uphill
uphill — 形容詞
1. describing a route, surface, or stretch of ground that goes higher as you move a
上坡的
向高處傾斜的道路或表面
describing a route, surface, or stretch of ground that goes higher as you move along it — for example, an uphill section of a hiking trail or a road rising into the mountains.
The uphill path to the temple was steep and covered with loose stones.
通往寺廟的上坡路很陡，而且碎石遍布。
uphill + path describing terrain
Cyrus paused to catch his breath on the steep uphill section of the trail.
Cyrus 在步道陡峭的上坡路段停下來喘口氣。
An uphill climb on a bicycle takes more effort than riding on flat ground.
騎腳踏車上坡比在平地上騎更費力。
The delivery driver used a lower gear on the uphill road to the village.
送貨司機在通往村莊的上坡路段使用了低速檔。
Nellie chose the uphill route because it offered wider views of the surrounding valley.
Nellie 選擇了上坡路線，因為可以看到更遼闊的山谷景色。
- downhill
the exact opposite — sloping downward
文法句型
uphill + noun (path, road, slope, trail, climb)
用法筆記
Commonly placed before nouns describing terrain or routes. Can also follow a linking verb (The first kilometre was uphill).
常見錯誤
2. describing a challenge, effort, or situation that demands a great deal of work a
艱難的
需要極大努力才能克服的
describing a challenge, effort, or situation that demands a great deal of work and determination to overcome — for example, an uphill battle to save a failing company or an uphill struggle to change long-standing habits.
The new manager faced an uphill battle to turn the failing company around.
新任經理面臨一場艱苦的戰鬥，要讓這家垂死掙扎的公司起死回生。
uphill + battle for a hard challenge
Convincing the board to accept the proposal was an uphill struggle from the start.
說服董事會接受提案從一開始就是一場艱難的奮鬥。
Rebuilding trust after the scandal proved to be an uphill task for the hospital's leadership.
醜聞發生後，重建信任對醫院領導階層來說是一項艱鉅的任務。
For a small charity, raising money for the new shelter became an uphill fight.
對一家小型慈善機構來說，為新收容所籌措資金變成一場苦戰。
Starting a business during a recession is always an uphill challenge for new entrepreneurs.
在經濟衰退期間創業，對新手創業家來說始終是一項艱難的挑戰。
- arduous
more formal and suggests long, tiring effort
- tough
more informal and broader in meaning
- challenging
neutral in tone; often implies the difficulty is interesting rather than discouraging
- easy
requiring little effort
- effortless
seeming to need no work at all
文法句型
uphill + (battle / struggle / task / fight / climb)
用法筆記
Almost always appears before one of a small set of nouns: battle, struggle, task, fight, climb, or challenge. Rarely used with other nouns or predicatively.
常見錯誤
uphill — 副詞
1. moving or looking towards the higher part of a slope — for example, walking uphi
向上地
朝斜坡高處移動
moving or looking towards the higher part of a slope — for example, walking uphill to reach a viewpoint or driving uphill on a winding mountain road.
Élise and her cousins walked uphill for nearly an hour before reaching the viewpoint.
Élise 和她的表親們往上坡走了將近一個小時才到達觀景點。
The old car struggled to move uphill on the narrow mountain road.
那輛舊車在狹窄的山路上吃力地向上行駛。
verb + uphill for direction of travel
Soraya ran uphill every morning to build strength for the coming marathon.
Soraya 每天早上跑步上坡，為即將到來的馬拉松鍛鍊體力。
Ryo pushed the bicycle uphill because the gravel road was too steep to ride.
Ryo 把腳踏車推上坡，因為碎石路太陡了，無法騎車。
Water from the spring flows uphill through a system of pipes and electric pumps.
泉水透過管道和電動水泵系統向上流動。
- upward
general direction, not specifically on a slope
- up the slope
longer phrase that explicitly names the surface
- downhill
the opposite direction — down the slope
文法句型
verb + uphill
uphill + prepositional phrase
常見錯誤
2. moving forward despite obstacles or unfavourable conditions — for example, a pro
逆境中
面對阻礙時向前推進
moving forward despite obstacles or unfavourable conditions — for example, a project going uphill after budget cuts or negotiations pushing uphill when neither side will compromise.
The team has been moving uphill ever since their best player got injured.
自從隊上最好的球員受傷後，這支球隊就一直舉步維艱。
figurative: moving uphill = facing growing difficulty
Small businesses that refuse to adapt will find themselves going uphill fast.
拒絕調整的小型企業很快就會發現處境越來越困難。
Every new safety regulation sent the construction project further uphill than before.
每一項新的安全法規都讓這個建築工程比之前更加困難。
Despite the funding cuts the research programme continued to push slowly uphill.
儘管經費被削減，這個研究計畫仍然緩慢地向前推進。
The peace talks went uphill after both sides refused to compromise on territory.
雙方拒絕在領土問題上妥協後，和平談判陷入了困境。
- against the odds
more explicit about unfavourable probabilities
- against resistance
stresses active opposition rather than general difficulty
- smoothly
without difficulty or interruption
文法句型
verb + uphill (figurative: go uphill, push uphill, move uphill)
用法筆記
This figurative sense typically appears in limited verb combinations: go uphill, push uphill, move uphill. It often carries a tone of growing difficulty rather than simple challenge.
uphill — 名詞
1. a section of ground or a surface that slopes upward — for example, a long uphill
上坡
向上傾斜的路面或地段
a section of ground or a surface that slopes upward — for example, a long uphill on a hiking trail or a steep uphill on a bicycle route.
The path flattened out after a long uphill that tired the children.
經過一段讓孩子們疲憊的長上坡後，路面變得平坦了。
Mira could see the steep uphill ahead and wished she had worn better shoes.
Mira 看到前方陡峭的上坡路段，真希望自己穿了更好的鞋子。
steep + uphill (adjective + noun)
From the bottom the uphill looked steeper than it actually turned out to be.
從底部看，那段上坡比實際走起來顯得陡得多。
Cyclists slowed down as they approached the long uphill just before the old bridge.
自行車手們在老橋前接近那段長上坡時放慢了速度。
The tour guide warned the group about the difficult uphill near the ruined castle.
導遊提醒團員們注意廢棄城堡附近那段難走的上坡路。
文法句型
a/the uphill
a long/steep/difficult uphill
用法筆記
Typically used in the singular with an article or determiner (a long uphill, the steep uphill). Less common in the plural (the uphills of the route).