Thriftiness is the quality of being careful with money — not spending more than you need to, using things until they are worn out, looking for the cheaper way to do something. It is the noun for the habit itself, so you talk about someone's thriftiness the way you talk about their kindness or their patience: 'her thriftiness', 'a habit of thriftiness'.

Thriftiness是 the quality of being careful with money用錢小心謹慎的特質 — not spending more than you need to不花超過需要的錢、 using things until they are worn out東西用到壞才換、 looking for the cheaper way to do something找比較便宜的做法。 It is the noun for the habit itself它是這個習慣本身的名詞， so所以 you talk about someone's thriftiness你會講一個人的thriftiness the way you talk about their kindness or their patience就像講他的善良或耐心一樣： 'her thriftiness'「她的節儉」、 'a habit of thriftiness'「節儉的習慣」。

The word carries approval.

The word carries approval這個字帶著讚許的意思。

English has other words for spending little — 'stinginess', 'meanness' — and those are insults. Thriftiness is a virtue: it says the person is wise, not that the person is small-hearted. The line between them is who benefits. A thrifty person saves so the family has enough; a stingy person keeps money back from people who need it.

English has other words for spending little英文還有別的字講花錢少 — 'stinginess', 'meanness'「小氣」、「吝嗇」 — and而 those are insults這些是罵人的話。 Thriftiness is a virtueThriftiness是一種美德： it says the person is wise它說的是這個人很有智慧， not that the person is small-hearted不是說這個人小氣刻薄。 The line between them is兩者的界線在於 who benefits誰得到好處。 A thrifty person saves節儉的人存錢 so the family has enough是為了讓家人夠用； a stingy person keeps money back小氣的人把錢扣住不給 from people who need it明明有人需要。

Though actually, you will not hear this word often in speech. It is a slightly bookish, old-fashioned noun, the kind that appears in a written character description or an article about saving money. In real conversation people say 'she's thrifty' or 'she's good with money' and never reach for the four-syllable noun.

Though actually不過其實， you will not hear this word often in speech你在口語裡不常聽到這個字。 It is a slightly bookish, old-fashioned noun它是個稍微書面、老派的名詞， the kind that appears in a written character description or an article about saving money那種會出現在文字人物描述或談省錢文章裡的字。 In real conversation在真正的對話裡 people say 'she's thrifty' or 'she's good with money'大家會說「她很節儉」或「她很會理財」 and而 never reach for the four-syllable noun不會去用這個四音節的名詞。

There is also an older, mostly gone meaning where thrift meant growing and doing well — that sense now lives only in the verb 'thrive'.

There is also an older, mostly gone meaning還有一個比較舊、幾乎消失的意思 where thrift meant growing and doing well那時thrift指的是成長茁壯— that sense now lives only in the verb 'thrive'這個意思現在只留在動詞thrive裡。