词义

读音：nadir /'neɪdər/

词义：低谷 (反义词：zenith 或acme )

词性：名词

级别：GRE / SAT

出处：

Nadir 一词虽经由欧洲其他语种传入英语，但根源上是阿拉伯外来词 (Arabic loanword)。 它源自阿拉伯语 nazir，词义为"与……相对，对立面"。 更确切地说，该词出自阿拉伯短语 nazir assamt，直译含义为"相反的方位"。

Nadir 指某一地点正下方对应的方位；也就是说，它是指定地点的两个垂直方向之一，与水平平面呈直角。 与天底相对的方位是 zenith (天顶)。

用法

(1.)

In astronomy, the nadir is the point directly beneath the observer on the celestial sphere.

天文学中，天底指天球上观测者正下方对应的点位。

The nadir of summer temperatures usually falls before sunrise each day.

每日气温的最低点通常出现在日出之前。

(2.)

His career reached its nadir after the scandal broke out.

丑闻曝光后，他的职业生涯跌入谷底。

That cold winter marked the nadir of our family’s hardships.

那个寒冬是我们一家苦难日子的至暗顶点。

Many artists produce their finest work not at their zenith but near their nadir.

许多艺术家最优秀的作品并非诞生于人生巅峰，而是出自人生低谷之时。

The nadir of the conflict came when civilian casualties surged overnight.

一夜之间平民伤亡激增，这场冲突迎来了最惨烈的阶段。

After losing three major competitions in a row, the athlete sank to the nadir of confidence.

接连输掉三场大赛后，这位运动员的自信心降到了最低点。

近义

Smack 近义词按难度级别由低到高：

中学

zero /'zɪrəʊ/：最低点

depth /depθ/：深渊

bottom /'bɑːtəm/：底部

出国

abyss /ə'bɪs/：深渊

*相关文章推荐：英文怎么说 l 潮起潮落

影视

△The Politician (《政客》第一季)

名著

以下文字摘自维克多·雨果 (Victor Hugo)《悲惨世界》(Les Misérables) 第四部第五卷第二章《完美的幸福使人昏昏然》(The Bewilderment of Perfect Happiness)。

So these two beings lived in this manner, high aloft, with all that improbability which is in nature; neither at the nadir nor at the zenith, between man and seraphim, above the mire, below the ether, in the clouds; hardly flesh and blood, soul and ecstasy from head to foot; already too sublime to walk the earth, still too heavily charged with humanity to disappear in the blue, suspended like atoms which are waiting to be precipitated; apparently beyond the bounds of destiny; ignorant of that rut; yesterday, to-day, to-morrow; amazed, rapturous, floating, soaring; at times so light that they could take their flight out into the infinite; almost prepared to soar away to all eternity. They slept wide-awake, thus sweetly lulled. Oh! splendid lethargy of the real overwhelmed by the ideal.

这两个人就这样生活在高空，仿佛不生活在尘世；不是在天底，也不是在天顶，而是在人和天使之间，在污泥上面，太空下面，云雾之中；几乎没有了骨和肉，从头到脚只有灵魂和神迷；已经升华，不能再在地上行走，但又人味太重，还不能融入蓝天，有如悬浮着等待沉淀的原子；表面上看已超越命运；不知道还有昨天、今天、明天的惯常循环；惊叹不已，如醉如痴，飘飘悠悠；有时轻盈得可以飞向无限；似乎已准备作永久的飞翔。