「经济学人」日本的共享经济 (2)
Can share, won't share
Why Japan's sharing economy is tiny
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Successes do exist[1]. There are thriving platforms to share meeting rooms, office space and parking spots. One popular site is Laxus, which lets cash-poor city dwellers[居住者;居民] share designer handbags. Airbnb's own offering of “experience sharing”, in which people sell and buy experiences such as city tours and cooking classes, is more successful in Japan than almost anywhere else, says Mike Orgill, its head of policy in Asia, as foreigners in particular seek a window[2] into the country.
[1]段首这句 Successes do exist. 与昨天发布的上一段中开头 Opportunities certainly abound. 有相互照应的关系，机会确实很多，blablabla，当然也有一些成功案例，后面则开始举例，blablabla。
[2]window: 在文中表示“（让人了解其他情况或经历的）窗口”，英文解释为something that makes it possible for you to see and learn about a situation or experience that is different from your own
举个🌰
The film provides a window on the immigrant experience.
这部影片提供了一个了解移民经历的窗口。
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Yet regulation, which tends to favour big companies and industries, is a key obstacle to faster and more mainstream growth. The minpaku law's 180-day limit, which local authorities have the right to tighten further, is a nod to[3] powerful hotel chains. Shinjuku[新宿], a ward[4] in Tokyo that is popular with visitors, is banning home-owners in residential areas from renting out their homes from Mondays to Thursdays. Uber, a ride-hailing firm, is prevented from offering anything but its premium services, such as black cars[5] with professional drivers, thanks in large part to the objections of established taxi fleets. There are ways to get round[6] it—a local ride-sharing app, Notteco, has avoided the regulations by getting passengers to pay for petrol and tolls rather than a fee for transport, for example. But the rules hinder* growth.
[3]a nod to: nod作为名词，表示“点头赞同，点头致意，点头示意”，与上一句a key obstacle to(主要障碍，关键障碍)形成鲜明对比。
[4]ward: 在文中表示“区”，英文解释为(in many countries) one of the areas into which a city or town is divided, having its own elected political representative or its own organizations for managing services
新宿区（しんじゅく く）是日本东京都内23个特别区之一，也是东京乃至于整个日本最著名的繁华商业区。
它还有另一个常见意思是“病房，病室”，
举个🌰
a geriatric/maternity/psychiatric ward
老年人／产科／精神病病房
[5]black cars: 此黑车非彼黑车，我们常说的黑车通常为“非法的；不正规的”，可以用 unlicensed/ illegal
[6]get round: 表示“应对；克服；解决；避免”(to circumvent or overcome)，就是后半句提到的avoided the regulations by，通过...来规避监管。
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Another hurdle[7] is the attitude of the Japanese public. Many people are simply ignorant of the existence of sharing apps. Others reckon they may be illegal. “Public anxiety is the main factor impeding[8] the development of the sharing economy,” thinks Yusuke Takada of the government's Sharing Economy Promotion Office. Another barrier is social custom. Chika Tsunoba, the head of Anytimes, a local platform where users share skills from gardening to baby-sitting, says women in particular feel they should be doing everything themselves, pointing to criticism she attracted after hiring a cleaner through the site. Mr Ueda says the Japanese fret[9] that sharing platforms will not provide the high level of service they are accustomed to. Because of this, the Sharing Economy Association has developed a “trust mark” to give consumers more confidence.
[7]hurdle: 在文中作名词表示“难关；障碍”，英文解释为a problem or difficulty that must be solved or dealt with before you can achieve sth.
后文用了“barrier”来替换。
它还有另一个常见意思是“栏架，跨栏”，英文解释为each of a series of vertical frames that a person or horse jumps over in a race.
复数形式 hurdles 即表示“跨栏比赛”，
举个🌰：the 400-metre hurdles 400米跨栏比赛
[8]impede: 表示“妨碍，阻碍；阻止”，英文解释为to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something
举个🌰
Although he's shy, it certainly hasn't impeded his career in any way.
尽管他很害羞，但这显然一点儿也没有妨碍他的事业。
上一段最后一句“the rules hinder growth.”则用了“hinder”来表示“阻碍，妨碍”，英文解释为to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something.
[9]fret: 动词，表示“苦恼；烦躁；焦虑不安”英文解释，to be worried or unhappy and not able to relax，后面可以接~ (about/over sth)或者(that…)从句。
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International firms are also adapting their tactics. Airbnb is “partnering with areas that don't get as much love as they might like,” says Mr Orgill. It worked with the authorities and locals in Kamaishi, on the north-east coast, to attract tourists, even creating a local guidebook. As for Uber, helping established[10] firms is not something the firm does anywhere else, notes Ann Lavin, who heads policy in Asia-Pacific for the firm, but it is piloting a ride-hailing programme for local taxis on the remote island of Awaji, near the city of Kobe. This caring, sharing approach may pay off[11], but it will take more time.
[10]established 在文中出现了两次：established taxi fleets和established firms
1)accepted or respected because of having existed for a long period of time （因长期存在而）已确立的；被承认的；既定的;
2)used for describing someone who is known for doing a job well, because they have been doing it for a long time （因为优秀而）被认可的，著名的.
举个🌰
an established firm/brand 著名公司/品牌
an established artist/star 著名艺术家/明星
[11]pay off: 表示“取得成功，得到好结果”，英文解释为If something you have done pays off, it is successful.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Can share, won't share" (Jun 16th 2018)
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