crisis
/ˈkraɪsɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkraɪsɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkrī-səs/ (ame, mw)
crisis — 名詞
- crisissingular
- crisesplural
1. a situation in which serious problems or strong disagreements cause widespread t
危機
影響社會或群體的嚴重困難或混亂局面
a situation in which serious problems or strong disagreements cause widespread trouble and may lead to major change
The political crisis in Élise's country made it hard for people to get basic supplies.
Élise 國家的政治危機讓人們難以取得基本物資。
collocation: political / economic / humanitarian crisis
Gabriel's company survived the financial crisis by cutting costs early.
Gabriel 的公司提早削減成本，因此在金融危機中倖存下來。
The housing crisis forced many young families to move to cheaper towns.
住宅危機迫使許多年輕家庭搬到較便宜的城鎮居住。
When the factory closed, the town faced an economic crisis that lasted years.
那家工廠關閉後，這個小鎮面臨了持續數年的經濟危機。
Without a clear plan, the country slid deeper into crisis every month.
沒有明確的計畫，這個國家的危機每個月都在加深。
- stability
a calm, secure state without major problems
文法句型
a/an + [adjective] + crisis
be in crisis
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives that name the type of problem (economic, political, humanitarian). The uncountable form (in crisis) describes an ongoing state rather than a single event.
常見錯誤
2. the moment when a problem or difficult situation reaches its most dangerous stag
危急關頭
問題或困境中最危險、最關鍵的時刻
the moment when a problem or difficult situation reaches its most dangerous stage and action is needed
The situation reached a crisis when the hospital ran out of medicine.
醫院藥品用盡時，情況就到了危急關頭。
reach a crisis — the moment when a situation turns critical
When the main water pipe burst, the apartment block knew a crisis had arrived.
主水管爆裂時，整棟公寓的住戶都知道危機來臨了。
The soldiers knew the crisis came when the general ordered a charge over the ridge.
將軍下令越過山脊衝鋒時，士兵們知道關鍵時刻到了。
Otis's business reached a crisis point when three staff members quit at once.
三名員工同時離職時，Otis 的事業到了危急關頭。
The crisis in their talks came when neither side would agree to a compromise.
雙方談判的危急關頭在於誰都不願妥協。
- turning point
neutral — may be positive or negative; crisis implies danger
- climax
often used in stories; crisis is more serious and real-world
- breaking point
the limit before collapse; more emotional or personal
文法句型
reach a crisis
at the crisis of [noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 focuses on a single decisive moment or turning point, whereas sense 1 describes an extended period of trouble. This sense is often used with 'reach' or 'at'.
3. going through a period of intense trouble or pain that deeply affects your perso
困境；難關
個人生活中經歷困難或痛苦的時期
going through a period of intense trouble or pain that deeply affects your personal life
Folake went through a personal crisis after her father passed away.
Folake 在父親過世後經歷了一場個人困境。
collocation: personal / emotional / mid-life crisis
Ziad is in crisis after his wife left and does not know where to live.
Ziad 的妻子離開後，他陷入困境，不知道該住在哪裡。
Therapy helped Antonia work through the emotional crisis she had been avoiding for months.
心理治療幫助 Antonia 度過了她逃避數月的情感難關。
Yuki faced a crisis of identity after university and felt lost about her future.
Yuki 大學畢業後面臨身分認同的困境，對自己的未來感到茫然。
Anong called the year she lost her job and home a crisis that changed her.
Anong 把失去工作和住處的那一年稱為改變她人生的一場個人困境。
文法句型
go through a crisis
be in crisis
a [adjective] crisis
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense is about an individual's experience rather than a broad societal problem. Common in phrases like 'mid-life crisis' and 'identity crisis'.
常見錯誤
4. the stage of a very serious illness when a doctor can tell whether the person wi
病情轉折點
重病過程中病情可能好轉或惡化的關鍵時刻
the stage of a very serious illness when a doctor can tell whether the person will recover or grow worse
The doctor said Élise had reached the crisis of her illness.
醫生說 Élise 的病情已到了轉折點。
medical usage: reach the crisis of an illness
After days of high fever, the crisis passed and the patient began to recover.
連續幾天高燒之後，病情轉折點過了，病人開始恢復。
Nurses watched carefully for any sign that the crisis had begun.
護理人員仔細觀察是否有任何病情轉折的跡象。
The family stayed by his bedside as the crisis of the infection approached.
感染病的轉折點來臨時，家人守護在他的床邊。
- turning point
broader; used in medical and non-medical contexts
- critical stage
more modern and widely understood than medical crisis
文法句型
the crisis of [illness]
reach the crisis
the crisis passes
用法筆記
This is the original historical meaning of crisis and appears mostly in medical or historical contexts. In modern everyday language, the broader senses 1-3 are far more common.
5. a situation in which people suddenly stop trusting a government, company, or fin
信心危機
對金融或政治體系突然失去信任
a situation in which people suddenly stop trusting a government, company, or financial system
The bank lost many customers after the crisis of confidence.
信心危機過後，這家銀行失去了許多客戶。
collocation: crisis of confidence
A crisis of trust had grown between voters and their elected leaders.
選民與民選領袖之間出現了一場信任危機。
The crisis in banking came when depositors lost faith in their local banks.
存款人對當地銀行失去信心時，銀行業的信心危機就來了。
After the accounting mistakes were made public, the company faced a crisis of confidence.
會計錯誤被公開後，該公司面臨了信心危機。
The scandal caused a crisis of trust that took years to repair.
這樁醜聞引發了一場信任危機，花了數年才修復。
- loss of faith
similar but focuses more on belief than reliance
- credibility gap
specifically about trust in what people say; narrower than crisis of confidence
文法句型
a crisis of [noun]
face a crisis of confidence
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the pattern 'a crisis of + abstract noun' (confidence, trust, faith). Different from sense 1 in that the trouble comes from people's attitudes rather than from objective problems.