stay afloat
stay afloat — 動詞
- stay afloatpresent simple I / you / we / they
- stays afloat3rd person singular
- staying afloat-ing form
- stayed afloatpast simple
1. to remain on the surface of water and not sink below it, especially when this re
浮在水面
不下沉，保持在水面
to remain on the surface of water and not sink below it, especially when this requires effort or support.
The children used life jackets to stay afloat in the pool while they practised kicking.
孩子們穿著救生衣浮在泳池水面，練習踢水。
collocation: 'stay afloat in [body of water]'
After the storm, the crew grabbed driftwood to stay afloat until rescuers arrived.
暴風雨過後，船員抓著浮木漂在水面，直到救援人員抵達。
collocation: 'stay afloat with [object]'
Yuki stayed afloat by holding onto the side of the boat during the swimming test.
游泳測驗時，Yuki 靠抓住船邊讓自己浮在水面。
The lifeguard showed the campers how to stay afloat using only their arms and legs.
救生員向露營的孩子們示範如何僅靠手腳划水而不下沉。
- float
less effortful, describes a natural property of an object
- keep afloat
same meaning but often implies an agent helping something stay up
- sink
to go below the surface of water
文法句型
stay afloat
manage to stay afloat
struggle to stay afloat
用法筆記
Unlike 'float', which can describe an object's natural state, 'stay afloat' emphasises an intentional or effortful continuation of floating. Frequently used with 'manage to', 'struggle to', or 'help/keep someone'.
常見錯誤
2. to have just enough money to pay bills, debts, and operating costs without going
勉力維持
足夠支付開銷而不倒閉
to have just enough money to pay bills, debts, and operating costs without going bankrupt or shutting down.
The bakery barely stayed afloat after rent doubled, so Lin Mei sold cakes online.
房租漲了一倍後，那間麵包店幾乎撐不下去，於是 Lin Mei 開始在網路上賣蛋糕。
collocation: 'struggle to stay afloat'
Arjun took on tutoring work to stay afloat while his photography business grew.
Arjun 的攝影事業仍在成長，他靠兼職家教來勉強維持生計。
collocation: 'to stay afloat while [situation]'
The charity relies on donations to stay afloat during the winter months.
那間慈善機構在冬季靠捐款來勉強維持運作。
Chen Wei's restaurant barely stays afloat, but he refuses to close it.
Chen Wei 的餐廳幾乎入不敷出，但他不願意關門。
- survive financially
more formal, often used about larger organisations
- keep one's head above water
idiomatic, more informal and vivid
- break even
more specific — exactly covering costs with no profit or loss
- go bankrupt
to become unable to pay debts and be forced to close
- go under
informal synonym for bankrupt or fail financially
文法句型
manage to stay afloat
keep (something/someone) afloat
用法筆記
Commonly used for small businesses, start-ups, or individuals rather than large corporations. Often paired with 'barely', 'just barely', or 'somehow' to emphasise the difficulty.
常見錯誤
3. to continue to exist, operate, or remain relevant when facing difficulties or ad
撐下去
在困境中持續運作或發展
to continue to exist, operate, or remain relevant when facing difficulties or adverse changes — implying a struggle rather than clear success.
The local newspaper stayed afloat through the digital shift by launching a strong online edition.
那份地方報社推出強勁的網路版，成功在數位轉型中站穩腳步。
collocation: 'stay afloat through [change]'
The Northwood High hockey team stayed afloat this season despite losing five of its best players to injuries.
北木高中曲棍球隊本季有五名主力球員受傷，球隊還是撐了下去。
collocation: 'stay afloat despite [difficulty]'
After their families objected to the engagement, Pim and Tanvi stayed afloat by focusing on their shared goals.
Pim 和 Tanvi 的婚事遭到雙方家人反對，但兩人靠著共同的目標撐了過來。
The village's traditional puppet theatre has stayed afloat thanks to a group of young apprentices learning the craft.
村裡的傳統布袋戲團靠著一群年輕學徒學習這門手藝，才得以繼續維持下去。
- keep going
informal, general continuation without the water metaphor
- survive
simpler term, can apply to any kind of difficulty
文法句型
stay afloat
manage to stay afloat
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2 (financial survival with money), this sense applies to careers, relationships, creative projects, or teams that persist despite non-monetary difficulties — e.g. competitive pressure, personal conflict, or changing tastes. 'Keep something afloat' is more common than 'stay afloat' in this sense.