📚 KS3 Edexcel Economics: Quick Vocabulary & Terminology Guide | KS3 Edexcel 经济：词汇术语速记指南
Mastering the basic language of economics is the first step towards understanding how the world works. This guide covers the essential terms you will meet in the KS3 Edexcel Economics course, with clear definitions and memorable examples to help you learn faster and recall more accurately.
掌握经济学的基础语言是理解世界如何运作的第一步。本指南涵盖了你在 KS3 Edexcel 经济课程中会遇到的核心术语，配有清晰的定义和易记的例子，帮助你更快学习、更准确地回忆。
1. Scarcity and Choice | 稀缺性与选择
Scarcity means that there are not enough resources to satisfy all human wants. Because resources are limited, people, businesses, and governments must make choices about what to produce and consume. Even things that seem free, like fresh air, can become scarce if they are polluted or overused.
稀缺性意味着没有足够的资源来满足所有人类欲望。由于资源有限，个人、企业和政府必须就生产什么和消费什么做出选择。即使是看似免费的东西，如新鲜空气，如果被污染或过度使用，也会变得稀缺。
The need to choose gives rise to the concept of opportunity cost. When you choose one option, the next best alternative you give up is the opportunity cost. For example, if a student spends two hours studying economics instead of playing football, the opportunity cost is the enjoyment and fitness from the football game.
选择的需要引出了机会成本的概念。当你选择了一个选项，你放弃的次优替代方案就是机会成本。例如，如果一个学生花两小时学习经济学而不是踢足球，机会成本就是踢足球带来的快乐和锻炼。
- Scarcity 稀缺性
- Choice 选择
- Opportunity cost 机会成本
- Unlimited wants 无限欲望
- Limited resources 有限资源
2. Needs and Wants | 需要与欲望
A need is something essential for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. A want is something that people would like to have but is not necessary for staying alive, like video games, holidays, or designer clothes. The distinction is important because economics studies how scarce resources are allocated between competing uses, including satisfying both needs and wants.
需要是生存所必需的东西，如食物、水、住所和衣物。欲望是人们想要拥有但并非维持生命所必需的东西，如电子游戏、假期或名牌服装。这种区分很重要，因为经济学研究稀缺资源如何在竞争性用途之间分配，包括满足需要和欲望。
As societies become wealthier, the line between needs and wants can blur. A mobile phone, for instance, might be seen as a want in some contexts but is increasingly considered a need for communication and access to services. Economics classifies goods and services based on how they satisfy needs and wants.
随着社会变得更加富裕，需要和欲望之间的界限可能变得模糊。例如，手机在某些情况下可能被视为欲望，但越来越被视为通信和获取服务的需要。经济学根据商品和服务如何满足需要和欲望对其进行分类。
| Need 需要 | Want 欲望 |
|---|---|
| Clean water 清洁的水 | Smartphone 智能手机 |
| Basic shelter 基本住所 | Designer shoes 名牌鞋 |
| Nutritious food 有营养的食物 | Concert tickets 演唱会门票 |
3. Goods and Services | 商品与服务
Goods are tangible items that people can touch and use, such as books, bicycles, and apples. Services are intangible activities that satisfy people's wants, like haircuts, education, and public transport. Both goods and services are produced using scarce resources and have a price that helps to ration them.
商品是人们可以触摸和使用的有形物品，如书籍、自行车和苹果。服务是满足人们欲望的无形活动，如理发、教育和公共交通。商品和服务都是用稀缺资源生产的，并且都有价格，这有助于对其进行配给。
Some products combine goods and services. For example, a restaurant meal includes the tangible food (goods) and the intangible cooking and serving (services). Understanding the difference helps economists measure the total output of a country, known as Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
有些产品结合了商品和服务。例如，一顿餐馆饭菜包括有形的食物（商品）和无形的烹饪与服务（服务）。理解这一区别有助于经济学家衡量一个国家的总产出，即国内生产总值（GDP）。
- Tangible goods 有形商品
- Intangible services 无形服务
- Consumer goods 消费品
- Capital goods 资本品
- GDP 国内生产总值
4. Producers and Consumers | 生产者与消费者
Producers are individuals or businesses that make goods or provide services. Their main goal is often to earn a profit. Consumers are people who purchase and use goods and services to satisfy their needs and wants. The interaction between producers and consumers creates the market economy.
生产者是制造商品或提供服务的个人或企业。他们的主要目标通常是赚取利润。消费者是购买和使用商品与服务以满足其需要和欲望的人。生产者与消费者之间的互动创造了市场经济。
Producers decide what and how much to produce based on expected consumer demand, while consumers make choices based on their income and the prices of goods. This relationship is driven by the forces of supply and demand, which determine market prices and quantities.
