crossroads
/ˈkrɒsrəʊdz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkrɔːsrəʊdz/ (ame, ipa)
crossroads — 名詞
- crossroadssingular
- crossroadsesplural
1. the place where roads cross, letting traffic continue in different directions
路口
道路交會的地方
the place where roads cross, letting traffic continue in different directions
We waited at the crossroads until Bilal's bus came from the east.
我們在路口等到 Bilal 搭的公車從東邊開來。
at the crossroads: physical junction
A small shop stands at the crossroads near the rice fields.
那間小店就在稻田旁的路口。
Turn left at the crossroads, then follow the river for two miles.
到了那個路口左轉，再沿著河走兩英里。
After dark, the police put warning lights at the muddy crossroads.
天黑後，警方在泥濘的路口放了警示燈。
Iris nearly missed the crossroads because the street sign had fallen.
Iris 差點錯過那個路口，因為路牌倒了。
- intersection
more neutral and common in traffic or city-planning language
- junction
slightly broader and can refer to rail lines as well as roads
- crossing
often stresses the act or point of crossing, not the whole junction area
- dead end
a road end where you cannot continue in another direction
文法句型
at the crossroads
turn left at the crossroads
用法筆記
Usually names a real road junction. Distinguish from sense 2, which is figurative and refers to a big choice rather than a place.
常見錯誤
2. a stage in life or in a plan where you must choose which way to go next
關頭
必須決定方向的重要時刻
a stage in life or in a plan where you must choose which way to go next
After graduation, Paloma felt she was at a crossroads.
畢業後，Paloma 覺得自己正在人生的關頭。
at a crossroads: major life choice
The company is at a crossroads after losing its biggest client.
失去最大客戶後，那家公司正處在關頭。
When Vikram got two job offers, he knew he had reached a crossroads.
當 Vikram 拿到兩份工作邀請時，他知道自己到了關頭。
Yuna and David's marriage came to a crossroads when they moved abroad.
Yuna 和 David 搬到國外時，婚姻走到了關頭。
At this crossroads, the mayor must choose between repairs and layoffs.
在這個關頭，市長必須在修繕和裁員之間做選擇。
- turning point
focuses on change in direction; it does not always imply a deliberate choice
- decision point
more direct and practical, often used in business or planning
- watershed
more formal and usually used when a moment later proves historically important
文法句型
at a crossroads
reach a crossroads
come to a crossroads
用法筆記
Most often appears in the pattern at a crossroads. It suggests that different futures are possible and a real choice cannot be delayed.
常見錯誤
3. a tiny community that grew up around a road junction
路口小村
位於道路交會處的小村落
a tiny community that grew up around a road junction
Christopher grew up in a dusty crossroads with one church and a cafe.
Christopher 在一個只有教堂和咖啡館的路口小村長大。
crossroads = tiny settlement
The bus stopped at a crossroads that had only three houses.
那班公車停在一個只有三戶人家的路口小村。
A fire station later turned the crossroads into a busier hamlet.
後來蓋了一座消防站，讓那個路口小村變成更熱鬧的小村。
Old maps mark the crossroads as a trading stop by the river.
老地圖把那個路口小村標成河邊的交易歇腳點。
- hamlet
a very small village, often the closest everyday equivalent
- settlement
broader and can describe communities of many different sizes
- village
more common and less tied to a road junction
- city
a much larger and more developed place to live
用法筆記
Mostly seen in older, regional, or historical writing. In everyday speech, people usually say village, hamlet, or settlement instead.