VOA词汇掌故2022--You 'Hit the Jackpot!'

You 'Hit the Jackpot!'

And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. And today we talk about being lucky or having a great success -- or both!

There are times in our lives when everything seems to go our way. We win big. In other words, we hit the jackpot.

In a very literal² way, to hit the jackpot means³ to win a lot of money. A jackpot is the most valuable prize in a game of chance. A lottery⁴ is one such game of chance. People buy tickets, but only a few tickets are chosen by chance to win prizes.

Some states in the U.S. hold a weekly lottery. The jackpot increases until someone wins it. Some lottery jackpots can get as big as many millions of dollars!

Once I heard about a man who really did "hit the jackpot." He usually did not play the lottery or gamble⁵ with his money. But one day, he decided⁶ to buy a lottery ticket. And guess what? He won millions of dollars! He really struck it rich. We can also say he made a killing⁷!

However, hitting the jackpot does not always deal with money. It can also mean to have a great success, usually involving some luck. For example, if you get a great job simply by being in the right place at the right time, you can say you have hit the jackpot.

I know a woman who started dating a very good-looking man. He was also very nice and smart. Then she found out that he was also really rich. She likes to say she really hit the jackpot when she met him.

There are some other expressions that have a similar meaning. If you "hit it big" or "hit the big time," you have hit the jackpot.

I feel like I hit the jackpot with my job. The work is interesting, my co-workers are nice, and I get to hear from our readers and listeners⁸ from around the world. Jackpot!

And if you are looking for one place to learn English, you have also hit the jackpot with VOA Learning English!

Words in This Story

literal – adj. following the ordinary or usual meaning of the words

gamble – v. to play a game in which something (as money) can be won or lost

to make a killing – phrase have a great financial success

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 literal   

adj.照字面的，原义的，逐字的

参考例句：

• This word should not be taken in its literal sense.这个词不能按本义去理解。
• He made a literal interpretation.他逐字解释。

3 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

4 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。

5 gamble   

n.冒险；v.赌博，孤注一掷

参考例句：

• Setting up this business was a bit of a gamble.开办这样的公司有点冒险。
• Drive carefully and don't gamble with your life.小心驾驶，别拿你的生命冒险。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 listeners   

n.倾听者，收听者( listener的名词复数 )；听众

参考例句：

• the demographics of radio listeners 电台听众统计数据
• The singer's high notes jarred on the ears of her listeners. 那位歌手的高音让听众们觉得刺耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》