"floodgates" in Chinese (Traditional)
閘門涵閘（比喻用法）
Definition
閘門是用來控制大壩、河流或運河中水流的大型門。這個詞常以比喻方式，用於指突然且無法控制的事件或釋放開始。
Usage Notes (Chinese (Traditional))
常用複數形式。在比喻語境中常見於“open the floodgates”、“the floodgates opened”等片語，指突然爆發大量情緒、問題或行動。字面意義只在技術或環保主題裡常用。
Examples
The dam's floodgates keep the water under control.
大壩的**閘門**控制著水流。
Heavy rain forced the workers to open the floodgates.
大雨迫使工人們打開了**閘門**。
Closing the floodgates stopped the river from flooding the town.
關上**閘門**阻止了河水氾濫小鎮。
When she started crying, it was like the floodgates had opened.
她一哭，就像**閘門**被打開了一樣。
The new law opened the floodgates for new businesses in the city.
新法律為城市中的新企業打開了**閘門**。
Once they started asking questions, the floodgates of complaints really opened.
他們一開始發問，抱怨的**閘門**就真的打開了。