hole

Compared meaning: an empty gap or dip in something (noun).

比较义项：坚硬物体上的空洞或地面上的凹陷（名词）。

• hole 本词

  The general, everyday word for any gap or opening in something solid, regardless of size, shape, or how it was made — from tiny holes in cloth to holes dug in the ground.

  最普通、日常的说法，指任何硬物上的空隙或开口，不论大小、形状或成因——从衣服上的小洞到挖在地上的洞都可以用它。

  There's a hole in your sock — I can see your toe through it.

  你的袜子上有个洞——我都能看到你的脚趾了。

• hollow

  Refers to a sunken, bowl-shaped dip, especially a natural low spot in the ground or terrain, rather than just any opening; slightly more formal and often used in descriptions of landscape.

  指一处凹陷、碗状的低洼地带，尤其是地面或地形中天然形成的低处，而不是随便什么开口；语气略正式，常用于描写地貌。

  Deer often rest in a hollow between the hills, hidden from the wind.

  鹿常常在山丘之间的一处凹地里休息，躲避风吹。

Hole and hollow can both mean an empty space in something solid. Hole is the general word for any gap or opening, from cloth to the ground. Hollow means a sunken dip, especially a natural low spot in land. Not compared: hollow as an adjective.

这两个词都可以指“洞”，但 hole 是最通用的说法，指任何硬物上的空隙或开口，大小、形状、成因都不限；hollow 则更常指地面或物体内部一处天然的凹陷或凹空地带，带有“凹陷、低洼”的意味，语气略正式、书面。这里不比较 hollow 作形容词时的“空心的，凹陷的”这一用法。

Compared meaning: a difficult or awkward situation (noun).

比较义项：困境，窘境（名词）。

• hole 本词

  Hole implies a serious, often self-inflicted difficulty that is hard to escape, commonly paired with 'dig' or 'get out of'; it can describe career- or money-threatening trouble.

  hole（困境）指严重的、常常是自己造成的、难以摆脱的困境，常与dig（挖）或get out of（摆脱）搭配，可用来描述威胁事业或财务状况的严重麻烦。

  Lying to his boss put him in a real hole he couldn't easily get out of.

  对老板撒谎让他陷入了一个难以轻易摆脱的严重困境。

• pickle

  Pickle is a mild, informal (often British) word for an awkward but usually minor predicament, frequently used humorously, as in 'a bit of a pickle'.

  pickle（困境）是英式非正式用语，指轻微、令人尴尬的小麻烦，语气随意，常带幽默感，如a bit of a pickle（有点小麻烦）。

  We're in a bit of a pickle — we left the tickets at home!

  我们现在有点小麻烦——我们把票落在家里了！

Hole and pickle can both mean being in a difficult situation, but differ in weight. Hole is stronger, for a serious trouble hard to escape, often paired with 'dig' or 'get out of'. Pickle is milder, informal, and mainly British, for a small, awkward predicament.

这两个词都可以表示“陷入困境”，但语气不同：hole 语气较重，常指自己造成的、难以摆脱的严重麻烦；pickle 是英式非正式说法，语气较轻松，常指令人尴尬的小麻烦，带幽默感。这里不比较 hole 表示“洞、坑”的本义，也不比较 pickle 表示“腌菜、泡菜”的本义。