"open the floodgates" in Chinese (Simplified)

• 打开闸门
• 引发（某事的大量发生）

Definition

做某事，突然让大量某物发生，常用在形容感情、行动或事件被压抑后突然爆发。

Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))

这是比喻用法，不是字面意思。多用于描述情感、舆论或某类行为（如“open the floodgates to complaints”）。暗示一旦开始会难以控制。可用于正式和非正式场合。不要和水闸实际开启混淆。

Examples

Social media opened the floodgates to information sharing.

社交媒体**打开了闸门**，让信息大量传播。

If we lower the price, it might open the floodgates to complaints.

如果我们降价，可能会**打开闸门**，引来投诉。

Her speech opened the floodgates of emotion in the audience.

她的演讲**打开了情感的闸门**，让观众感动不已。

Once we started giving refunds, it really opened the floodgates.

一旦开始退款，就真的**打开了闸门**。

Publishing that study will open the floodgates to more research in this area.

发表这项研究会**打开闸门**，引发更多相关领域研究。

Careful—making one exception could open the floodgates for everyone else.

小心——破一次例可能就会**打开闸门**，让大家都来要求。