“lock oneself in”是一个常用的英语短语,核心含义围绕“自我封闭/禁闭”,可分为字面义和引申义两层,用法需结合具体语境。
字面直译为“把自己锁在(某处)里面”,强调主动将自己与外部隔离;引申为“闭门不出、自我封闭(情绪或行为上)”。
该短语的结构为:主语 + lock + 反身代词(oneself需随主语人称变化,如myself/himself/herself/ourselves等) + in + 地点/状态。
指主动用锁将自己关在某个空间内(如房间、办公室等),通常带有“避免被打扰”或“独处”的目的。
He locked himself in the study to prepare for the exam.(他把自己锁在书房里准备考试。)
I need to lock myself in the room to finish this urgent report—don’t disturb me!(我得把自己锁在房间里完成这份紧急报告,别打扰我!)
表示因情绪低落、压力大或创伤等原因,主动与外界断绝联系(不一定真的锁门,而是“拒绝社交”)。
After her dog died, she locked herself in for a week and refused to talk to anyone.(她的狗死后,她闭门不出一周,拒绝和任何人说话。)
When he’s stressed, he tends to lock himself in and avoid social interactions.(他压力大时,就会自我封闭,避免社交。)
进一步引申为“陷入(某种循环/状态)无法自拔”(强调被动或难以逃脱的状态)。
She locked herself in a cycle of negative thinking after losing her job.(失业后,她陷入了消极思维的循环。)
反身代词需与主语一致:I → myself;you → yourself/yourselves;he/she/it → himself/herself/itself;they → themselves。
与“lock out”的区别:“lock out”是“把(某人)锁在外面”(如I forgot my keys and got locked out. 我忘带钥匙被锁在外面了),而“lock in”是“把自己锁在里面”。
总结:“lock oneself in”核心是“主动隔离”,既可以是物理空间的封闭,也可以是心理情绪的封闭,用法灵活,需结合上下文判断具体含义。