the rat race
noun [ S ] uk/ˈræt ˌreɪs/ us/ˈræt ˌreɪs/
（现代社会人们为权利和金钱进行的）你死我活的竞争，激烈竞争，永无休止的竞争
a way of life in modern society, in which people compete with each other for power and money
He decided to get out of the rat race, and went to work on a farm. 他决定逃离这你死我活的竞争，到农场去工作。