Current assets、fixed assets 和 Current liabilities

Current 是一个很有意思的词汇。它既可以是形容词，也可以是名词。作为形容词，current 意思是“通用的、流通的，现在的”，如 current money（通货），current English（现代英语），current fashion（目前流行的风尚）；作为名词，current 的意思是“水流、气流，电流，动向、潮流”，如 the current of a river （河的水流），the cold current （寒流），a direct current （直流电），the current of public opinion（舆论的动向）。在这里，还要特别提到英国的两种存款 current account （活期存款，也相当于美国银行中的 checking account ）和deposit account （储蓄存款，也相当于美国银行中的 savings account ）。如果你到英国银行对柜员说：“Could you tell me what sorts of accounts there are ？”（您能告诉我有几种什么存款吗？）银行柜员就会说：“Well，there are basically two types of accounts .There's a current account and a deposit account. With the current account you can pay for things by cheque, but you don't earn any interest . With the deposit account ,you earn interest ,but you can't pay for things by cheque……”（基本上有两种存款，一种活期存款，一种储蓄存款；活期存款你可以用支票支付，但没有利息；储蓄存款可以挣到利息，但不能用支票支付。）

Current assets 就是“流动资产”。例如：

　 1. Current assets are the assets reasonably expected to be converted into cash or used in the current operation of the business.(The current period is generally taken as one year.) Examples are cash, notes receivable, accounts receivable, inventory , and prepaid expenses.

　 流动资产指的是有充分理由认为在当期经营活动中转换成现金或被使用的资产(一般是一年期)。现金、应收票据、应收帐款、存货以及预付的费用都属于流动资产。

　 说到流动资产，就不能不提到另一个词汇 fixed assets（固定资产）。例如：

　 2. Fixed assets are the long-lived assets used in the production of goods or services. These assets, sometime called non-current assets, are used in the operation of business rather than being held for sale.

　 固定资产是在产品和服务的生产过程中使用的寿命较长的资产。这些资产有时称为非流动资产，是公司经营中为了使用而不是为销售而置备的资产。

　 Current liabilities 就是“流动负债”。例如：

　 3. Current liabilities . Debts which must be satisfied from current assets within the next operating period, usually one year. Examples are accounts payable, notes payable, the current portion of long-term debt, and various accrued items such as salaries payable and taxes payable.

　 流动负债。在下一个经营期间，通常是一年内必须用流动资产偿还的债务。应付帐款、应付票据、长期债务的当期分摊额，以及诸如应付工资和应付税款等种种应计项目都是流动负债。