Gridlock
Significado: A severe traffic jam where vehicles are completely stuck and unable to move in any direction.
Gridlock originally described the specific situation where intersecting streets are all blocked, creating a grid of stopped cars. It's now used for any total standstill in traffic. The term jumped to politics in the 1980s to describe congressional deadlock, and is used for any situation where nothing can move forward.
Ejemplos
- The city is in total gridlock after the accident on the freeway. 高速公路上出了事故,整个城市完全瘫痪了。La ciudad está en un colapso total de tráfico tras el accidente en la autopista.高速道路の事故のせいで、街中が完全にグリッドロック状態だ。고속도로 사고 때문에 도시 전체가 완전히 마비됐어.
- Political gridlock in Congress means nothing is getting done. 国会的政治僵局意味着什么事都推不动。El bloqueo político en el Congreso impide que se avance en nada.議会の政治的行き詰まりで、何も進んでいない。의회의 정치적 교착 상태 때문에 아무것도 진행되지 않고 있어.
- We were stuck in gridlock for two hours trying to get out of the stadium. 我们在体育场出来的路上堵了整整两个小时,完全动不了。Estuvimos atrapados en un atasco total durante dos horas intentando salir del estadio.スタジアムから出ようとして、2時間もグリッドロックに巻き込まれた。경기장에서 나오려다 2시간 동안 꽉 막힌 교통에 갇혀 있었어.
Pronunciación
Guía de uso
Contexto: traffic, politics, frustration
Tono: frustrated, emphatic
✓ Correcto
- Downtown is in total gridlock right now.市中心现在完全堵死了。El centro está en colapso total ahora mismo.今、ダウンタウンは完全にグリッドロック状態だ。지금 시내가 완전히 교통 마비야.
- Political gridlock is holding up the bill.政治僵局拖住了这项法案。El bloqueo político está retrasando la ley.政治的行き詰まりで法案が止まっている。정치적 교착 상태가 법안 통과를 막고 있어.
✗ Incorrecto
- Don't use for moderate traffic — gridlock implies complete standstill不要用来形容一般的堵车——gridlock意味着完全动弹不得No lo uses para tráfico moderado: gridlock implica una paralización completa普通の渋滞には使わない——gridlockは完全に動けない状態を意味する보통 수준의 정체에는 사용하지 말 것 — 그리드록은 완전한 정지 상태를 의미한다
Origen e historia
Coined in the 1970s by transportation engineer Sam Schwartz to describe traffic patterns in New York City. The grid refers to Manhattan's street grid. Entered political vocabulary in the 1980s.
Contexto cultural
Era: 1970s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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