How do you use "In the trenches" in a sentence?

She's been in the trenches with the team all week. I've been in the trenches on this project. You learn more in the trenches than in the boardroom.

In the trenches

Q: What does "In the trenches" mean?

Doing difficult work at ground level; in the thick of it From WWI trench warfare, now used to describe being directly involved in difficult, hands-on work rather than managing from above.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Doing difficult work at ground level; in the thick of it

在一线做艰难的工作；身处其中

Haciendo trabajo difícil a pie de obra; en el meollo del asunto

現場で困難な仕事をしている、真っただ中にいる

현장에서 힘든 일을 하는, 한복판에 있는

From WWI trench warfare, now used to describe being directly involved in difficult, hands-on work rather than managing from above.

源自一战的堑壕战，现在用来形容直接参与困难的实际工作，而非在上面管理。

De la guerra de trincheras de la Primera Guerra Mundial, ahora se usa para describir estar directamente involucrado en trabajo difícil y práctico en lugar de dirigir desde arriba.

第一次世界大戦の塹壕戦に由来し、上から管理するのではなく、困難な実務に直接携わっていることを表す。

제1차 세계대전의 참호전에서 유래했으며, 현재는 위에서 관리하는 것이 아니라 직접 어려운 실무에 참여하는 것을 묘사할 때 사용된다.

Examples

She's been in the trenches with the team all week.
她整个星期都在一线和团队一起奋战
Ha estado en las trincheras con el equipo toda la semana
彼女は一週間ずっとチームと一緒に現場で奮闘していた
그녀는 일주일 내내 팀과 함께 현장에서 고군분투했다.
I've been in the trenches on this project.
我一直在这个项目的一线拼命干
He estado en las trincheras con este proyecto
このプロジェクトで現場にどっぷりだ
이 프로젝트에서 현장에 깊이 파묻혀 있었다.
You learn more in the trenches than in the boardroom.
在一线比在会议室学到的多
Se aprende más en las trincheras que en la sala de juntas
会議室よりも現場の方が多くを学べる
회의실보다 현장에서 더 많이 배운다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: business, everyday

Tone: respectful, hardworking

✓ Do Say

Been in the trenches
一直在一线奋战
He estado en las trincheras
現場で奮闘してきた
현장에서 고군분투하다
Down in the trenches
在一线
En las trincheras
現場にいる
현장 한복판에서

✗ Don't Say

N/A—widely understood
不适用——广泛理解
No aplica: ampliamente entendido
特になし——広く理解されている
해당 없음—널리 이해되는 표현

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the serious WWI origin

Origin & History

From WWI trench warfare, where soldiers endured terrible conditions in defensive excavations. Now describes being deeply involved in difficult work.

Etymology: WWI trench warfare

First recorded: WWI origin, modern business use

Cultural Context

Era: WWI origin, current use

Generation: All generations

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: WWI imagery; Business jargon

Regional notes: Universal English.

Variations

In the trenchesDown in the trenches