overcrowding
overcrowding — 名詞
1. the problem caused when a place holds far more people or things than it was buil
過度擁擠
人或物太多，超出空間原本可容納的數量
the problem caused when a place holds far more people or things than it was built or planned to hold
Overcrowding in the city prisons has forced officials to release low-risk inmates early.
市區監獄過度擁擠的問題，迫使官員提早釋放低風險的收容人。
overcrowding in [institution]
St. Mary's Hospital reported serious overcrowding in its emergency ward last winter.
St. Mary's 醫院回報，去年冬天急診病房出現嚴重的過度擁擠。
adjective + overcrowding (serious / severe)
Mizuki blamed poor planning for the constant overcrowding on rush-hour trains.
Mizuki 將通勤尖峰時段火車長期的過度擁擠歸咎於規劃不良。
The new school in Beatriz's district was built to relieve overcrowding in classrooms.
Beatriz 學區新蓋的學校，是為了紓解教室過度擁擠的情況。
Charity workers warned that overcrowding in the shelter was making illness spread faster.
慈善工作人員警告，收容所過度擁擠，使得疾病傳播得更快。
- congestion
Often used for traffic or networks rather than buildings; suggests blocked flow more than tight space.
- crowding
Neutral and weaker; does not always mean the level is a problem.
- overpopulation
Used for whole cities, regions, or countries, not single rooms or vehicles.
文法句型
overcrowding in [place]
[place] suffers from overcrowding
用法筆記
Uncountable: never 'an overcrowding' or 'overcrowdings'. Frequently appears with 'in' + the place affected (schools, prisons, hospitals, cities) and verbs like 'cause', 'reduce', 'relieve', 'ease'.
常見錯誤
overcrowding — 動詞
1. to put so many people or things into a place that it can no longer be used safel
塞爆；擠滿
把人或物塞進空間，多到無法安全使用
to put so many people or things into a place that it can no longer be used safely or in the normal way
Bus companies in Lagos sometimes overcrowd their vehicles to earn more during rush hour.
Lagos 的巴士公司有時會在尖峰時段塞爆車輛，藉此多賺一些車資。
subject + overcrowd + vehicle
Élise warned the staff not to overcrowd the small meeting room with extra chairs.
Élise 提醒員工，不要再多塞椅子，把這間小會議室擠滿了。
overcrowd + place + with + objects
Officials warned that 200 new inmates would overcrowd the city jail beyond its safe limit.
官員警告，再進來 200 名收容人，會把市立監獄塞爆，超出安全上限。
Walid asked the guide not to overcrowd the boat with more than eight passengers.
Walid 請導遊不要讓船上擠滿超過八位乘客。
Adding three more desks would overcrowd Mayumi's office and block the fire exit.
再多放三張桌子，會把 Mayumi 的辦公室塞爆，還會擋住逃生出口。
文法句型
overcrowd + [place / vehicle]
be overcrowded with + [people / things]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person, organization, or planning decision that puts too many people or things into a space. Very often appears in the passive ('the train was overcrowded with commuters'); the passive form blends with the more frequent adjective 'overcrowded'.
常見錯誤
2. of people, animals, or plants — to gather together in a space in numbers so high
擠成一團
人或動植物聚集得太密，沒有足夠空間
of people, animals, or plants — to gather together in a space in numbers so high that there is no longer enough room for each one
When seedlings overcrowd in a single tray, none of them grows to a healthy size.
幼苗若全擠在同一個育苗盤裡，沒有一株能長到健康的尺寸。
subject = plants/animals; intransitive use
Reuben noticed that his goldfish began to overcrowd at one end of the tank.
Reuben 注意到他的金魚開始全擠在魚缸的一端。
animal subject + overcrowd + at + location
The penguins tend to overcrowd around the keeper at feeding time every afternoon.
企鵝每天下午餵食時間都會擠成一團，圍在飼育員身邊。
Nikhil's tomato plants began to overcrowd in the raised bed, so he moved half of them.
Nikhil 的番茄苗在花圃裡開始擠成一團，所以他把其中一半移走。
If the chickens overcrowd in one corner of the coop, the weaker birds get hurt.
若雞群全擠在雞舍的同一個角落，較弱的雞就會受傷。
- crowd together
More common in daily speech; neutral about whether the number is a problem.
- swarm
Suggests fast, restless movement of a large group, often insects or excited people.
- spread out
Opposite movement: people or animals separating across a wider area.
文法句型
[people / animals] overcrowd
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this intransitive use has the people or animals themselves as subject, not a place. Mostly found in writing about animals, plants, or planning, not casual speech. In daily English, 'crowd together' is more common.