castles in the air空中楼阁

一句把空想和落空并排摆出，前半生与结局的落差全在里头。

spend one's life doing ... and nothing comes of it

感叹某人白忙一场时用；对方正在难过时别拿来当面泼冷水。

build castles in the air and get nowhere ／ dream all your life and end up with nothing

literary

building castles in the air 一口气连读，句尾 comes of them 轻收。

He spent years building castles in the air and never finished a single plan. 他空想了好几年，一个计划也没做成。

把幸福说得不张扬：不是标准答案，是各走各路的答案。

in their own way, they've found what ...

夸别人活得明白、走自己的路时用；正式报告里少用这种口语腔。

they found happiness their own way ／ each of them found it in a different way

口语

It just seems like 轻快带过，their own way 稍重，句尾 looking for 降调。

In her own way, she has found what makes her happy. 她用自己的方式，找到了让自己快乐的东西。

一句点破：理由说得再体面，也只是不敢迈步的托词。

that's one's excuse for lack of something

拆穿别人拿借口推脱时用；当面戳人痛处要分场合。

that's just an excuse for not trying ／ he calls it caution, but it's fear

中性

Anyway 一带而过，excuse for 连读，lack of courage 咬清楚。

That's just his excuse for lack of preparation. 那不过是他没准备好的借口。

把整章的主题压成一句：人们怕的不是死，是活。

Everybody is afraid to + 动词 —— 概括一种普遍的怯懦

适合聊人生选择、勇气这类话题时抛出。对朋友、聊得来的人说很自然；别在刚安慰完受伤的人时说，会显得说教。

Most people are afraid to try. ／ Everyone is scared to start over.

口语

afraid to live 放慢，You know 轻轻带过。

Most people are afraid to start something new. 大多数人都不敢开始新的事情。

Everybody is afraid to say what they really want. 每个人都怕说出自己真正想要的。