A trailblazer is a person who does something first, before anyone else has shown the way — a new method, a new kind of job, a new idea — and by doing it makes it possible for the people who come after.

A trailblazer a trailblazer is是 a person一個人，who does something first第一個做某件事的人，before anyone else has shown the way在還沒有人示範過該怎麼做之前——a new method, a new kind of job, a new idea一個新方法、一種新工作、一個新點子——and而 by doing it藉著這麼做 makes it possible for the people who come after讓後面的人也有可能跟著做。

The picture behind the word is very physical: someone walking into a forest where there is no path yet, cutting marks into the trees so that others can follow the same route later. That second half matters. We do not usually call someone a trailblazer just because they were early or unusual; we call them a trailblazer because other people came after them along the road they opened.

The picture behind the word這個字背後的畫面 is very physical非常具體：someone walking into a forest有人走進一座森林 where there is no path yet那裡還沒有路，cutting marks into the trees在樹上砍出記號 so that others can follow the same route later好讓後面的人可以沿著同一條路走。That second half後面這一半 matters很重要。We do not usually call someone a trailblazer我們通常不會 just because they were early or unusual只因為一個人很早、很特別就叫他trailblazer；we call them a trailblazer我們叫他trailblazer because是因為 other people came after them後面有人跟著他走 along the road they opened走他開出來的那條路。

A woman who becomes the first female judge in her country, a scientist who opens a whole new field of research, a small company that sells something in a way nobody had tried — these are trailblazers.

A woman who becomes the first female judge in her country一個成為她國家第一位女性法官的女性、a scientist who opens a whole new field of research一個開創出全新研究領域的科學家、a small company that sells something in a way nobody had tried一家用沒人試過的方式賣東西的小公司——these are trailblazers這些都是trailblazers。

The word is warm. It is praise, and quite strong praise, so it turns up a lot in news writing, in speeches, in obituaries, and on company websites.

The word這個字 is warm是溫暖的。It它 is praise是讚美，and quite strong praise而且是相當強烈的讚美，so所以 it turns up a lot它常常出現 in news writing, in speeches, in obituaries,在新聞寫作裡、在演講裡、在訃聞裡，and on company websites還有公司網站上。

Because it is used so freely there, it has worn a little thin — a firm may call its own product "trailblazing" when it is only mildly new — and a careful reader hears that as advertising rather than fact.

Because it is used so freely there因為在那些地方被用得太浮濫，it has worn a little thin這個字有點被用舊了——a firm may call its own product "trailblazing"一家公司可能把自己的產品稱作「trailblazing」when it is only mildly new即使它只是稍微新一點而已——and而 a careful reader一個細心的讀者 hears that as advertising會把那聽成廣告 rather than fact而不是事實。

In everyday speech it is not very common; you would more likely say someone was "the first to do it". You can also use it lightly and half-jokingly among friends ("you're a real trailblazer" to someone who ordered a strange thing on the menu first), and the joke works precisely because the real word is so grand.

In everyday speech在日常說話裡 it is not very common這個字不太常見；you would more likely say你比較可能會說 someone was "the first to do it"某人是「第一個做這件事的人」。You can also use it你也可以用這個字 lightly and half-jokingly among friends在朋友之間半開玩笑地輕鬆用 ("you're a real trailblazer" to someone who ordered a strange thing on the menu first)（對第一個點菜單上奇怪東西的人說"you're a real trailblazer"），and而 the joke works這個玩笑之所以成立，precisely because正是因為 the real word is so grand這個字本身正經用起來很了不起。