A cliffhanger is a moment in a story, film, series, or even a close game that leaves you excited and nervous because you do not know what will happen — and you may have to wait a long time to find out. An episode ends with the hero in danger; a final is tied with seconds left. The name paints a picture: someone left hanging from a cliff, fate not yet decided.

A cliffhanger is a moment in a story, film, series, or even a close game cliffhanger 是故事、電影、影集，甚至是比分接近的比賽裡的一個時刻 that leaves you excited and nervous讓你既興奮又緊張 because you do not know what will happen因為你不知道接下來會發生什麼事 — and you may have to wait a long time to find out而且你可能還得等很久才會知道結果。An episode ends with the hero in danger一集結束在主角身陷危險之中; a final is tied with seconds left或是決賽在剩下幾秒時打成平手。The name paints a picture這個名字畫出了一幅畫面: someone left hanging from a cliff一個人被吊在懸崖邊, fate not yet decided命運還沒有定案。

Writers have used this trick for a long time. People often trace the word to a 1870s magazine serial of Thomas Hardy’s novel A Pair of Blue Eyes, in which a character, Henry Knight, is left hanging off a cliff; Hardy had heard a real childhood story like that from his wife Emma.

Writers have used this trick for a long time作家用這個技巧已經很久了。People often trace the word to a 1870s magazine serial of Thomas Hardy's novel A Pair of Blue Eyes人們常把這個字追溯到1870年代雜誌上連載的湯瑪斯·哈代小說《A Pair of Blue Eyes》, in which a character, Henry Knight, is left hanging off a cliff裡面有個角色 Henry Knight 被吊在懸崖邊; Hardy had heard a real childhood story like that from his wife Emma哈代是從妻子 Emma 那裡聽來一個類似的真實童年故事的。

Today the “cliff” is almost always only a feeling. Friends also use it lightly in real life when you stop a story too soon.

Today the "cliff" is almost always only a feeling今天這個「懸崖」幾乎都只是一種感覺而已。Friends also use it lightly in real life朋友之間在現實生活裡也會輕鬆地用這個字 when you stop a story too soon當你話講到一半故意不講完的時候。

It is informal and very common in talk about shows and sport.

It is informal and very common in talk about shows and sport這是個非正式、在聊影劇和運動時很常見的詞。