When a liquid overflows, it flows over the edges of a container, etc. because there is too much of it.

The milk overflowed when I poured it into the jug. 我往壶里倒牛奶的时候，牛奶溢了出来。

Because of heavy rain, the river may overflow its banks. 因为下大雨，河水可能会泛滥，漫过河岸。

If a container or a place overflows, whatever is inside it starts coming out because it is too full.

Oh no, the sink is overflowing all over the floor. 啊呀，糟了，水槽满了，水流得满地都是。

The bin was overflowing with rubbish. 垃圾箱里的垃圾满得装不下了。

When a place overflows, or people or things overflow from somewhere, some people or things have to come out because it cannot contain them all.

The bar was so full that people were overflowing into/onto the street. 酒吧里人满为患，顾客一直排到了大街上。

His room is overflowing with books. 他的房间里放满了书。

UK The train was full to overflowing (= so full that there was not space for any more passengers). 火车上人满为患。

so that water or another substance is almost coming over the top

Someone had filled the sink to overflowing. 不知谁把水槽里放满了水，都要溢出来了。

mainly UK The sink was full to overflowing. 水槽满了，都要溢出来了。

By the time I came back, the bath had filled to overflowing.

They fill their beer glasses to overflowing, which makes for some messy bar counters.

For the next two weeks, the rains swelled rivers and streams to overflowing.

Three inches of rain fell within 48 hours and filled the reservoir to overflowing.

If you overflow with thoughts or feelings, you express them strongly.

They were overflowing with emotion at the birth of their baby. 看到孩子出生，他们喜不自禁。

Suddenly, her anger overflowed. 突然，她怒气冲天。

an amount of liquid or number of people that cannot fit in a space

I put a bucket underneath to catch the overflow from the water tank. 我在底下放了一只桶来接水箱里溢出的水。

We can't cope with this overflow of patients from the other hospitals. 我们无法安排从其他医院转过来的这么多病人。

a pipe that carries away water that is not needed