English is the language of international business. Do you know that business English can be different from everyday English? In business, people sometimes speak English in interesting ways. You might not always know what they mean. Can you guess the meanings of the sentences below?
Look at this one: Buy low, sell high. It‘s a short and simple sentence. Buy something at a low price, and then sell it at a high price. It makes sense, right?
What does We’re in the red this month mean? Does it mean everyone is wearing red clothes? No! It means the business is losing money. Business people usually write red numbers below zero and black numbers above zero. Pretty simple, right?
I am moving up the ladder may be difficult to understand. It means a person gets a better job or a better position at work. If someone tells you he or she is moving up the ladder, you should congratulate this person.
How about I have to beef up my report? We know that beef is meat from cows. If you“beef something up”, you make it big and strong—like a cow! This sentence means “I have to make my report stronger”.
There are many more interesting business terms including: He‘s a fat cat(He’s a rich person); and They cook the books(They steal money by making changes to the company‘s accounts.
Have you heard of any other business terms or sayings?