 things get broken, miscounted, or stolen東西會壞掉、算錯，或被偷 and stocktaking is how a business finds out而盤點就是公司發現這件事的方法。 Americans usually say 'taking inventory' or just 'inventory' instead美式英語通常會改說taking inventory或直接說inventory。

There is a second use that students meet just as often: stocktaking can mean stopping to look honestly at your own life or a project — what is working, what is not, what you have to show.

There is a second use that students meet just as often還有第二種用法學生也一樣常遇到 stocktaking can mean stopping to look honestly at your own life or a projectstocktaking可以指停下來誠實檢視自己的人生或一個計畫 what is working, what is not什麼是順利的、什麼不是 what you have to show以及自己手上有什麼成果。

That use often comes with 'do some': 'The new year made her do some stocktaking.' The verb behind it is 'take stock (of something)', and that phrase carries both meanings too.

That use often comes with 'do some'這個用法常常搭配do some. 'The new year made her do some stocktaking.'例如The new year made her do some stocktaking.（新的一年讓她做了一番自我盤點） The verb behind it is 'take stock (of something)'背後的動詞是take stock (of something) and that phrase carries both meanings too這個片語也同樣有這兩種意思。