To suffocate is first of all about air: to die, or almost die, because you cannot breathe. A person can suffocate under a pile of sand; a fire can be suffocated when you cover it and take its air away. This sense is used both ways — 'he suffocated' (it happened to him) and 'the smoke suffocated him' (it did it to him).

To suffocate is first of all about airsuffocate 這個字首先是跟空氣有關：to die, or almost die意思是死掉，或差點死掉，because you cannot breathe因為你不能呼吸。A person can suffocate under a pile of sand一個人可能被埋在沙堆下窒息；a fire can be suffocated when you cover it and take its air away把火蓋住、讓它沒有空氣的話，火也可以被 suffocate（悶熄）。This sense is used both ways這個意思有兩種用法——'he suffocated' (it happened to him)'he suffocated'（事情發生在他身上），and 'the smoke suffocated him' (it did it to him)和 'the smoke suffocated him'（是煙讓他窒息的）。

But this entry is about the feeling, and the feeling is the more common use in everyday talk. When you say you feel suffocated, usually nothing is wrong with the air at all. You mean you feel trapped — no space to move, no space to choose, someone always watching you.

But this entry is about the feeling但這個條目講的是那種「感覺」，and the feeling is the more common use in everyday talk而這個用法在日常對話裡更常見。When you say you feel suffocated當你說你覺得 suffocated（快窒息），usually nothing is wrong with the air at all通常空氣一點問題都沒有。You mean you feel trapped你的意思是你覺得被困住了——no space to move沒有空間可以動，no space to choose沒有空間可以選擇，someone always watching you總是有人在看著你。

A student can feel suffocated by parents who ask about every hour of the day. A worker can feel suffocated by a boss who checks every email. A person can feel suffocated in a relationship where the other person wants to be together all the time.

A student can feel suffocated一個學生可能會覺得快窒息，by parents who ask about every hour of the day因為爸媽每個小時都要問東問西。A worker can feel suffocated一個上班族可能會覺得快窒息，by a boss who checks every email因為老闆每封email都要檢查。A person can feel suffocated一個人可能會覺得快窒息，in a relationship where the other person wants to be together all the time在一段對方時時刻刻都要黏在一起的感情裡。

The word is strong and it is emotional; it says the pressure is so close around you that it is hard to live normally. Notice the shape it usually takes: 'I feel suffocated', 'I felt suffocated by...'. It is nearly always passive — something is doing it to you.

The word is strong and it is emotional這個字很強烈，而且帶著情緒；it says the pressure is so close around you它說的是壓力貼得你好近，that it is hard to live normally近到你很難正常生活。Notice the shape it usually takes要注意它常見的句型：'I feel suffocated', 'I felt suffocated by...'.'I feel suffocated'、'I felt suffocated by...' 這種。It is nearly always passive它幾乎都是被動式——something is doing it to you是有什麼東西在對你做這件事。

Also notice that the person doing the suffocating is often not cruel. Parents who suffocate their child usually love the child very much. That is part of why the word is useful: it describes love or care that has become too heavy.

Also notice也要注意，that the person doing the suffocating is often not cruel讓人覺得快窒息的那個人通常並不殘忍。Parents who suffocate their child讓孩子覺得快窒息的爸媽，usually love the child very much通常非常愛這個孩子。That is part of why the word is useful這也是這個字有用的原因之一：it describes love or care that has become too heavy它描述的是變得太沈重的愛或關心。

'Suffocating' as an adjective works the same way — a suffocating marriage, a suffocating small town, suffocating heat (here the heat is real, but you are still describing how it feels to be inside it, not real danger).

'Suffocating' as an adjective works the same way'suffocating' 當形容詞用的時候也是一樣——a suffocating marriagea suffocating marriage（讓人喘不過氣的婚姻）、a suffocating small towna suffocating small town（讓人喘不過氣的小鎮）、suffocating heatsuffocating heat（悶熱到讓人喘不過氣）(here the heat is real, but you are still describing how it feels to be inside it, not real danger)（這裡的熱是真的，但你形容的還是待在裡面的那種感覺，不是真的危險）。