「avalanche」主要指大量冰雪從山坡崩落的自然現象，也常用於比喻突然湧現的大量事物。
自然現象
EN: a large mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside
翻譯: 指大量冰雪、岩石從山坡上快速崩落的自然災害。
比喻用法
EN: a sudden, overwhelming quantity of something that arrives or occurs
翻譯: 比喻突然湧現、數量龐大且難以抵擋的事物，如信件、問題或資訊。
物理現象
EN: a cumulative process in physics where a trigger causes a rapidly increasing effect
翻譯: 物理學中指由微小觸發點引發、迅速增強的連鎖反應過程，如雪崩二極體。
選舉/比賽
EN: an overwhelming victory or defeat, especially in an election or competition
翻譯: 指在選舉或比賽中，一方以壓倒性票數或比分獲勝或落敗的情況。
小提醒：注意「avalanche」作比喻時，常與「of」連用，表示「大量的…」，如「an avalanche of complaints」（大量的投訴）。它強調的是「突然且勢不可擋地湧來」，而不僅是數量多。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Avalanche" from YouTube Videos
Paul Rothemund: Casting spells with DNA
TED
“There's an ancient and universal concept that words have power, that spells exist and that if we could only pronounce the right words, then -- whoosh -- you know, an avalanche would come and wipe out the hobbits, right?”
1. a large mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside
大量雪、冰和岩石從山坡上快速崩落的現象
The skiers were warned about the high risk of avalanche in the backcountry.
滑雪者被警告在偏遠地區有很高的雪崩風險。
The loud noise triggered an avalanche on the north face of the mountain.
巨大的聲響引發了山脈北坡的雪崩。
2. a sudden, overwhelming quantity of things arriving or occurring at once
突然、大量湧入或同時發生的事物
The company received an avalanche of complaints after the product recall.
在產品召回後，公司收到了如雪崩般的大量投訴。
Her inbox was flooded with an avalanche of emails following the announcement.
公告發布後，她的收件箱被如雪崩般的電子郵件淹沒。
3. in physics, a cumulative process in which a triggering event causes a rapidly increasing chain reaction
物理學中，指觸發事件導致快速增長的連鎖反應的累積過程
The experiment demonstrated an electron avalanche within the semiconductor material.
實驗展示了半導體材料內的電子雪崩現象。
Avalanche breakdown is a critical concept in understanding diode behavior.
雪崩擊穿是理解二極體行為的一個關鍵概念。
4. to descend or rush down in or like an avalanche
如雪崩般落下或湧下
Debris avalanched down the slope after the earthquake.
地震後，碎石如雪崩般從斜坡上滾落。
Fans avalanched onto the field after their team won the championship.
在球隊贏得冠軍後，球迷如雪崩般湧入球場。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| an avalanche of + [plural noun] | 大量的、鋪天蓋地的（事物） | The company received an avalanche of complaints after the service outage. (服務中斷後，公司收到了大量的投訴。) |
| be caught in an avalanche | 遭遇雪崩 | Several skiers were caught in the avalanche but were later rescued. (幾名滑雪者遭遇了雪崩，但後來被救出。) |
| trigger/cause an avalanche | 引發/導致雪崩 | A loud noise can sometimes trigger an avalanche in unstable snow. (巨大的聲響有時會在不穩定的雪層中引發雪崩。) |
| an avalanche of + [uncountable noun] | 洶湧而來的、大量的（抽象事物） | The news report sparked an avalanche of criticism online. (這則新聞報導在網上引發了排山倒海的批評。) |
| be buried by/under an avalanche | 被雪崩掩埋 | The village was buried under an avalanche last winter. (這個村莊去年冬天被雪崩掩埋了。) |
avalanche of 已足夠表達多數情況。avalanche of 仍占主導地位。
EN: The office received an avalanche of complaints after the service outage.
翻譯: 服務中斷後，辦公室收到了如雪崩般的大量投訴。EN:In spring, the melting snow can trigger avalanches of rocks and debris.
