“ups”常见用法是 up 的复数,指(人生、事业、情绪等的)高涨期、顺境、好转(常与 downs 搭配:ups and downs “起起落落”)。也可指多次“向上”的变化或上升的阶段。
/ʌps/
Things have had their ups and downs, but we’re doing okay now.
事情有过起起落落,但我们现在还不错。
After a year of setbacks, the company is finally seeing some ups in sales and morale.
经历了一年的挫折后,公司终于在销量和士气上看到了一些好转。
Ups 来自副词 up(“向上;处于较高位置;改善”)的名词化与复数用法,用来概括“上升/好转的时段或经历”,常与 downs 形成对比表达生活或局势的波动。