A rat race is a fierce, competitive way of life that involves pursuing goals in a repetitive, endless manner.
rat race 指一种重复地、无休止地激烈竞争。
It's expanded to a way of life in modern society, in which people compete with each other for power and money endlessly.
它的意思已经延伸为现代社会的一种生活方式，指人们为了权力和金钱无休止地相互竞争，像老鼠一样陷入内卷化现象。
The term was first used in the 1930s in the United States.
这个术语最早出现在20世纪三十年代的美国。
Trending in China: Young Chinese Reject Rat Race, Embrace 'Lying Flat'
( From Heather Mowbray in Trending Stories)
中国新趋势：中国年轻人拒绝“内卷”，选择“躺平”
每日一词 | 内卷（rat race）
Knowledge BaseWord of the Day
rat /ræt/
n. 老鼠；卑鄙小人；常客，常待在某处的人；女用发垫
v. 捕（捉）老鼠，灭鼠；告发，告密；背信弃义，食言；用发垫给（头发）定型
int. （rats）胡说，去你的（用以表示轻度烦恼，恼怒）
【名】 （Rat）（法、意、印、瑞典）拉特，（泰）叻（人名）
Expression of the Day
I'm the bread winner and then stuck in the rat race.
我需要养家糊口，所以在内卷中苦苦挣扎。
This rat race is getting me down. It's really exhausting and suffering.
这种内卷让我十分沮丧，精疲力竭。
We'd better get out of the rat race and take a look at the real world.
我们最好退出这种内卷生活，重新审视这个真实的世界。
Related Expressions
love rat 薄幸郎、负心汉、爱情骗子、花心的人
rat's asshole 无耻之徒
rat's ass 微不足道的东西
rat pack 青少年在街头的流氓团伙
big rat 丑态毕露的，丢人现眼的
dock rat 流浪汉，漂泊者，无业游民
Knowledge Extension
smell a rat 感觉不妙，发现可疑之处
Her husband has been working overtime lately and coming home so late. She smells a rat.
她丈夫最近经常加班很晚回家，她觉得很可疑。
winter rat 旧汽车
Why don't you get rid of that winter rat and buy yourself a brand new car? After all, keep the old, you get nothing new.
你干嘛不把这辆破车处理掉，然后给自己买辆新车？毕竟，旧的不去，新的不来。
rat around 闲逛，转悠
He did nothing but rat around all spring vacation.
他整个春假啥事也没干，就是到处瞎转悠。
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