A standstill is when something that should be moving has completely stopped. It appears almost always in a small set of phrases — traffic came to a standstill, the talks are at a standstill, production has been brought to a standstill — so learn the phrases, not just the word.

A standstill standstill指的是 is when something that should be moving本來應該在動的東西 has completely stopped卻完全停下來了. It它 appears almost always幾乎都是出現在 in a small set of phrases幾個固定的片語裡 — traffic came to a standstill,traffic came to a standstill（交通完全停擺）、 the talks are at a standstill,the talks are at a standstill（談判陷入停滯）、 production has been brought to a standstillproduction has been brought to a standstill（生產完全停擺） — so所以 learn the phrases, not just the word要學的是這些片語，而不只是這個單字.

Two things make it special. First, it means total stoppage, not slowness: heavy traffic is slow, but traffic at a standstill is not moving at all. Second, it carries the idea that this is wrong — the thing is supposed to be going, and something has jammed it.

Two things有兩點 make it special讓它特別. First第一, it它 means total stoppage, not slowness指的是完全停止，不是變慢: heavy traffic塞車 is slow很慢, but但 traffic at a standstilltraffic at a standstill is not moving at all是完全不動. Second第二, it它 carries the idea that this is wrong還帶有『這是不對的』這種意味 — the thing這件事 is supposed to be going本來應該在進行, and而 something has jammed it是有東西把它卡住了.

That is why it is used constantly for traffic, factories, negotiations, and building work, and never for a sleeping cat. Newspapers love it for scale: a strike brings a city to a standstill.

That is why這就是為什麼 it它 is used constantly for traffic, factories, negotiations, and building work經常被用在交通、工廠、談判和工程上, and而 never for a sleeping cat卻絕不會用來說一隻在睡覺的貓. Newspapers報紙 love it for scale特別愛用它來講規模: a strike一場罷工 brings a city to a standstill讓整座城市陷入停擺.

In practice it splits into a physical sense (nothing is moving) and a figurative one (no progress is being made), and the same phrases cover both.

In practice實際上 it它 splits into分成 a physical sense字面上的意思 (nothing is moving)（什麼都沒在動） and和 a figurative one比喻上的意思 (no progress is being made)（完全沒有進展）, and而 the same phrases同樣的那些片語 cover both兩種意思都可以用.