1. a failure of a machine or system to function
(機器或系統的)故障,失靈
We had a breakdown on the highway and had to call for a tow truck.
我們的車在高速公路上拋錨了,不得不打電話叫拖吊車。
The power breakdown lasted for several hours.
這次停電持續了好幾個小時。
「breakdown」主要指事物停止運作、分解或精神崩潰的狀態。
故障/停止運作
EN: a mechanical failure or cessation of function
翻譯: 指機器、車輛或系統發生故障、停止正常運作。
分解/細分
EN: a detailed analysis or division into parts
翻譯: 將複雜的整體(如數據、報告、成本)分解成更小的部分以便分析。
精神崩潰
EN: a sudden collapse in mental health or emotional control
翻譯: 指因壓力、悲傷等導致情緒失控或精神健康突然惡化的狀態。
關係破裂/談判失敗
EN: a failure or collapse of communication or negotiations
翻譯: 指對話、關係或談判因分歧而徹底失敗或中斷。
小提醒:注意「breakdown」和「break down」的區別:前者是名詞(故障/崩潰),後者是動詞短語(使故障/崩潰)。例如:「The car had a breakdown」(車子故障了) vs. 「The car broke down」(車子壞了)。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Breakdown" from YouTube Videos
Jonathan Harris: The Web's secret stories
TED
“We can also get a gender breakdown And we see that women are slightly more prolific talking about their emotions in the last few hours than men.”
1. a failure of a machine or system to function
(機器或系統的)故障,失靈
We had a breakdown on the highway and had to call for a tow truck.
我們的車在高速公路上拋錨了,不得不打電話叫拖吊車。
The power breakdown lasted for several hours.
這次停電持續了好幾個小時。
2. a detailed analysis or classification of something into parts
(對某事物的)詳細分析,細目分類
Can you give me a breakdown of the costs involved in the project?
你能給我一份這個項目所涉及費用的細目分類嗎?
The report includes a breakdown of sales by region.
這份報告包含了按地區劃分的銷售額細目分析。
3. a sudden collapse in someone's mental or physical health
(精神或身體健康的)崩潰
The stress of the job eventually led to her nervous breakdown.
工作的壓力最終導致了她的精神崩潰。
He suffered a complete physical breakdown after months of overwork.
在數月的過度勞累後,他的身體完全垮了。
4. the process of something decaying or decomposing
分解;腐爛
The breakdown of organic matter is essential for soil health.
有機物的分解對土壤健康至關重要。
Enzymes are involved in the breakdown of food in our digestive system.
酶參與了我們消化系統中食物的分解過程。
5. a failure of a relationship, discussion, or system of communication
(關係、談判或溝通系統的)破裂,失敗
The breakdown in negotiations led to the strike.
談判破裂導致了罷工。
There has been a complete breakdown of trust between the two parties.
雙方之間的信任已完全破裂。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| breakdown + of + [something] | (對某事物的)詳細分析、分類 | The report provides a detailed breakdown of the company's annual expenses. (這份報告提供了公司年度開支的詳細分類。) |
| breakdown + in + [communication/negotiations/etc.] | (溝通、談判等的)破裂、中斷 | The project failed due to a complete breakdown in communication between departments. (該專案失敗是因為部門間的溝通完全破裂。) |
| breakdown + of + [machine/system] | (機器、系統的)故障、停止運轉 | We experienced a sudden breakdown of the server during peak hours. (我們在高峰時段遭遇了伺服器突然故障。) |
| have/experience/suffer a breakdown | 發生故障;精神崩潰 | After years of stress, he finally suffered a nervous breakdown. (在多年的壓力之後,他終於精神崩潰了。) |
| mental/emotional/nervous breakdown | 精神/情緒/神經崩潰 | She took a leave of absence after having an emotional breakdown. (她在情緒崩潰後請了假。) |
對比例句: EN: The car had a complete breakdown on the highway. 翻譯: 那輛車在高速公路上完全拋錨了。
EN:My car tends to break down in cold weather.
翻譯:我的車在寒冷天氣裡容易故障。
EN:She suffered a nervous breakdown after the incident.
翻譯:那次事件後,她精神崩潰了。
EN:He started to break down when he heard the sad news.
