Reader's question:  

Global imbalances are back. Large and volatile capital flows, exchange rate pressures, rapidly growing excess reserves... all this is on the front burner once again. And I do believe that the left unresolved, these problems could even sow the seeds for the next crisis.

Could you explain "on the front of burner"?

My comments:

This phrase is created from the kitchen and is easier understood together with the more popular phrase of "back burner".

An efficient cook, you see, works with two or more burners at once. The burner that's currently being used (usually to its maximum capacity) is the front burner; others, on which small fires are needed, are called the back burners.

In stewing a pot of pork ribs, for instance, the cook turns on the fire to get the soup to boiling point, at which time he moves the pot to the back burner, underneath which he lights a small fire – to keep the soup stewing. And he leaves it there and goes on to prepare other dishes. An hour later, when everything's done with the front burner, the pork ribs on the back burner will also be done.

Hence the ideas of front burner and back burner. What you have on the back burner you don't have to mind for the time being.

What you have on the front burner, on the other hand, needs your constant and unwavering attention.

And so figuratively speaking, in the top example, when large and volatile capital flows, exchange rate pressures, rapidly growing excess reserves are all "on the front burner", it simply means that all of these issues demand immediate attention.

In other words, they must be dealt with now and cannot be put off for later.

Related stories:

Tough call

Rain check

Upper reaches

Off the shoulders

Off and running

Gold dust

Frugality fatigue

Red flag

Foregone conclusion

Call balls and strikes

Stare in the face

Cyber Monday

With a grain of salt

Drive home

Out of nowhere

Shove it under the carpet

the sky is the limit

hit it off

get my rib in my heart

With bells on

No harm, no foul

Pick up the slack

length and breadth of

get up to speed on something

Go to Zhang Xin's column

本文僅代表作者本人觀點，與本網(wǎng)立場無關(guān)。歡迎大家討論學術(shù)問題，尊重他人，禁止人身攻擊和發(fā)布一切違反國家現(xiàn)行法律法規(guī)的內(nèi)容。

Zhang Xin（張欣） has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.