Packie
Meaning: A liquor store — short for 'package store,' the New England term for a shop selling alcohol.
In Boston and much of New England, the liquor store is called the 'packie' (or 'package store' in full). The term comes from laws requiring alcohol to be sold in sealed packages for off-premises consumption. 'I'm gonna run to the packie' is standard New England vocabulary that confuses visitors from other regions.
Examples
- I need to stop at the packie and grab some beer for the cookout. 我得去酒铺买点烤肉聚会用的啤酒。Tengo que parar en la tienda de licores a comprar cerveza para la barbacoa.バーベキュー用のビールを買いに酒屋に寄らないと。바비큐용 맥주 사러 주류점(패키)에 들러야 해.
- The packie on the corner closes at ten, so hurry up. 街角那家酒铺十点关门,快点。La tienda de licores de la esquina cierra a las diez, así que date prisa.角の酒屋は10時に閉まるから、急いで。모퉁이 패키가 10시에 문 닫으니까 서둘러.
- In Boston, nobody calls it a liquor store — it's the packie. 在波士顿,没人说liquor store——都说packie。En Boston nadie dice 'liquor store' — se dice 'packie'.ボストンでは誰も「liquor store」とは言わない — 「packie」って言うんだ。보스턴에서는 아무도 'liquor store'라고 안 해 — 'packie'라고 해.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: shopping, daily life, casual conversation
Tone: casual, practical
✓ Do Say
- I'm running to the packie.我去趟酒铺。Voy corriendo a la tienda de licores.ちょっと酒屋に行ってくる。패키에 좀 다녀올게.
- Is the packie still open?酒铺还开门吗?¿Está abierta todavía la tienda de licores?酒屋まだ開いてる?패키 아직 열었어?
✗ Don't Say
- Outside New England, say 'liquor store' — 'packie' will draw blank stares in most of the country在新英格兰以外,请说'liquor store'——'packie'在全国大部分地方都没人听得懂Fuera de Nueva Inglaterra, di 'liquor store' — 'packie' provocará caras de desconcierto en la mayor parte del país.ニューイングランド以外では「liquor store」と言うこと —「packie」と言っても全国のほとんどの地域ではキョトンとされる뉴잉글랜드 밖에서는 'liquor store'라고 할 것 — 'packie'는 미국 대부분 지역에서 멍한 표정만 돌아올 것이다
Origin & History
Short for 'package store,' a term dating to post-Prohibition laws requiring alcohol to be sold in sealed packages. The abbreviation 'packie' became the colloquial New England term, particularly strong in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Cultural Context
Era: 1930s (post-Prohibition)
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Boston and New England — especially Massachusetts
More From This Topic
More from Regional: Northeast / NYC
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