The state or period of not developing, not growing, not going anywhere — the noun that names what happens when something stagnates. Where the verb describes the action, this word names the condition, so it lets you talk about it as a thing: a decade of stagnation, economic stagnation, the stagnation of the industry, to break out of stagnation.

The state or period of not developing, not growing, not going anywhere指不發展、不成長、原地踏步的狀態或時期 — the noun that names what happens when something stagnates是用來說明某件事stagnate（停滯）時所發生的狀況的名詞。Where the verb describes the action動詞描述的是動作, this word names the condition而這個字則是把那個狀態命名出來, so it lets you talk about it as a thing讓你可以把它當成一個東西來談: a decade of stagnation, economic stagnation, the stagnation of the industry, to break out of stagnation像是a decade of stagnation（停滯的十年）、economic stagnation（經濟停滯）、the stagnation of the industry（產業的停滯）、to break out of stagnation（擺脫停滯）。

That makes it the form you see most in serious writing, especially about economies. 'Economic stagnation' is close to a fixed phrase: growth near zero, few new jobs, wages flat. Journalists also pair it with a length of time ('years of stagnation') because the badness of stagnation is really about duration — one flat year is a pause, ten flat years is stagnation.

That makes it the form you see most in serious writing, especially about economies這讓它成為你在正式文章裡最常看到的形式尤其是在談經濟的時候。'Economic stagnation' is close to a fixed phrase'Economic stagnation'幾乎是個固定用語: growth near zero, few new jobs, wages flat成長率接近零、新工作很少、薪水不動。Journalists also pair it with a length of time ('years of stagnation')記者也常常搭配一段時間來用（'years of stagnation'）, because the badness of stagnation is really about duration因為stagnation之所以糟糕關鍵其實在於持續的時間 — one flat year is a pause, ten flat years is stagnation停滯一年只是暫停停滯十年才是stagnation。

Beyond economics, it works for careers ('professional stagnation'), for institutions, for art forms, and for personal life ('I needed a change; I could feel the stagnation'). In all of them the same judgement sits underneath: standing still where movement was expected, and going slightly rotten because of it.

Beyond economics除了經濟之外, it works for careers ('professional stagnation'), for institutions, for art forms, and for personal life ('I needed a change; I could feel the stagnation')它也用在職涯（'professional stagnation'）、機構、藝術形式，以及個人生活上（'I needed a change; I could feel the stagnation'）。In all of them the same judgement sits underneath在所有這些用法底下都藏著同一種評斷: standing still where movement was expected, and going slightly rotten because of it在原本應該前進的地方停住不動並因此稍微變質。

There is also the literal water meaning — the stagnation of a pond — but that is rare; for water people normally use the adjective stagnant instead. Register is formal-to-neutral, and it is an uncountable noun: say 'a period of stagnation', not 'a stagnation'.

There is also the literal water meaning也有指水的字面意思 — the stagnation of a pond像the stagnation of a pond（池水的停滯） — but that is rare但這種用法很少見; for water people normally use the adjective stagnant instead講水的時候大家通常會改用形容詞stagnant。Register is formal-to-neutral這個字的語域是正式到中性之間, and it is an uncountable noun而且是不可數名詞: say 'a period of stagnation', not 'a stagnation'要說'a period of stagnation'不能說'a stagnation'。