A gradient is how steep a slope is — how much a road or a railway climbs or falls as you travel along it. Engineers and drivers talk about a steep gradient or a gentle one.

A gradient is how steep a slope isA gradient指的是坡有多陡——how much a road or a railway climbs or falls as you travel along it也就是你沿路走的時候，道路或鐵路爬升或下降的幅度。Engineers and drivers talk about a steep gradient or a gentle one工程師和駕駛人會談到陡的gradient或緩的gradient。

In Britain this is still the everyday word for hills and tracks; in American English people often say grade or slope, though gradient is understood. The number can be given as a ratio (a rise of one in ten) or as a percent.

In Britain this is still the everyday word for hills and tracks在英國，這仍然是講山坡和路段最常用的日常字；in American English people often say grade or slope在美式英文裡，大家常說grade或slope，though gradient is understood不過gradient也聽得懂。The number can be given as a ratio這個數字可以用比例表示 (a rise of one in ten)（十分之一的爬升）or as a percent也可以用百分比表示。

Though actually, people have stretched the word: a colour gradient is a smooth fade from one colour to another, and scientists talk about a temperature gradient (hot here, cooler there). The picture is the same — a change you can measure as you move — but the core meaning for roads and trains is still “how steep.”

Though actually不過，people have stretched the word大家也延伸了這個字：a colour gradient is a smooth fade from one colour to anothera colour gradient指的是一種顏色平滑過渡到另一種顏色，and scientists talk about a temperature gradient科學家也會說temperature gradient (hot here, cooler there)（這裡熱、那裡涼）。The picture is the same背後的畫面是一樣的——a change you can measure as you move一種你移動時可以測量出來的變化——but the core meaning for roads and trains is still 'how steep'但對道路和鐵路來說，核心意思仍然是『有多陡』。