跑道上的那一槍
字面的一格：真的有人搶跑，真的要走回起點。
noun · B2
In a race, the situation where one competitor moves before the starting signal, so that start does not count and everyone has to come back and start again.
起跑犯規
核心畫面
Picture eight runners in the blocks. One of them moves a fraction too early, a whistle goes, and everybody stands up and walks back. Nothing has been lost except the start itself — the race is still ahead of them, still at zero. That is the picture the whole expression carries: not a thing that went wrong halfway through, but a beginning that did not count, followed by the walk back to the line.
可以想成八個人蹲在起跑架上。其中一個早了那麼一點點動了，哨聲一響，大家站起來走回起點。什麼都還沒損失，只是那個「開始…更多收起
可以想成八個人蹲在起跑架上。其中一個早了那麼一點點動了，哨聲一響，大家站起來走回起點。什麼都還沒損失，只是那個「開始」不算了——比賽還在前面，一切回到零。整個詞帶的就是這個畫面：不是跑到一半出事，而是開頭不算數，然後所有人走回線上重來。Two branches
任何事情的開頭
把跑道搬走，畫面留著。開了頭、沒開成、回到原點再來一次——計畫、專案、活動、職涯都可以套進這個形狀。
noun · B2
An attempt to begin something that does not work, so it has to be stopped and begun again — used about plans, projects, events, careers and any process that keeps failing to get going.
沒能真正開始的嘗試