A Catch-22 is a trap made of rules. You cannot do the first thing until you do the second, but you cannot do the second until you have done the first. You are stuck, and the stuckness is the design.

A Catch-22 is是 made of rules用規則做成的 a trap一個陷阱。 until you do the second不先做第二件, You cannot do the first thing你就不能做第一件, but可是 until you have done the first不先做完第一件, you cannot do the second你又不能做第二件。 You are stuck你被卡住了, and而且 the stuckness這個卡住 is the design本身就是設計。

The American writer Joseph Heller coined the name in 1961 in his novel Catch-22. In the book, a soldier tries to look mad so he will not have to fly more dangerous missions; but wanting to stay alive is taken as proof that he is sane, so they will not let him stop.

The American writer美國作家 Joseph Heller約瑟夫・海勒 in 1961在一九六一年 in his novel Catch-22在他的小說《Catch-22》裡 coined the name造出這個名字。 In the book書裡, a soldier一個軍人 tries to look mad想裝瘋, so he will not have to fly這樣就不必再飛 more dangerous missions更多危險任務; but但 wanting to stay alive「想活下去」這件事 is taken as proof被當成證據, that he is sane證明他神智正常, so they所以他們 will not let him stop不讓他停。

People now use Catch-22 for any bind like that — jobs, visas, school rules — not only war.

People now現在大家 for any bind like that把任何這樣的死結 use Catch-22都叫 Catch-22 — jobs工作、 visas簽證、 school rules校規 — not only war不只是戰爭。

You write it with a capital C and a hyphen. It is not a real army rule numbered 22; the number is part of the joke in the novel. Informal writing sometimes drops the capitals, but the idea stays the same.

You write it寫它的時候 with a capital C要大寫 C and a hyphen加連字號。 It它 is not a real army rule numbered 22不是真的有一條編號22的軍規; the number這個數字 in the novel在小說裡 is part of the joke是玩笑的一部分。 Informal writing不正式的文字 sometimes有時 drops the capitals不寫大寫, but the idea但意思 stays the same不變。