labyrinth

IPA/ˈlæbərɪnθ/
KK[lˈæbɚˌɪnθ]IPA/ˈlæbərɪnθ/

labyrinth — noun

  • labyrinthsingular
  • labyrinthsplural

1. A place or pattern of twisting paths where people can lose track of the route an

1.名詞C1
釋義

A place or pattern of twisting paths where people can lose track of the route and struggle to find the way out.

例句

Padma followed the hedge labyrinth until she found the stone fountain at the centre.

walk through a garden labyrinth

Tourists laughed nervously after taking three wrong turns inside the castle labyrinth.

take wrong turns in a labyrinth

同義詞
  • maze

    the closest everyday word; more common in ordinary speech and often used for gardens or games

  • warren

    suggests a cramped set of connected passages or rooms, often in a building

  • network

    more neutral; names connected routes without always suggesting confusion

反義詞
  • straight path

    a route that is simple and easy to follow

  • open space

    an area without the enclosed, twisting structure of a labyrinth

文法句型

a labyrinth of tunnels

walk through a labyrinth

get trapped in a labyrinth

用法筆記

Usually names a physical place with many turns or passages. It often appears with 'of' when the speaker describes what the winding space is made of, such as tunnels, hedges, or corridors.

常見錯誤

❌We walked around the labyrinth and found the exit quickly.
✅We walked through the labyrinth and found the exit after several wrong turns.
💡'labyrinth' usually suggests a place that is difficult to navigate, not just an ordinary path.

2. A system or situation with so many complicated parts that it is hard to understa

2.名詞C1
釋義

A system or situation with so many complicated parts that it is hard to understand, move through, or deal with effectively.

例句

New staff often call the tax rules a labyrinth of forms and exceptions.

a labyrinth of + plural noun

After the merger, Diego faced a labyrinth of offices, passwords, and approval steps.

bureaucratic metaphor

同義詞
  • maze

    close in meaning, but slightly more everyday and often less formal in figurative use

  • web

    suggests many connected parts; it does not always imply the same difficulty of finding a way through

  • tangle

    emphasizes disorder or complication rather than a route-like structure

反義詞
  • clarity

    a situation that is easy to understand

  • simplicity

    a system with few parts and little difficulty

文法句型

a labyrinth of rules

face a labyrinth of procedures

feel like a labyrinth

用法筆記

This figurative sense is common for rules, institutions, paperwork, and other systems that seem hard to get through. Distinguish it from sense 1, which is about an actual place with winding paths.

常見錯誤

❌My desk is a labyrinth today.
✅My desk is a mess today.
💡'labyrinth' usually describes a confusing system or arrangement, not just ordinary untidiness.

3. The winding part of the inner ear that holds the organs used for hearing and for

3.名詞C2
釋義

The winding part of the inner ear that holds the organs used for hearing and for keeping the body balanced.

例句

The doctor said the infection had spread to the labyrinth in Mei's inner ear.

medical sense: labyrinth in the inner ear

Damage to the labyrinth can cause dizziness even when a person is sitting still.

damage to the labyrinth

同義詞
  • inner ear

    broader term — the inner ear includes the labyrinth but is not limited to it

  • vestibular system

    focuses on balance functions and does not cover the full hearing aspect of the labyrinth

文法句型

the labyrinth of the inner ear

damage to the labyrinth

fluid in the labyrinth

用法筆記

This is a technical anatomy term, usually seen in medical discussion rather than everyday conversation. It refers specifically to the inner-ear structure, not to a confusing place or system.

常見錯誤

❌The patient had pain in the labyrinth outside the ear.
✅The patient had a problem in the labyrinth of the inner ear.
💡this sense refers to an internal ear structure, not to the outer ear.