生产者根据预期的消费者需求来决定生产什么和生产多少，而消费者则根据其收入和商品价格做出选择。这种关系由供给和需求的力量驱动，它们决定了市场价格和数量。
Producers → supply goods/services → Market ← demand goods/services ← Consumers
5. Supply and Demand | 供给与需求
Demand is the quantity of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to buy at different prices over a given time period. The law of demand states that, all else being equal, when price rises, quantity demanded falls, and when price falls, quantity demanded rises. This inverse relationship creates a downward-sloping demand curve.
需求是指在给定时间内，消费者在不同价格水平上愿意且能够购买的商品或服务的数量。需求定律指出，在其他条件不变的情况下，价格上升时，需求量下降；价格下降时，需求量上升。这种反比关系形成了一条向下倾斜的需求曲线。
Supply is the quantity of a good or service that producers are willing and able to sell at different prices over a given time period. The law of supply states that, all else being equal, when price rises, quantity supplied rises, and when price falls, quantity supplied falls. This direct relationship creates an upward-sloping supply curve.
供给是指在给定时间内，生产者在不同价格水平上愿意且能够出售的商品或服务的数量。供给定律指出，在其他条件不变的情况下，价格上升时，供给量上升；价格下降时，供给量下降。这种正比关系形成了一条向上倾斜的供给曲线。
| Price 价格 | Quantity Demanded 需求量 | Quantity Supplied 供给量 |
|---|---|---|
| High 高 | Low 低 | High 高 |
| Low 低 | High 高 | Low 低 |
6. Markets and Equilibrium | 市场与均衡
A market is any place, physical or virtual, where buyers and sellers meet to exchange goods and services. Markets can be local, national, or global. The equilibrium price, also called the market-clearing price, is the price at which quantity demanded equals quantity supplied, so there is no shortage or surplus.
市场是买方和卖方见面交换商品和服务的任何场所，可以是实体的或虚拟的。市场可以是地方性的、全国性的或全球性的。均衡价格，也称为市场出清价格，是需求量等于供给量时的价格，此时没有短缺或过剩。
When a price is set above equilibrium, a surplus occurs because producers supply more than consumers are willing to buy. When a price is below equilibrium, a shortage occurs because demand exceeds supply. Market forces tend to push the price back towards equilibrium over time.
当价格设定在均衡水平之上时，就会出现过剩，因为生产者供应的数量超过了消费者愿意购买的数量。当价格低于均衡水平时，就会出现短缺，因为需求超过了供给。市场力量往往会随时间推移将价格推回均衡水平。
- Market 市场
- Equilibrium price 均衡价格
- Surplus 过剩
- Shortage 短缺
- Market forces 市场力量
7. Money and Its Functions | 货币及其功能
Money is anything widely accepted as a means of payment. It serves four main functions: medium of exchange, unit of account, store of value, and standard of deferred payment. Without money, people would have to barter, which requires a double coincidence of wants and is very inefficient.
货币是被广泛接受作为支付手段的任何东西。它有四个主要功能：交换媒介、计价单位、价值储藏和延期支付标准。如果没有货币，人们不得不进行物物交换，这需要欲望的双重巧合，非常低效。
As a medium of exchange, money allows people to trade goods and services without bartering. As a unit of account, it provides a common measure for comparing the value of different items. As a store of value, it can be saved and used later. As a standard of deferred payment, it enables borrowing and lending.
作为交换媒介，货币使人们无需物物交换就能交易商品和服务。作为计价单位，它为比较不同物品的价值提供了共同的度量标准。作为价值储藏，它可以被储存起来以后再使用。作为延期支付标准，它使借贷成为可能。
Functions of Money: Medium of exchange | Unit of account | Store of value | Standard of deferred payment
8. Banking and Saving | 银行与储蓄
Banks are financial institutions that accept deposits from savers and lend money to borrowers. They earn income by charging higher interest rates on loans than they pay on deposits. Savings are the part of a person's income that is not spent on consumption; savings provide funds for future spending or investment.
银行是接受储户存款并向借款人贷款的金融机构。它们通过对贷款收取比存款利率更高的利率来赚取收入。储蓄是个人收入中未用于消费的部分；储蓄为未来的支出或投资提供资金。
There are different types of bank accounts. Current accounts are for everyday transactions and may offer little or no interest. Savings accounts pay interest to encourage customers to deposit money and leave it untouched for a period. Understanding interest and the power of compound interest is a key life skill.
银行账户有不同类型。活期账户用于日常交易，利息很少或没有。储蓄账户支付利息，以鼓励客户存入资金并在一段时间内不动用。理解利息和复利的力量是一项关键的生活技能。
| Account Type 账户类型 | Purpose 目的 | Interest 利息 |
|---|---|---|
| Current account 活期账户 | Daily transactions 日常交易 | Low or zero 低或零 |
| Savings account 储蓄账户 | Accumulating funds 积累资金 | Higher 更高 |
9. Inflation and Deflation | 通货膨胀与通货紧缩
Inflation is a sustained rise in the general level of prices over time, which means that the purchasing power of money falls. Deflation is the opposite: a sustained fall in the general price level. Both can have significant effects on the economy, but moderate inflation is generally preferred by central banks.
