📚 KS3 CIE Economics: Essential Vocabulary Quick Memorisation Guide | KS3 CIE 经济：核心词汇速记指南
Welcome to your fast-track guide to the most important economics terms for KS3 CIE learners. Mastering the language of economics early helps you think clearly about choices, resources, and how the world works. This article breaks down key words with simple definitions, memory hooks, and real-life examples that make revision both effective and fun. Read each pair of English and Chinese paragraphs carefully, and soon the vocabulary will stick naturally.
欢迎来到 KS3 CIE 经济学术语速记指南。提前掌握经济学的语言，能帮助你清晰地思考选择、资源以及世界的运作方式。这篇文章用简洁的定义、记忆钩子和生活中的例子，把关键词拆解开来，让复习既高效又有趣。请仔细阅读每一组英中对照的段落，这些词汇很快就会自然地印在你的脑海里。
1. Scarcity and Choice | 稀缺性与选择
Scarcity is the fundamental economic problem. It means that resources are limited, but human wants are unlimited. Because we cannot have everything, we must make choices about how to use what we have.
稀缺性是经济学的基本问题。它意味着资源是有限的，而人类的欲望是无限的。因为我们不可能拥有一切，所以必须对如何使用现有资源做出选择。
Think of a student with only two hours of free time. They must choose between studying, gaming, or sleeping. Time is scarce, so the choice reflects their priorities. Every choice involves giving something up.
想象一个只有两小时空闲的学生。他必须在学习、打游戏或睡觉之间做出选择。时间是稀缺的，因此选择反映了他的优先顺序。每一个选择都意味着放弃某些东西。
Scarcity is not the same as a shortage. A shortage is temporary, like a shop running out of bread today. Scarcity is permanent and forces us to decide 'what, how, and for whom' to produce.
稀缺性不同于短缺。短缺是暂时的，比如一家商店今天卖完了面包。稀缺性是永久存在的，它迫使我们决定“生产什么、如何生产以及为谁生产”。
- Scarcity = limited resources + unlimited wants
- 稀缺性 = 有限的资源 + 无限的欲望
- Choice = deciding how to use scarce resources
- 选择 = 决定如何使用稀缺资源
2. Opportunity Cost | 机会成本
Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative you give up when making a choice. It is not about everything you lose, only the single most valuable option sacrificed.
机会成本是你在做选择时所放弃的次优选项的价值。它不是你失去的所有东西，而仅仅是被牺牲掉的那个最有价值的选择。
If a government spends £10 million on a new hospital instead of a sports stadium, the opportunity cost is the stadium that could have been built. For an individual, choosing to save pocket money for a bike means the opportunity cost might be a gaming console they could have bought.
如果政府花费 1000 万英镑建造一家新医院而不是一座体育场，那么机会成本就是本可以建造的那座体育场。对个人而言，选择把零花钱存起来买自行车，机会成本可能就是原本可以买的游戏机。
Thinking in terms of opportunity cost trains you to weigh trade-offs. It helps explain why even rich people face scarcity — their time and money still have alternative uses.
用机会成本来思考能训练你权衡取舍。这也解释了为什么富人同样面临稀缺性——他们的时间和金钱依然有其他用途。
- Opportunity cost = next best alternative given up
- 机会成本 = 放弃的次优选择
- Every 'yes' to one thing is a 'no' to something else.
- 对一件事说“是”，就是对另一件事说“否”。
3. Factors of Production | 生产要素
Economists classify resources into four factors of production: land, labour, capital, and enterprise. These inputs are used to produce goods and services.
经济学家把资源分为四种生产要素：土地、劳动、资本和企业家才能。这些投入被用来生产商品和服务。
Land includes all natural resources — soil, water, minerals, forests, and even fish in the sea. The reward for land is rent. Labour refers to human effort, both physical and mental, and its reward is wages.
土地包括所有自然资源——土壤、水、矿产、森林，甚至海里的鱼。土地的报酬是地租。劳动指人类的体力和脑力付出，其报酬是工资。
Capital means man-made tools and machinery used to make other goods, like factory robots or a delivery van. Its reward is interest. Enterprise is the willingness to take risks and bring the other three factors together; the reward for successful enterprise is profit.
资本指用于生产其他商品的人造工具和机器，比如工厂机器人或送货车。资本的报酬是利息。企业家才能是指承担风险、把前三种要素结合起来的意愿；成功的企业家才能的报酬是利润。
- Land → Rent
- 土地 → 地租
- Labour → Wages
- 劳动 → 工资
- Capital → Interest
- 资本 → 利息
- Enterprise → Profit
- 企业家才能 → 利润
4. Goods and Services | 商品与服务
Goods are physical items we can touch and own, such as a textbook, a sandwich, or a bicycle. Services are intangible activities provided for us, like a haircut, a bus journey, or an online music subscription.
商品是我们可以触摸和拥有的有形物品，比如课本、三明治或自行车。服务是为我们提供的无形活动，比如理发、乘坐公交车或在线音乐订阅。
Both goods and services satisfy wants and are created using scarce resources. Some goods are free, like fresh air, but most economic goods have a price because resources are used to produce them.
