怪圈 (guài juān) — vicious circle (a self-reinforcing negative cycle); strange or puzzling phenomenon (that is hard to understand or escape)
Definition
A '怪圈' is a self-reinforcing cycle — usually negative — that feels strange because it keeps repeating and is hard to break out of. Often translated 'vicious circle' in contexts like poverty or unemployment.
noun
vicious circle (a self-reinforcing negative cycle)strange or puzzling phenomenon (that is hard to understand or escape)
Examples
- 怪圈。Zhè ge guó jiā xiàn rù le pín qióng de guài juān.This country has fallen into a vicious circle of poverty.
- 怪圈？Wèi shén me rén men zǒng ài tǎo lùn zhàn zhēng de guài juān?Why do people always like to discuss the strange cycle of war?
- 怪圈。Yào dǎ pò shī yè yǔ jì néng bù zú de guài juān bìng bù róng yì.It is not easy to break the vicious circle of unemployment and skill shortage.
Appears in
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