Traffic / a traffic jam
TRAF-ik JAM /ˈtræfɪk dʒæm/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
"Traffic" often means heavy traffic: "sorry I am late, there was traffic". A "traffic jam" or "tailback" is a queue of stopped cars. On motorways, radio reports talk about "congestion" and "delays of 40 minutes".
Chinese explanation
"Traffic"常指交通拥堵："sorry I am late, there was traffic"（抱歉迟到，路上堵车）。"Traffic jam"或"tailback"指堵成长龙。高速路况广播常说"congestion"（拥堵）和"delays of 40 minutes"（延误40分钟）。
Example conversation
A: Sorry I am late, the coach sat in a traffic jam on the M6 for an hour.
B: Say no more, the M6 is always like that.
A：抱歉来晚了，大巴在M6高速上堵了一个小时。
B：不用解释，M6一向如此。
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
All Transport
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake