standard of living
noun /ˌstændəd əv ˈlɪvɪŋ/
/ˌstændərd əv ˈlɪvɪŋ/
(plural standards of living)
- the amount of money and level of comfort that a particular person or group has
生活水平 - As a result of the redundancies, most families suffered a fall in their standard of living.
由于裁员，大多数家庭的生活水平都下降了。 - the fall in their standard of living caused by redundancy
裁员导致他们生活水平的下降 - a decent standard of living
体面的生活水平
Culture standards of livingstandards of livingEven though the number of people living in poverty is continuing to grow, the majority of British people still have the high standard of living of an industrialized western country. However, British people tend not to judge quality of life by money alone, and would point out that factors such as a stable political situation, freedom of speech and choice, and relatively little official interference in their lives also affect their levels of satisfaction.Disposable income (= the amount of money people have to spend after paying taxes) is commonly used to measure the standard of living. People with low wages or who are unemployed, and people who have retired, have less income and a lower standard of living. Although disposable income has been rising in the country as a whole, the gap between rich and poor continues to grow wider. In 2016 the richest 10% of people owned about 40% of the total wealth. Standards of living also vary from region to region, the richest region being the South-East. In the 1920s people in the US began to believe in the American dream, the idea that anyone who worked hard could have material possessions as a reward. Having such possessions proves that a person is hard-working, so many people try to have everything their neighbours have, a practice called ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. As a result, America is often said to be a consumer society. The material standard of living is very high and the cost of living relatively low. Many Americans have large discretionary incomes (= money which they do not need for food and clothing and can spend as they choose) and can therefore buy many consumer goods but, as in Britain, there is a large and increasing gap between rich and poor. Around 15% of the population live below the poverty line. - As a result of the redundancies, most families suffered a fall in their standard of living.