Tongue-tied means you cannot get your words out because of how you feel — nervous, shy, embarrassed, or suddenly put on the spot. The words are all there in your head; something in the moment stops them coming.

Tongue-tiedTongue-tied means意思是 you cannot get your words out你說不出話來 because of how you feel因為你當下的感覺 — nervous, shy, embarrassed, or suddenly put on the spot緊張、害羞、尷尬，或突然被逼著當場反應。The words這些話 are all there in your head都在你腦子裡; something in the moment但當下有什麼東西 stops them coming讓它們出不來。

This is a feeling word, not a medical one: it describes the student who has practised the answer a hundred times and then stands up and goes blank, or the person who meets someone they like and finds they have nothing to say. It is normally used with 'get' or 'be': 'I got tongue-tied', 'she was completely tongue-tied'.

This這個 is a feeling word是一個描述感覺的字, not a medical one不是醫學用語: it它 describes the student用來形容那種學生 who has practised the answer a hundred times把答案練習了上百次 and then stands up and goes blank結果站起來卻腦筋一片空白, or the person或是那種人 who meets someone they like遇到自己喜歡的人 and finds they have nothing to say卻發現自己什麼話都說不出來。It它(這個字) is normally used通常會搭配 with 'get' or 'be''get'或'be'一起用: 'I got tongue-tied''I got tongue-tied', 'she was completely tongue-tied''she was completely tongue-tied'。

Because it names something everybody has felt, it comes out gently — telling a friend 'I get tongue-tied when the teacher calls my name' sounds honest, not like a complaint. It is also used a little for the same blankness in a second language, which is why it is such a useful word for you: 'My English is fine on paper, but I get tongue-tied on the phone.' There is one other, older use you may meet in a doctor's office: a baby born with the piece of skin under the tongue too tight is also called tongue-tied.

Because it names something everybody has felt因為它說的是每個人都體會過的感覺, it它(這個字) comes out gently說出口時聽起來很溫和 — telling a friend跟朋友說 'I get tongue-tied when the teacher calls my name''I get tongue-tied when the teacher calls my name' sounds honest聽起來很誠懇, not like a complaint而不像在抱怨。It它(這個字) is also used也可以用 a little for the same blankness in a second language來形容用第二語言時同樣的那種腦筋空白, which is why it is such a useful word for you這就是為什麼這個字對你特別有用: 'My English is fine on paper, but I get tongue-tied on the phone.''My English is fine on paper, but I get tongue-tied on the phone.' There is one other, older use還有一個比較舊的用法 you may meet in a doctor's office你可能會在診間遇到: a baby born with the piece of skin under the tongue too tight一個舌頭下面那片皮太緊的嬰兒 is also called tongue-tied也會被稱作tongue-tied。

But in ordinary conversation, the nervous meaning is what people mean nine times out of ten.

But在日常對話裡但是 in ordinary conversation, the nervous meaning緊張這個意思 is what people mean nine times out of ten十次有九次是人們真正的意思。