"be at a snail's pace" 是一个比喻性短语,字面意为“以蜗牛的速度”,实际表示“慢条斯理地;以极慢的速度(进行/移动)”,强调动作或过程的迟缓,带有“效率低、进展慢”的隐含评价。
该短语通常作表语或方式状语,用来描述人、物体的移动或事情的进展(如工作、交通、项目等)的缓慢状态。
作表语:主语 + be动词 + at a snail's pace
作状语:动词(如move、go、progress等) + at a snail's pace
通过不同语境的例子,更直观理解用法:
The old man walked at a snail's pace because of his bad knees.(老人因为膝盖不好,走得像蜗牛爬。)
The bus was stuck in traffic and went at a snail's pace for miles.(公交车堵在车流里,几英里都开得极慢。)
The construction of the new hospital has been at a snail's pace due to funding issues.(由于资金问题,新医院的建设进度极其缓慢。)
My homework is progressing at a snail's pace—I can't focus today.(我的作业写得超慢——今天根本没法集中注意力。)
Why is this website loading at a snail's pace?(这个网站怎么加载得这么慢啊?)
The line at the coffee shop was moving at a snail's pace this morning.(今早咖啡店的队伍慢得让人崩溃。)
同义词:very slowly、at a crawl(爬行般的速度)
反义词:at a breakneck pace(以极快的速度,不顾一切地)、at full speed(全速)
"be at a snail's pace" 是生动形象的“慢”的表达,比直白的“very slowly”更有画面感,常用于口语和书面语中,吐槽或描述“慢到让人着急”的状态。掌握它的关键是结合具体场景(移动/进展),用对结构即可~