翻譯:聽到這個悲傷的消息時,他開始情緒失控。
使用時,請根據句子中需要的詞性(名詞或動詞)來選擇使用 breakdown 或 break down。
breakdown vs break up
「breakdown」通常指機械故障、系統崩潰或精神崩潰等狀態;「break up」則指關係結束、會議解散或物體碎裂成小塊。
breakdown vs collapse
「breakdown」常指功能性的故障或精神崩潰;「collapse」則更常指物理結構的倒塌或系統的突然徹底失敗。
breakdown vs analysis
「breakdown」作為「分析」時,強調將整體分解成細項的清單或列表;「analysis」則泛指更廣泛、深入的整體性分析過程或結果。
在口語中,常用來引述或總結一個複雜的狀況,使其更容易理解。 EN: So the breakdown of the problem is: first, the budget, then the timeline. 翻譯: 所以問題的 breakdown 是:首先是預算,然後是時間表。
EN:Here's the breakdown of what happened at the meeting.
翻譯:這是會議上發生的事情的 breakdown。
用來強調情況的嚴重性或徹底性,常與 "complete"、"total" 連用。 EN: After the argument, there was a complete breakdown in communication. 翻譯: 爭吵之後,溝通完全 breakdown 了。
EN:I'm having a total mental breakdown trying to figure this out.
翻譯:我試圖搞清楚這件事,簡直要 total mental breakdown 了。
在思考或組織想法時,作為一個短暫的停頓點,引出後續的詳細說明。 EN: The issue... let me give you a breakdown... it's mostly about resources. 翻譯: 這個問題...讓我給你一個 breakdown...主要是關於資源。
EN:My schedule is — okay, quick breakdown — packed until Friday.
翻譯:我的行程是——好吧,quick breakdown——排到週五都滿了。
正式寫作注意:在正式報告或學術寫作中,應避免將 "breakdown" 用於過於口語化的停頓填充,並優先使用更精確的術語如 "analysis"、"categorization" 或 "failure" 來替代口語中的泛指用法。
nervous breakdown
adjective + breakdown
精神崩潰
breakdown of communication
breakdown of + noun
溝通失敗/中斷
give someone a breakdown
verb + someone + a breakdown
向某人詳細說明/分析
mechanical breakdown
adjective + breakdown
機械故障
breakdown lane
breakdown + noun
故障車道(路肩)
cost breakdown
noun + breakdown
成本分析/細目
family breakdown
noun + breakdown
家庭破裂
suffer a breakdown
verb + a breakdown
遭受崩潰/故障
×I had a mental breakdown yesterday.
✓I had a nervous breakdown yesterday.
雖然 'mental breakdown' 在口語中偶爾出現,但標準且常見的醫學/日常用語是 'nervous breakdown',指精神崩潰。'breakdown' 單獨使用時,更常指機械故障或關係破裂。
×Please give me a breakdown of the costs.
✓Please give me a breakdown of the costs.
此句文法正確,但學習者常誤解 'breakdown' 在此為動詞。此處 'breakdown' 是名詞,意為「細目分類、分析」。常見錯誤是將其誤用為動詞,如 'Please breakdown the costs.',這是錯誤的。動詞是 'break down'(分開寫)。
×The breakdown of the car was because of the engine.
✓The car's breakdown was due to engine failure. / The car broke down because of engine trouble.
'breakdown' 作為名詞,指「故障」這件事本身,而非故障的「原因」。原句語意不清且不自然。應明確指出故障的具體原因(如 engine failure),或改用動詞短語 'broke down' 來描述事件。
×There was a breakdown between the two countries.
✓There was a breakdown in communications/diplomatic relations between the two countries.
'breakdown' 指系統、關係、談判、溝通等的「破裂、中斷」。使用時需具體說明是哪方面的破裂(如 in communications, in negotiations),不能單獨與 'between' 連用而不指明破裂的對象。
×I need a chemical breakdown for this substance.
✓I need a chemical analysis of this substance. / I need the chemical composition of this substance.
在科學或化學語境中,'breakdown' 通常指「分解過程」(如 chemical breakdown of plastics),而非「分析結果」或「成分」。表示「分析結果」應用 'analysis',表示「成分」應用 'composition'。