Road trip
Meaning: A long-distance journey by car, typically for leisure or adventure rather than necessity.
Road trips are a quintessentially American tradition rooted in the country's vast geography and car culture. The term conjures images of open highways, gas station snacks, and spontaneous detours. It can be a planned vacation or a spur-of-the-moment decision to just get in the car and drive.
Examples
- We're taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon this summer. 今年夏天我们要自驾去大峡谷。Este verano vamos a hacer un viaje por carretera hasta el Gran Cañón.今年の夏、グランドキャニオンまでロードトリップするよ。이번 여름에 그랜드 캐니언까지 로드 트립 갈 거야.
- Nothing beats a road trip with your best friends and a good playlist. 没有什么比和好朋友一起、放着好听的歌单去自驾游更棒的了。Nada supera un viaje por carretera con tus mejores amigos y una buena lista de reproducción.親友たちといいプレイリストを流しながらのロードトリップに勝るものはない。절친들과 좋은 플레이리스트를 틀며 떠나는 로드 트립만 한 게 없어.
- Let's just road trip it to Vegas this weekend. 这个周末我们干脆自驾去拉斯维加斯吧。Venga, hagamos un viaje por carretera a Las Vegas este fin de semana.今週末、ラスベガスまでロードトリップしちゃおうよ。이번 주말에 라스베이거스까지 그냥 로드 트립 가자.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: travel, leisure, friendship
Tone: excited, adventurous
✓ Do Say
- Road trip! Who's driving first?出发自驾游!谁先开车?¡Viaje por carretera! ¿Quién conduce primero?ロードトリップだ!最初に誰が運転する?로드 트립이다! 누가 먼저 운전할래?
- We road tripped across three states last summer.去年夏天我们自驾穿越了三个州。El verano pasado hicimos un viaje por carretera cruzando tres estados.去年の夏、3つの州をまたいでロードトリップした。지난여름에 세 개 주를 가로질러 로드 트립했어.
✗ Don't Say
- Don't use for short drives — a trip to the grocery store is not a road trip不要用于短途驾车——去趟超市不算road tripNo lo uses para trayectos cortos: ir al supermercado no es un viaje por carretera近距離のドライブには使わない——スーパーへの買い物はロードトリップとは言わない짧은 이동에는 쓰지 말 것 — 마트에 가는 것은 로드 트립이 아니다
Origin & History
American English from the mid-20th century, popularized alongside the Interstate Highway System built in the 1950s-60s. Became a cultural staple through works like Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' (1957).
Cultural Context
Era: Mid-20th century
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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