商品和服务都能满足欲望，都是利用稀缺资源生产出来的。有些物品是免费的，比如新鲜空气，但大多数经济物品会有价格，因为生产它们需要耗费资源。
Memory tip: 'Goods you can drop on your foot; services you feel after they are done.' This reminds you that goods are tangible, while services are experiences.
记忆窍门：“商品能砸到你的脚；服务是完成后你才能感觉到的。”这能提醒你商品是有形的，而服务是一种体验。
5. Markets | 市场
A market is any place or system where buyers and sellers come together to exchange goods, services, or resources. It does not have to be a physical location; online stores and stock exchanges are also markets.
市场是任何买方和卖方聚集在一起交换商品、服务或资源的场所或体系。它不一定是实体场所；在线商店和证券交易所也是市场。
Markets coordinate economic activity through prices. When many people want a product, the price can rise, signalling producers to supply more. When demand falls, prices tend to drop, encouraging buyers back.
市场通过价格来协调经济活动。当很多人想要某个产品时，价格会上涨，向生产者发出增加供给的信号。当需求下降时，价格往往会下跌，从而重新吸引买家。
In a free market, decisions are made by millions of individuals. This contrasts with a planned economy where the government controls production. Most real economies are mixed, combining market signals with some government rules.
在自由市场中，决策由数以百万计的个人做出。这与计划经济形成对比，在计划经济中政府控制生产。大多数现实经济体是混合经济，既包含市场信号，也包含一定的政府规则。
6. Demand | 需求
Demand is the quantity of a product that consumers are willing and able to buy at different prices over a period of time. It is not just about wanting something; you must also have the money to pay for it.
需求是指在一段时间内，消费者在不同价格水平下愿意并且能够购买的产品数量。它不仅仅是想要某样东西；你还必须有钱去支付。
The law of demand states that, all else equal, as the price of a good rises, the quantity demanded falls, and as price falls, quantity demanded rises. This inverse relationship explains why sale events attract more customers.
需求定律指出，在其他条件不变的情况下，当商品价格上升时，需求量下降；当价格下降时，需求量上升。这种反向关系解释了为什么打折促销能吸引更多顾客。
Many factors can shift the whole demand curve, such as changes in income, tastes, the price of related goods (substitutes and complements), and population size. A hot summer might shift demand for ice cream to the right at every price.
许多因素会使整条需求曲线发生移动，例如收入变化、偏好、相关商品（替代品和互补品）的价格以及人口规模。炎热的夏天可能会使冰淇淋在每个价格水平上的需求都向右移动。
7. Supply | 供给
Supply is the quantity of a product that producers are willing and able to offer for sale at different prices over a period of time. Producers are motivated by profit, so higher prices generally encourage them to supply more.
供给是指在一段时间内，生产者在不同价格水平下愿意并且能够出售的产品数量。生产者受到利润的驱动，因此较高的价格通常会鼓励他们提供更多的供给。
The law of supply says that, all else equal, as price increases, quantity supplied increases, and as price decreases, quantity supplied decreases. A smartphone maker will release more units if the selling price is high.
供给定律指出，在其他条件不变的情况下，当价格上升时，供给量增加；当价格下降时，供给量减少。如果手机售价高，制造商会推出更多的产品。
Supply can shift due to changes in production costs, technology, taxes, subsidies, or the number of sellers. A new solar-powered factory that lowers electricity bills will shift the supply curve to the right.
供给会因为生产成本、技术、税收、补贴或卖家数量的变化而发生移动。一个利用太阳能降低电费的新工厂会使供给曲线向右移动。
8. Equilibrium Price | 均衡价格
Equilibrium is the point where the quantity demanded by consumers equals the quantity supplied by producers. At this price, the market 'clears', meaning there is no leftover surplus and no unsatisfied shortage.
均衡是消费者需求量与生产者供给量相等的那个点。在这个价格上，市场“出清”，意味着没有剩余的过剩，也没有未满足的短缺。
If the actual price is above equilibrium, a surplus occurs: producers supply more than consumers are willing to buy, so prices tend to fall. If the price is below equilibrium, a shortage appears, and prices tend to rise towards balance.
如果实际价格高于均衡点，就会出现过剩：生产者供给的量超过了消费者愿意购买的量，因此价格趋于下跌。如果价格低于均衡点，就会出现短缺，价格趋于上涨，直到恢复平衡。
Equilibrium is like a balanced seesaw. Market forces of demand and supply automatically push prices toward this stable point, without any central planner needing to give orders. That is the invisible hand at work.
均衡就像一个平衡的跷跷板。需求和供给的市场力量会自动将价格推向这个稳定点，而不需要任何中央计划者下达指令。这就是“看不见的手”在起作用。
9. Money | 货币
Money is anything widely accepted as payment for goods and services. Today it usually takes the form of coins, banknotes, and digital balances. To be useful, money must serve three main functions.
