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the holy grail of [field]
表示“终极目标”时，常不区分大小写，后接 of 引出领域或活动。
The holy grail of linguistics is a complete theory of language.
语言学的圣杯是建立一个完整的语言理论。
长期追求的目标；梦寐以求的事物
grails — plural of grail
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
长期追求的目标；梦寐以求的事物
the object of any prolonged endeavor; an eagerly sought goal
The holy grail of linguistics is a complete theory of language.
语言学的圣杯是建立一个完整的语言理论。
圣杯。
The Holy Grail.
罗马天主教会的礼仪书；升阶经。
A book of offices in the Roman Catholic Church; a gradual.
鹰的小羽毛之一。
One of the small feathers of a hawk.
被热切追求或寻找的事物。
Something eagerly sought or quested for.
For many mountaineers, reaching the top of that mountain is the grail of their whole career.
对许多登山者来说，登上那座山顶是他们整个职业生涯梦寐以求的目标。
The company's engineers treat a smartphone battery that lasts a week as a grail worth years of work.
该公司的工程师把能续航一周的智能手机电池视为值得多年努力的理想目标。
In the world of archaeology, a perfectly preserved ancient city is a grail that every team dreams of finding.
在考古界，一座保存完好的古城是每支团队都梦想找到的目标。
表示“终极目标”时，常不区分大小写，后接 of 引出领域或活动。
The holy grail of linguistics is a complete theory of language.
语言学的圣杯是建立一个完整的语言理论。
用 a grail for 表示“某类人极其渴望得到的事物”。
This rare stamp is a grail for collectors.
这枚稀有邮票是收藏家梦寐以求的东西。
原文指耶稣最后晚餐所用的杯子；比喻义为“追求的目标”，常写作 the holy grail。
The legend says the Holy Grail had magical powers.
传说中，圣杯具有魔力。
Not this
He is searching for grail.
Use this
He is searching for the grail.
grail 是可数名词，单数形式前必须有冠词或其他限定词（如 the/a）。汉语没有冠词，学习者常漏掉 the，因此应改为 the grail。
Not this
There are many grails in my life, such as a good job and a happy family.
Use this
There are many goals in my life, such as a good job and a happy family.
grail 通常指某个长期探索中唯一的、近乎终极的目标（常说 the holy grail of...），不适合用来列举生活中多个普通追求；表示个人多个目标时应用 goals。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
……的终极目标；……梦寐以求的东西
A universal flu vaccine is the holy grail of public health.
通用流感疫苗是公共卫生领域梦寐以求的目标。
难以企及的梦想
Affordable housing remains an elusive holy grail for many young people.
对许多年轻人来说，负担得起的住房仍然是难以企及的梦想。
追求梦寐以求的目标
Many athletes pursue the holy grail of an Olympic medal.
许多运动员追求奥运奖牌这一梦寐以求的目标。
实现梦寐以求的目标
No one has yet achieved the holy grail of fully autonomous vehicles.
还没有人实现全自动驾驶汽车这一梦寐以求的目标。
圣杯；终极目标
The unbeaten season is the holy grail of professional basketball.
不败赛季是职业篮球界的终极目标。
……的终极目标；……的圣杯
For decades, cold fusion was the Holy Grail of physics.
几十年来，冷聚变一直是物理学界的圣杯。
对圣杯的追寻；对终极目标的探索
Their search for a cure became a lifelong quest for the Holy Grail.
他们对治愈方法的寻找成了一生的圣杯追寻。
出自电影《巨蟒与圣杯》，这句话是国王亚瑟及其骑士们的著名誓言，意为“去寻找圣杯”，后来被广泛用来比喻追求某种终极目标。
For many software engineers, developing a self-driving car is considered the holy grail of their work.
对许多软件工程师来说，开发自动驾驶汽车被视为他们工作领域中的终极追求。
Use grails naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象骑士们终其一生追寻圣杯（Grail），grail便指长期梦寐以求的目标。
语域：mixed 常见场景：新闻评论或深度报道、科技与医疗领域的突破性话题、文学、演讲等书面语场合 grail 作“长期目标”解时常与 holy 连用（the holy grail of...），这种搭配在新闻、网络和日常话题中都不少见；单独使用时则更偏书面和正式。整体语体介于中性到正式之间，所以标为混合。具体口语中更常说 goal 或 dream。
这些词与 grail 押韵，重读音节后的元音和辅音均为 /eɪl/：mail, nail, rail, sail, tail, jail。注意拼写近似的 girl /ɡɜːrl/ 和 grill /ɡrɪl/ 发音不同。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.