"floodgates" in Chinese (Simplified)
闸门涵闸（比喻用法）
Definition
闸门是控制大坝、河流或运河中水流的大型门。这个词常常比喻地用来形容突然且难以控制的事件或释放的开始。
Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))
多以复数形式出现。比喻用法常见于“open the floodgates”或“the floodgates opened”这样的表达，表示大量情感、问题或行为的突然爆发。字面意义多见于技术或环境场合。
Examples
The dam's floodgates keep the water under control.
大坝的**闸门**控制着水流。
Heavy rain forced the workers to open the floodgates.
大雨迫使工人们打开了**闸门**。
Closing the floodgates stopped the river from flooding the town.
关上**闸门**阻止了河水淹没小镇。
When she started crying, it was like the floodgates had opened.
她一哭，就像**闸门**被打开了一样。
The new law opened the floodgates for new businesses in the city.
新法律为城市中的新企业打开了**闸门**。
Once they started asking questions, the floodgates of complaints really opened.
他们一开始提问，投诉的**闸门**就真的打开了。