Is it stingy to wrap up leftovers? Is it too inconvenient to reuse office paper that has only been used on one side? Is it a loss of face to take the bus instead of drive a car? Of course it isn’t. These are the best representations of thrift and saving.

A Chinese traditional virtue, “thrift and saving” is to work hard, live economically, and not allow unnecessary expenditures by oneself or others. In daily life, it is reflected by common people who save water and electricity, cherish the fruits of others’ labor, and do not make unrealistic comparisons. Thrift and saving not only reduces money spent – also reflects the degree to which a nation is civilized and has social morals.

In recent years, alongside the development of China’s economy, extravagance and waste have also appeared, such as wasting water and electricity and throwing away large amounts of leftovers, all of which are harmful to the sustainable development of Chinese society. Therefore, the new Chinese leaders are strongly advocating the virtue of thrift and saving by controlling official expenditures, drinking less high-end liquor like the Maotai brand, cutting down on official dinners and banquets, and calling for common people to practice thrift within their own capacities, all so that China will develop more healthily.

Thus, it is not a shame to pack up leftovers in a restaurant.

Key words:

1勤俭节约qín jiǎn jiéyuē：diligent and thrifty
2打包dǎbā：pack up
3剩饭shèng fàn：leftover
4餐馆cān guǎn：restaurant