一、核心定义与经典例证
"rock bottom"字面指"岩石层底部"，引申为事物发展的最低极限——既可以描述客观数值（如经济指标、支持率）的跌至谷底，也可形容主观状态（如情绪、关系）的至暗时刻，暗含"无法再恶化"的临界性。请看经典例句：
The economy has hit rock bottom, with unemployment rates reaching 25%.
经济已跌至谷底，失业率高达25%。
She was at rock bottom. Her long-term love affair was breaking up and so was she.
她整个人跌至了谷底。她漫长的爱情要告结束了，她也要崩溃了。
After losing her job and her house, she felt she had reached rock bottom.
失业又失屋后，她觉得自己跌到了谷底。
The city's crime rate has reached rock bottom, prompting urgent police reforms."
城市犯罪率触底，迫使警方紧急改革。
The company's profits hit rock bottom in Q3, forcing layoffs and restructuring.
公司第三季度利润跌至谷底，被迫裁员重组。
Their marriage was at rock bottom before they sought counseling.
寻求婚姻咨询前，他们的关系已濒临破裂。
His confidence was at rock bottom after failing the exam three times.
三次考试失败后，他的自信心降到了冰点。
The president's approval rating hit rock bottom following the scandal.
丑闻曝光后，总统支持率跌至谷底。
Morale in the armed forces was at rock bottom after consecutive defeats.
连续战败后，军队士气跌至谷底。
Their relationship hit rock bottom when he lied about his past.
当他隐瞒过去时，他们的恋情跌到了谷底。
She stayed in the toxic relationship until it hit rock bottom—he forgot her birthday and didn’t apologize.
她在这段不健康的恋爱中坚持到了极限——他忘记了她的生日，还毫无歉意。
They broke up after their communication hit rock bottom—they hadn’t had a meaningful conversation in months.
当他们的沟通降至冰点——数月没有一次有意义的对话后，最终分手了。
Bilateral relations hit rock bottom after the trade war.
贸易战后，双边关系跌至冰点。
The film industry hit rock bottom during the pandemic, with theaters closed for months.
疫情期间影院关闭数月，电影业陷入低谷。
Their friendship hit rock bottom when he leaked her secret.
他泄露她的秘密后，两人友谊降至冰点。
二、影视剧台词赏析
1. 《破产姐妹》（2 Broke Girls）
"We’re at rock bottom, Max. The only way left is up."
（麦克斯，我们已经跌到谷底了，剩下的路只能往上走。）
解析：用"rock bottom"的辩证义（低谷即起点）传递励志态度，翻译保留"往上走"的双关。
2. 《吸血鬼日记》（The Vampire Diaries）
"Our relationship hit rock bottom when I chose power over you."
（当我为权力放弃你时，我们的关系就已经完了。）
解析：将"rock bottom"译为"完了"，强化恋爱中选择对关系的决定性影响。
三、2021-2025年热门考试真题解析
1. 考研英语（2024年完形填空）
"When the team's performance hit _______, the coach decided to replace the captain."
（选项：A. rock bottom B. peak C. balance）
解析：根据"替换队长"的结果，推断前文为"表现低谷"，选A，呼应《韦氏词典》中"危机倒逼改变"的用法。
2. CATTI三级笔译（2023年真题）
"经济下行压力下，部分行业利润已跌至谷底，亟需政策扶持。"
（参考译文："Under economic downward pressure, profits in some industries have hit rock bottom, requiring urgent policy support."）
解析：准确对应例句中"利润触底"的表达，体现汉英语义的精准转换。
