Upper-crust means the same group as 'upper class' — the people at the very top of society — but it is an informal, half-joking way of saying it. You will meet it as a noun with 'the' ('she married into the upper crust') and as an adjective ('an upper-crust accent', 'upper-crust schools').

Upper-crust means the same group as 'upper class'upper-crust指的跟「upper class」是同一群人 — the people at the very top of society也就是社會最頂層的人 — but it is an informal, half-joking way of saying it但這是一種口語、帶點開玩笑的說法。You will meet it as a noun with 'the'你會看到它加「the」當名詞用 ('she married into the upper crust')（像「she married into the upper crust」，她嫁進了上流階層） and as an adjective也會當形容詞用 ('an upper-crust accent', 'upper-crust schools')（像「an upper-crust accent」上流腔調、「upper-crust schools」貴族學校）。

The picture inside it is a pie or a loaf of bread: the crust on top is the part that gets served first, or the part that looks best. Because of that image, the word is lighter and more teasing than 'upper class'.

The picture inside it is a pie or a loaf of bread這個字裡面的畫面是一個派或一條麵包: the crust on top is the part that gets served first, or the part that looks best上面那層皮是最先被端出來、或看起來最漂亮的部分。Because of that image, the word is lighter and more teasing than 'upper class'因為這個畫面，這個字比「upper class」更輕鬆、更帶點調侃。

A history book will say 'the upper class'; a friend describing a posh wedding will say 'very upper-crust'. It is mostly British, quite dated in feel, and it usually carries a small smile — mild mockery of fancy manners, not real anger. Because of that tone, be careful using it about a real person to their face; 'upper-crust' said about someone is rarely a compliment.

A history book will say 'the upper class'歷史書會寫「the upper class」; a friend describing a posh wedding will say 'very upper-crust'朋友在形容一場氣派婚禮時會說「very upper-crust」。It is mostly British, quite dated in feel這主要是英式用法，感覺相當老派, and it usually carries a small smile而且通常帶著一點微笑的語氣 — mild mockery of fancy manners, not real anger是對講究派頭的溫和調侃，不是真的生氣。Because of that tone, be careful using it about a real person to their face因為這種語氣，當面用它形容一個真人時要小心; 'upper-crust' said about someone is rarely a compliment用「upper-crust」形容一個人很少是稱讚。

There is a story often repeated that the phrase comes from medieval families giving the burnt bottom of the loaf to servants and keeping the top crust for guests, but that tale is not reliable, so I would not teach it as fact.

There is a story often repeated有一個常被重複講的故事 that the phrase comes from medieval families giving the burnt bottom of the loaf to servants說這個詞來自中世紀的人家把麵包燒焦的底部給僕人吃 and keeping the top crust for guests而把上面的皮留給客人, but that tale is not reliable但這個說法並不可靠, so I would not teach it as fact所以我不會把它當事實來教。