语言学家对俚语没有简单明确的定义，但他们一致认为，俚语是一种不断变化的语言现象，存在于世界各地的亚文化中。俚语是一种非正式的词汇(单词、短语和语言用法)，常见于口头交谈，但在正式写作中避免使用。因为俚语并不总是从字面意义上讲得通，所以您需要熟悉每个俚语的意思和用法。英语俚语是日常英语的重要组成部分。
儒琴今日英语俚语 （English Slang of the Day)
rat race
英文解释
a way of life in modern society, in which people compete with each other for power and money；a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power.
中文解释
Rat Race 字面意思是：一群饿得发慌的老鼠看到好吃的就一拥而上、疯狂你抢我夺。这里引申为：(为财富、权力等的)疯狂竞争，你死我活的竞争；争权夺利，激烈竞争，你争我抢的职业生活。
原文举例
The company’s environment felt like a rat race—employees were constantly sabotaging each other to climb the corporate ladder.
这家公司的环境就像饥饿的老鼠争抢食物一样——员工们为了往上爬不断地互相尔虞我诈。
We do everything to escape the rat race. Then we inflict it on our kids.
我们想尽一切办法来逃避恶性激烈的竞争，然后我们把它强加给我们的孩子。
For me, self-care means working out regularly, meditating, and taking walks outdoors in nature to escape the rat race and reconnect with the earth.
对我来说，自我照顾意味着定期锻炼，冥想，在大自然中户外散步，以逃避你死我活的激烈竞争，重新与自然地球联系起来。