翻譯:春天時，融雪可能引發岩石和碎屑的多次崩落。
在大多數情況下，使用 avalanche of 來表示「大量的…」即可，avalanches of 僅在特別強調「多次、反覆的湧現」時才需使用。
avalanche vs landslide
「avalanche」指雪崩，是大量冰雪從山坡滑落；「landslide」指山崩或土石流，是岩石、土壤等物質的滑落。
avalanche vs blizzard
「avalanche」是雪崩，指大量冰雪的突然移動；「blizzard」是暴風雪，指伴有強風的猛烈降雪天氣。
avalanche vs deluge
「avalanche」指雪崩或比喻大量事物突然湧來；「deluge」主要指洪水或比喻大量事物（如資訊、信件）湧入。
在口語中，人們有時會用 "avalanche" 來比喻突然湧入的大量事物，尤其是在描述新聞、訊息或工作時。 EN: I opened my email and got an avalanche of messages after the announcement. 翻譯: 公告發布後，我一打開信箱就收到雪崩般的訊息。
EN:There's been an avalanche of complaints about the new policy.
翻譯:關於新政策，抱怨聲如雪崩般湧來。
當想誇張地描述某種情況的規模或強度時，會使用 "avalanche" 來加強語氣，表示「極其大量」或「勢不可擋」。 EN: After her performance went viral, she received an avalanche of support from fans. 翻譯: 她的表演爆紅後，粉絲的支持如雪崩般湧來。
EN:We're facing an avalanche of deadlines this week.
翻譯:我們這週面臨著排山倒海而來的截止期限。
在思考如何描述一個巨大變化或衝擊時，說話者可能會用 "like an avalanche" 作為一個生動的比喻來填補停頓，使描述更形象化。 EN: The changes to the company came... like an avalanche, sudden and overwhelming. 翻譯: 公司的變革來得…就像雪崩一樣，突然且勢不可擋。
EN:His resignation caused... well, an avalanche of speculation in the media.
翻譯:他的辭職引發了…嗯，媒體如雪崩般的猜測。
正式寫作注意：在學術或正式商業文件中，應避免將 "avalanche" 用於比喻，除非是地質學相關內容。建議改用更精確的詞彙，如 "a large number of", "a flood of", "an overwhelming amount of" 或 "a surge in"。
trigger an avalanche
verb + an avalanche
引發雪崩
caught in an avalanche
verb + in an avalanche
遭遇雪崩；被雪崩困住
avalanche of
avalanche of + noun
大量的…；如雪崩般的…
avalanche warning
avalanche + noun
雪崩警報
survive an avalanche
verb + an avalanche
在雪崩中倖存
avalanche risk
avalanche + noun
雪崩風險
set off an avalanche
verb + an avalanche
觸發雪崩
×There was an avalanche of snow.
✓There was an avalanche.
The word 'avalanche' already implies snow, ice, and debris. Adding 'of snow' is redundant and unnatural in English.
×The avalanche fell down the mountain.
✓The avalanche swept/came down the mountain.
While 'fall' is used for objects, 'avalanche' is a large, fast-moving mass. Verbs like 'sweep', 'descend', 'come down', or 'rush down' are more natural and descriptive.
×We saw a big avalanche.
✓We saw a major / massive / huge avalanche.
While 'big' is not grammatically wrong, it is a simple adjective. For natural descriptions of large-scale natural events, stronger adjectives like 'major', 'massive', 'devastating', or 'huge' are more common.
×He was killed by an avalanche accident.
✓He was killed in an avalanche. / He died in an avalanche accident.
The preposition 'by' is used for the direct cause (the avalanche itself). 'In' is used for the event or situation. 'Avalanche accident' is acceptable but often just 'avalanche' is sufficient.
×The news caused an avalanche of reactions.
✓The news caused an avalanche of responses / comments / criticism.
While 'reactions' is understandable, it is vague. 'Avalanche' as a metaphor is more naturally paired with specific nouns like 'responses', 'complaints', 'criticism', or 'support' to describe a sudden, overwhelming quantity.
×Avalanche is very dangerous.
✓Avalanches are very dangerous.
When speaking about the general concept or phenomenon, use the plural form 'avalanches' or the uncountable form 'an avalanche' with an article. Using the singular without an article is incorrect.