I can't hear this bit clearly, can you?

[HashiriKata]

I was listening to a recording but got stuck at just one syllable (I think ). What is it? Please fill the gap with the missing bit (You may have to listen to the attached file, I think):

她不是一个可以勤俭节 [ __ ] 的人，太浪费。

Thanks,

节[ ].mp3

[grimacekid]

that is 约.

勤俭节约, if you familiar with this phase, you won't miss it!

cheers!

[roddy]

节约？

Edit: Gargh, beaten to it

[HashiriKata]

Thank you to you both. Yes, as usual, after seeing the answer I think I should have known .

As for the recording, I don't think the pronunciation of 约 is very precise, would anyone agree with me?

-------

EDIT: After listening again a few more times, the pronunciation now seems quite clear. So, it's really my lacking

[roddy]

It was only because of the phrase that I was able to guess what it was. If it'd been a random idiom or something I'd never heard of, I doubt I'd have had a clue.

[chenpv]

yue1, absolutely. Though with a slight southern accent, the woman sounds perfectly standard and clear, to me at least.

[HashiriKata]

yue1, absolutely.

Vielen Dank!

Yes, absolutely! you're right, as noted in my previous post!

[nipponman]

I could hear 约 fine, i didn't hear 的人 very well though. Oh well, back to the grind!

[lokki]

But, how should the last bit 太浪费 be interpreted ? According to the dictionaries 浪费 = waste, squander, extravagant, so that would translate something like "she is too extravagant", or "she wastes/spends too much (money)", but listening to it I get a feeling it could mean something like "it is such a waste", "it is such a shame" - is this wrong?

[HashiriKata]

so that would translate something like "she is too extravagant", or "she wastes/spends too much (money)", but listening to it I get a feeling it could mean something like "it is such a waste", "it is such a shame" - is this wrong?

Your interpretations are all reasonable, because the speaker didn't seem to be strict enough in the structure of the sentences. I guess, however, that by saying "she's not a frugal, thrifty person" the speaker must have then intended to mean, as you put it, "she wastes/spends too much (money)"