cream off
cream off — 慣用語
1. to select the most capable people or the finest items from a larger set, reservi
篩選菁英
從群體中挑出最優秀的佔為己用
to select the most capable people or the finest items from a larger set, reserving those for yourself so that others cannot share the benefit
The wealthy private school creamed off the brightest students from the surrounding towns.
那所昂貴的私立學校從周邊城鎮篩選菁英學生。
Large corporations often cream off the most promising graduates before smaller firms can hire them.
大企業通常在小型公司有機會聘用之前，就先篩選走最有前途的畢業生。
cream off + direct object (graduates/staff)
The agency was accused of creaming off the safest loan applicants while rejecting higher-risk clients.
該機構被指控篩選最安全的貸款申請人，同時拒絕風險較高的客戶。
The online store creamed off the best used cars by paying local sellers instantly.
這家網路商店即時付款，從當地賣家手中篩選到最好的二手車。
- cherry-pick
less negative; implies careful selection rather than unfair taking
- skim off
more informal; same dairy metaphor but often used for money
- poach
specifically about taking employees from another organisation
- share out
distribute equally rather than taking the best for oneself
文法句型
cream off + noun phrase (best people/things)
用法筆記
Frequently used in business and education contexts to criticise an organisation for taking the best resources before others can access them.
常見錯誤
cream off — 片語動詞
- cream offbase form
- creams off3rd person singular
- creaming off-ing form
- creamed offpast simple
1. to take a portion of something valuable — such as money, profits, or top perform
中飽私囊
從中牟取私利或金錢
to take a portion of something valuable — such as money, profits, or top performers — from a larger pool and use it to give yourself an unfair or secret advantage
The finance director was caught creaming off company funds to pay for personal holidays.
那位財務主管被發現中飽私囊，將公司資金用來支付私人度假開銷。
Executives creamed off most of the annual bonus pool before junior staff received anything.
高階主管在基層員工拿到獎金之前，就中飽私囊了大部分的年度分紅。
cream off + quantity phrase (most of the bonus pool)
The landlord creamed the rent subsidies off without making any repairs to the building.
房東中飽私囊了房租補貼，卻未對建築物進行任何維修。
An audit revealed that several managers creamed off thousands from the charity account.
審計發現多名經理中飽私囊了慈善帳戶中數千英鎊的款項。
- siphon off
more common; neutral-to-negative, often for money or resources
- skim
shorter and more informal; implies taking a small amount repeatedly
- divert
more neutral; does not carry the same negative judgement
- reinvest
put profits back into the business rather than taking them out
文法句型
cream off + noun phrase (money/profits)
cream + noun phrase + off
用法筆記
Often implies dishonest or unethical siphoning of money or resources. Common in British financial journalism. The separable form (cream + noun + off) is less frequent but acceptable.