摘要：二战期间，美军飞行员可因“精神失常”申请免服危险任务，但规则明确“能意识到任务危险并主动申请免役，证明精神正常”——即“精神失常者无法主动申请，主动申请者必精神正常”，飞行员永远无法摆脱作战任务。这一“自相矛盾的规则”让“Catch 22”成为“逻辑悖论式困境

Catch 22左右为难局面，进退两难的困境。

该习语源自美国作家约瑟夫·海勒（Joseph Heller）1961年的同名小说《第二十二条军规》（Catch-22） ，小说核心情节直接定义了其含义：

二战期间，美军飞行员可因“精神失常”申请免服危险任务，但规则明确“能意识到任务危险并主动申请免役，证明精神正常”——即“精神失常者无法主动申请，主动申请者必精神正常”，飞行员永远无法摆脱作战任务。这一“自相矛盾的规则”让“Catch 22”成为“逻辑悖论式困境，即进退两难的困境”的代名词，后脱离小说成为通用习语（书写时可加连字符“Catch-22”，也可写为“catch 22”）。如：

It's a Catch 22 situation here. Nobody wants to support you until you're successful, but without the support how can you ever be successful?

真叫人左右为难啊——你不成功就没人想支持你，可是没有人支持，你哪天才能成功呢？

He’s in a catch 22—he needs to relax to sleep better, but he can’t relax because he’s worried about not sleeping.

他陷入两难——需要放松才能睡好，但因担心睡不着而无法放松。

He wants to ask her out, but he’s too nervous to talk to her—and he can’t stop being nervous until he talks to her. It’s a real catch 22.

他想约她出去，却紧张到不敢和她说话；可除非和她说话，否则他永远无法克服紧张。这真是个典型的两难困境。

She needs to trust him to start a serious relationship, but she can’t trust him until they’re in a serious relationship—it’s a catch 22.

她需要信任他才能开始认真的恋爱关系，但只有进入认真的恋爱关系，她才能信任他——这就是个无解的两难。

They want to move in together to test their compatibility, but they can’t afford a bigger apartment unless they combine their incomes—and they can’t combine incomes until they live together. It’s a catch 22.

他们想同居测试适配度，但除非合并收入否则租不起大公寓，可只有同居才能合并收入。这简直是左右为难。

New graduates need work experience to get a job, but they can’t get work experience without a job—it’s a classic catch 22.

应届毕业生需要工作经验才能找到工作，但没有工作就无法获得工作经验——这是典型的两难困境。

The party needs to win more seats to pass its policy, but it can’t win more seats unless it first passes the policy to gain public support. It’s a catch 22.

该政党需要赢得更多席位才能通过政策，但除非先通过政策获得公众支持，否则无法赢得更多席位。这是个无解的矛盾。

Small businesses need loans to grow, but banks won’t give them loans because they don’t have a track record of growth. It’s a catch 22.

小企业需要贷款才能发展，但银行因它们没有发展记录而拒绝放贷。这是典型的两难局面。

The company’s rule is a catch 22—you need to have a work ID to enter the office, but you need to enter the office to get a work ID.

公司规定是个两难困境——需工牌进办公室，但需进办公室才能领工牌。

New writers face a catch 22—publishers want you to have a published book to sign you, but you need a publisher to get a book published.

新作家面临两难——出版社要你有已出版作品才签约，可你需要出版社才能出版作品。

The two countries want to lift trade restrictions, but each insists the other should lift restrictions first. It’s a catch 22 that’s frozen negotiations.

两国都想取消贸易限制，但都坚持对方应先取消。这一矛盾困境导致谈判陷入停滞。

The army needs more soldiers to secure the region, but it can’t recruit more soldiers because the region isn’t secure. It’s a dangerous catch 22.

军队需要更多士兵保卫该地区，但因地区不安全无法招募更多士兵。这是个危险的两难局面。

She wants to make new friends, but she’s shy about joining social groups—and she can’t overcome her shyness without joining social groups. It’s a catch 22.

她想交新朋友，却羞于加入社交团体；可除非加入社交团体，否则无法克服羞怯。这是个两难困境。

They want to have a child to strengthen their marriage, but their marriage is too tense to handle a child—and it won’t get less tense without a shared goal like a child. It’s a catch 22.

他们想生孩子巩固婚姻，但婚姻太紧张无法应对育儿；可没有孩子这样的共同目标，婚姻紧张感又无法缓解。这是个无解的矛盾。

The president needs Congress to pass the budget, but Congress won’t pass it unless he compromises on healthcare—and he can’t compromise on healthcare without losing his base. It’s a catch 22, and he’s stuck. 《纸牌屋》

总统需要国会通过预算，但国会要求他在医疗政策上妥协才会通过；可他若在医疗政策上妥协，就会失去支持者。这是个两难困境，他陷入了僵局。

Young people often face a catch 22: they need to gain work experience to find a good job, but they can’t get experience without a job. Many end up taking low-paying internships just to break the cycle.（2021年全国新高考I卷）

年轻人经常面临一个两难的困境：他们需要获得工作经验才能找到一份好工作，但没有工作就无法获得经验。许多人最终选择了低薪实习，只是为了打破这种循环。

Many startups (初创公司) face a classic catch 22: they need investment to expand their business, but investors won’t give them money because they haven’t expanded yet.（2025年江苏卷高考）

许多初创公司都面临着一个典型的两难困境：他们需要投资来扩大业务，但投资者不会给它们钱，因为它们还没有扩张。

来源：翅膀英语一点号