Brown bag it
Meaning: To bring your own lunch to work or school, typically in a brown paper bag.
The brown paper lunch bag is an icon of American daily life. 'Brown bagging it' means packing your own lunch instead of buying it. It implies thrift and practicality. A 'brown bag' can also refer to drinking alcohol in public by hiding the bottle in a paper bag — a separate but equally American meaning.
Examples
- I'm trying to save money, so I'm brown bagging it this month. 我在努力省钱,所以这个月都自己带饭。Estoy intentando ahorrar, así que este mes me llevo la comida de casa.節約しようとしてるから、今月はお弁当持参にしてるんだ。돈을 아끼려고 이번 달은 도시락을 싸 다니고 있어.
- She brown bags her lunch every day — a sandwich and an apple. 她每天都自己带午饭——一个三明治和一个苹果。Ella se lleva la comida todos los días: un sándwich y una manzana.彼女は毎日お弁当を持参している——サンドイッチとリンゴ。그녀는 매일 도시락을 싸 온다——샌드위치하고 사과.
- We should brown bag it instead of spending $15 on lunch every day. 与其每天花15美元吃午饭,不如我们自己带饭吧。Deberíamos llevarnos la comida de casa en vez de gastarnos 15 dólares cada día en el almuerzo.毎日昼食に15ドルも使う代わりに、弁当を持っていくべきだよ。매일 점심에 15달러씩 쓰는 대신 도시락을 싸 가야 해.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: workplace, school, saving money
Tone: practical, casual
✓ Do Say
- I'm brown bagging it today.我今天自己带饭了。Hoy me he traído la comida de casa.今日はお弁当持参だよ。오늘은 도시락 싸 왔어.
- If we brown bag it, we'll save a lot.如果我们自己带饭,能省不少钱。Si nos llevamos la comida, ahorraremos mucho.弁当持参にすれば、かなり節約できるよ。도시락 싸 다니면 돈을 많이 아낄 수 있어.
✗ Don't Say
- Be aware of the alcohol meaning — 'brown bagging' at a party means drinking from a bottle in a paper bag, which has different connotations注意另一个含义——在聚会上说'brown bagging'意味着用纸袋包着酒瓶喝酒,含义完全不同Ten en cuenta el otro significado: 'brown bagging' en una fiesta significa beber de una botella escondida en una bolsa de papel, con connotaciones diferentes.お酒の意味に注意——パーティーでの「brown bagging」は紙袋に入れた酒を飲むことを指し、ニュアンスが異なる술에 관한 의미도 있다는 점에 유의할 것——파티에서 '브라운 배깅'은 종이봉투에 넣은 술을 마시는 것을 뜻하며, 전혀 다른 뉘앙스를 가진다
Origin & History
From the American tradition of carrying lunch in brown paper bags, dating to the early 20th century. Brown paper bags became the standard lunch container for workers and schoolchildren across America.
Cultural Context
Era: Early 20th century onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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