通货膨胀是指一段时间内一般价格水平的持续上升，这意味着货币的购买力下降。通货紧缩则相反：一般价格水平持续下降。两者都可能对经济产生重大影响，但中央银行通常更倾向于温和的通货膨胀。
The main measure of inflation in the UK is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which tracks the average change in prices of a basket of goods and services typically bought by households. Hyperinflation, an extremely rapid rise in prices, can destroy savings and destabilise an entire economy.
英国衡量通货膨胀的主要指标是消费者价格指数（CPI），它追踪家庭通常购买的一篮子商品和服务的平均价格变化。恶性通货膨胀是价格的极速上涨，可能摧毁储蓄并破坏整个经济的稳定。
- Inflation 通货膨胀
- Deflation 通货紧缩
- Purchasing power 购买力
- Consumer Price Index 消费者价格指数
- Hyperinflation 恶性通货膨胀
10. The Labour Market and Wages | 劳动力市场与工资
The labour market is where workers sell their time and skills to employers in return for wages or salaries. The demand for labour comes from businesses that need workers to produce goods and services. The supply of labour comes from people willing and able to work at different wage rates.
劳动力市场是工人向雇主出售其时间和技能以换取工资或薪金的地方。对劳动力的需求来自需要工人生产商品和服务的企业。劳动力的供给来自愿意并能够在不同工资率下工作的人。
Wages are the price of labour. When demand for a particular skill is high and supply is low, wages tend to be higher. Minimum wage laws set a legal floor below which employers must not pay, designed to protect low-paid workers. Motivations for work go beyond just pay and include job satisfaction, security, and working conditions.
工资是劳动力的价格。当对特定技能的需求高而供给低时，工资往往更高。最低工资法设定了一个法定的下限，雇主不得支付低于此标准的工资，旨在保护低薪工人。工作的动机不仅限于工资，还包括工作满意度、安全感和工作条件。
Wage determination: Demand for labour → ← Supply of labour
11. International Trade and Specialisation | 国际贸易与专业化
International trade is the exchange of goods and services across national borders. Countries trade because they can benefit from specialisation, where they focus on producing goods and services they can make efficiently, often due to having particular resources or skills. This leads to greater total output and lower prices for consumers.
国际贸易是跨越国界的商品和服务交换。各国之所以进行贸易，是因为它们可以从专业化中获益，即专注于生产他们能高效制造的商品和服务，这通常是由于拥有特定的资源或技能。这导致了更大的总产出和更低的消费者价格。
Exports are goods and services sold to other countries, while imports are those bought from other countries. The difference between the value of exports and imports is the balance of trade. A country has a trade surplus if exports exceed imports, and a trade deficit if imports exceed exports.
出口是向其他国家销售的商品和服务，而进口是从其他国家购买的商品和服务。出口和进口价值之间的差额是贸易差额。如果出口超过进口，一国就出现贸易顺差；如果进口超过出口，就出现贸易逆差。
| Term 术语 | Definition 定义 |
|---|---|
| Exports 出口 | Goods/services sold abroad 销往国外的商品/服务 |
| Imports 进口 | Goods/services bought from abroad 从国外购买的商品/服务 |
| Specialisation 专业化 | Focusing on efficient production 专注于高效生产 |
| Trade surplus 贸易顺差 | Exports > Imports 出口 > 进口 |
12. Economic Growth and Sustainability | 经济增长与可持续性
Economic growth is an increase in the amount of goods and services an economy produces over time, usually measured by the rise in real GDP. Growth can improve living standards by creating jobs and raising incomes, but it can also lead to environmental problems such as pollution and resource depletion if not managed carefully.
经济增长是指一个经济体在一段时间内生产的商品和服务数量的增加，通常用实际 GDP 的上升来衡量。增长可以通过创造就业和提高收入来改善生活水平，但如果管理不善，也可能导致污染和资源枯竭等环境问题。
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This concept is increasingly important in economics as societies seek to balance growth with environmental protection. Terms such as renewable energy, carbon footprint, and circular economy are now part of the economic vocabulary.
可持续性意味着在不损害后代满足其自身需要的能力的前提下，满足当代人的需要。随着社会寻求平衡增长与环境保护，这一概念在经济学中日益重要。可再生能源、碳足迹和循环经济等术语现已成为经济词汇的一部分。
- Economic growth 经济增长
- Real GDP 实际国内生产总值
- Sustainability 可持续性
- Renewable energy 可再生能源
- Circular economy 循环经济
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