货币是任何被广泛接受作为商品和服务支付手段的东西。如今它通常以硬币、纸币和数字余额的形式存在。要发挥作用，货币必须具备三大主要职能。
First, money acts as a medium of exchange — it replaces barter and makes trading much easier. Second, it is a unit of account, meaning prices are quoted in a common measure (e.g. pounds, dollars) so we can compare value. Third, money is a store of value, allowing people to save and spend later.
第一，货币充当交换媒介——它取代了以物易物，使交易变得容易得多。第二，它是计价单位，意味着价格以统一的尺度（例如英镑、美元）来标示，这样我们就可以比较价值。第三，货币是价值储藏手段，使人们能够储蓄并以后再消费。
For something to be good money, it should be durable, portable, divisible, scarce, and widely accepted. Cows are not good money because they are not easily divisible or portable.
要成为好的货币，物品必须耐用、便于携带、可分割、稀缺且被广泛接受。牛不是好货币，因为它们不容易分割，也不便于携带。
10. Banking and Saving | 银行与储蓄
Banks are financial institutions that accept deposits and make loans. When you save money in a bank, the bank pays you interest. The bank then lends that money to borrowers and charges them a higher interest rate, earning a profit from the difference.
银行是接受存款并发放贷款的金融机构。当你在银行存钱时，银行会支付你利息。然后银行将这些钱贷给借款者，并向他们收取更高的利率，通过利差赚取利润。
Saving means setting aside part of your income for future use rather than spending it all today. Saving helps individuals prepare for emergencies or big purchases. From an economy's perspective, savings provide funds that can be invested in capital goods, boosting future growth.
储蓄是指将一部分收入留作未来使用，而不是今天全部花光。储蓄能帮助个人为紧急情况或大额消费做好准备。从经济的角度看，储蓄提供了可以投资于资本品的资金，从而促进未来的增长。
mption + Saving. If you want to increase saving, you must either earn more or consume less. Even small, regular deposits in a savings account can build into a substantial sum over time thanks to compound interest.
一个值得记住的等式：收入 = 消费 + 储蓄。如果你想增加储蓄，要么赚取更多，要么减少消费。由于复利的作用，即使是定期存入储蓄账户的小额资金，也能随时间积累成一笔可观的数目。
11. Inflation | 通货膨胀
Inflation is a sustained rise in the general level of prices over time. It means the purchasing power of money falls — each pound or dollar buys fewer goods than before. A low and stable inflation rate is often seen as healthy, but high inflation can hurt savers and distort spending decisions.
通货膨胀是指一段时间内物价总水平的持续上涨。它意味着货币的购买力下降——每一英镑或每一美元能买到的商品比过去更少。低而稳定的通胀率常被视为健康，但高通胀会损害储蓄者并使支出决策扭曲。
Imagine a carton of milk costing £1 last year and £1.05 this year. That 5% increase is inflation. It can be caused by too much money chasing too few goods (demand-pull) or by rising costs of production (cost-push), such as an oil price spike.
假设一盒牛奶去年售价 1 英镑，今年变成 1.05 英镑。这 5% 的上升就是通货膨胀。它可能由过多货币追逐过少商品（需求拉上型）引起，也可能由生产成本上升（成本推动型）引起，比如油价飙升。
Central banks, like the Bank of England, try to keep inflation on target by adjusting interest rates. When inflation is high, they raise rates to cool spending. When inflation is too low, they cut rates to encourage borrowing and demand.
英格兰银行等中央银行通过调整利率来努力将通胀控制在目标范围内。通胀过高时，它们会提高利率以给支出降温；通胀过低时，它们会降低利率以鼓励借贷和需求。
12. Economic Growth | 经济增长
Economic growth refers to an increase in the amount of goods and services produced by an economy over time. It is usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). When GDP goes up, the economy is expanding; when it falls for two consecutive quarters, it signals a recession.
经济增长是指一个经济体所生产的商品和服务数量随时间的增加。它通常用国内生产总值（GDP）的增长率来衡量。当 GDP 上升时，经济在扩张；如果连续两个季度下降，就表明出现了衰退。
Sustainable growth means the economy can produce more without causing severe inflation or environmental damage. Growth can come from using more resources, but long-term improvements generally require better technology, higher skills, and productive investment.
可持续增长意味着经济体能够在不会引起严重通胀或环境破坏的前提下生产更多。增长可以来自使用更多资源，但长期的改善通常需要更先进的技术、更高的技能以及富有成效的投资。
For a KS3 student, a simple analogy is a garden: growth is not just planting more seeds — it is also using better soil, watering systems, and knowledge to yield a bigger harvest with the same land. Economies aim for that kind of efficiency.
对 KS3 学生来说，一个简单的类比是花园：增长不仅仅是播下更多种子——还意味着利用更好的土壤、灌溉系统和知识，在同样的土地上获得更大的收获。经济体追求的就是这种效率。
Published by TutorHao | Economics Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
或截图后用「扫一扫 → 相册」选择本图