When something is inflationary, it belongs to a time of rising prices, or it helps push those prices up. You meet this word on the news and in economics class more than at the dinner table.

When something is inflationary當某樣東西是inflationary的時候, it belongs to就代表它屬於 a time of rising prices物價上漲的時期, or或者 it helps push它會推動 those prices up那些物價往上漲。on the news在新聞裡 and in economics class和經濟學課堂上 you meet this word你會遇到這個字, more than比...更常 at the dinner table在餐桌上聊天時。

An inflationary period is a stretch when everyday things — food, rent, bus fares — keep costing more than they did. An inflationary policy is a government or bank move that tends to make that happen, for example printing a lot of money or keeping interest rates very low for a long time.

An inflationary period通膨期(inflationary period) is a stretch when everyday things — food, rent, bus fares — keep costing more than they did就是像食物、房租、公車票這些日常東西持續變得比以前貴的一段時間。An inflationary policy通膨政策(inflationary policy) is a government or bank move是政府或央行的作為 that tends to make that happen往往會造成這種情況, for example舉例來說 printing a lot of money印很多錢 or或者 keeping interest rates very low for a long time長時間把利率壓得很低。

People also stretch it: a big round of pay rises may be called inflationary if shops then raise prices to cover the extra wages. Though actually, calling one event inflationary is a judgement, not a lab result — newspapers use it when they think the move will feed a general rise in prices, not just one shop’s sticker.

People also stretch it人們也會延伸這個用法: a big round of pay rises一次大規模的加薪 may be called inflationary可能被稱為inflationary(有通膨效果) if shops then raise prices to cover the extra wages如果店家因此調漲價格來吸收多出來的薪資成本。Though actually不過其實, calling one event inflationary把某件事說成inflationary is a judgement, not a lab result是一種判斷，不是實驗室的結果 — newspapers use it報紙會這樣用 when they think the move will feed a general rise in prices當他們認為這個舉動會帶動整體物價上漲的時候, not just one shop's sticker而不只是某一家店的標價。

The paired opposite is deflationary, when prices are falling. It is a fairly formal adjective; in casual talk people just say prices are going up.

The paired opposite相對的反義詞 is deflationary是deflationary(通縮的), when prices are falling也就是物價下跌的時候。It is a fairly formal adjective這是一個相當正式的形容詞; in casual talk平常聊天時 people just say prices are going up大家只會說物價在漲。