In water, a cross-current is a flow that runs across the main flow instead of along with it. A river mostly moves downstream, but near a bend, a bridge pillar or a river mouth, some of the water pushes sideways — that sideways push is a cross-current.

In water在水裡， a cross-current is cross-current 是 a flow一股水流， that runs across the main flow橫著切過主流， instead of along with it而不是順著主流走。 A river mostly moves downstream河水大多往下游流， but但 near a bend, a bridge pillar or a river mouth在河彎、橋墩或出海口附近， some of the water pushes sideways有些水會往側邊推—— that sideways push is那股側向的推力就是 a cross-current。

Swimmers and small boats care about it a great deal, because it moves you off your line without your noticing: you aim at a point on the far bank, you swim straight, and you arrive somewhere else. That is the physical meaning, and it is the one to hold on to.

Swimmers and small boats游泳的人和小船 care about it a great deal非常在意它， because因為 it moves you off your line它會把你推離路線， without your noticing而你毫無察覺： you aim at a point on the far bank你瞄準對岸的一個點， you swim straight直直地游， and you arrive somewhere else上岸卻在別的地方。 That is the physical meaning這是它實體的意思， and it is the one to hold on to也是最該抓牢的那一個。

English then borrows the picture for people. When most of a group is moving one way in opinion and a smaller, sideways force is pulling differently underneath, writers call it a cross-current: "there were cross-currents of anger in the meeting", "cross-currents in public opinion". In that use it almost always appears in the plural, and it suggests something felt rather than said out loud — pressures under the surface, exactly as in the river.

English then英文接著 borrows the picture把這幅畫面借去， for people用在人身上。 When當 most of a group一群人的大多數， is moving one way in opinion意見往同一個方向走， and a smaller, sideways force而一股較小的、橫向的力量， is pulling differently underneath在底下往別的方向拉的時候， writers call it寫文章的人就叫它 a cross-current： "there were cross-currents of anger in the meeting"會議裡有幾股暗湧的怒氣、 "cross-currents in public opinion"民意裡的暗流。 In that use在那種用法裡， it almost always appears in the plural它幾乎都以複數出現， and it suggests而且它暗示的是 something felt rather than said out loud感覺得到、而不是說出口的東西—— pressures under the surface表面底下的壓力， exactly as in the river和在河裡一模一樣。

The word is common in writing about sailing, swimming and news commentary; it is not an everyday spoken word. You will also see it written cross current or crosscurrent; all three spellings appear, and the hyphen is safest.

The word is common這個字常見 in writing about sailing, swimming and news commentary於航海、游泳的文章和新聞評論裡； it is not an everyday spoken word不是日常口語。 You will also see it written你也會看到它寫成 cross current or crosscurrent； all three spellings appear三種拼法都有人用， and the hyphen is safest帶連字號的最保險。