核心畫面

One room in the middle. Many parties all have things owed to each other, or things to hand over. Rather than each one dealing with every other one, everything arrives at that room first, is counted and written down, and then leaves again for wherever it belongs. The room makes nothing of its own; its whole job is to take the tangle in and send order back out.

可以想成中間的那一個房間。周圍有很多家銀行、很多個單位,彼此都有東西要給對方。如果兩兩去對,線會纏成一團。於是所有東更多收起可以想成中間的那一個房間。周圍有很多家銀行、很多個單位,彼此都有東西要給對方。如果兩兩去對,線會纏成一團。於是所有東西先送進那個房間,在裡面被清點、被登記,然後再各自送出去。那個房間自己不生產任何東西,它的工作就是把亂的收進來、把清楚的送出去。clear 這個字在這裡的味道,就是「把帳、把東西理清、清掉」。

One branch

居中收進來、算清楚、再送出去

兩個意思共用同一個畫面,差別只在經過中間那個房間的東西是什麼。

noun · C1

A central office where a group of banks send each other's cheques and payment orders, so that the money owed between all of them is worked out and settled in one place.

票據交換所