child
child — 名詞
1. a young person who has not yet reached the age when society considers them an ad
小孩；兒童
尚未成年的年輕人
a young person who has not yet reached the age when society considers them an adult — typically from birth up to around twelve to eighteen years old
The children in the park laughed while they chased each other around a big tree.
公園裡的孩子們一邊大笑，一邊繞著大樹互相追逐。
plural 'children' for general reference to young people
Nadia helped her younger child put on a warm coat before going outside.
Nadia 幫她較小的孩子穿上保暖外套才出門。
A doctor checked the child's temperature and said everything looked fine.
醫生幫那個孩子量了體溫，說一切正常。
Every child in the class received a small gift on the first day of school.
班上每個孩子在開學第一天都收到了一份小禮物。
determiner 'every' + singular 'child' for all members of a group
- only child
- youngest child
- raise a child
- care for a child
- child development
文法句型
countable noun
determiner + child
plural: children
用法筆記
The plural is 'children', not 'childs'. This is an irregular plural that must be memorised as a separate form.
常見錯誤
2. a person's son or daughter, no matter how old they are — based on the family rel
子女
某人的兒女，不論年齡
a person's son or daughter, no matter how old they are — based on the family relationship rather than age
Priya called her mother to say the children would visit during the holiday.
Priya 打電話跟母親說孩子們會在假期回去看她。
possessive 'her' + 'children' for family relationship
Both of Diego's children are in their twenties and live in different cities.
Diego 的兩個孩子都二十幾歲了，住在不同的城市。
The couple has three children — twin daughters and a younger son.
這對夫妻有三個孩子——一對雙胞胎女兒和一個小兒子。
Even at age sixty, he was still treated like a child by his older brother.
即使已經六十歲，他哥哥仍把他當小孩看待。
'child' used for an adult offspring, showing age does not matter
- their child
- only child
- eldest child
- grown-up child
- adult child
- parent
a person who has a child
文法句型
possessive + child
have + number + children
用法筆記
Unlike Sense 1 (YOUNG PERSON), this sense can refer to someone of any age. A 50-year-old person is still their parents' child.
常見錯誤
3. an adult whose behaviour seems childish, showing a lack of maturity, responsibil
幼稚的人
行為不成熟的成年人
an adult whose behaviour seems childish, showing a lack of maturity, responsibility, or self-control — used as a criticism
Stop acting like a child and take responsibility for your own mistakes.
別再像個小孩一樣，為自己的錯誤負起責任。
imperative: 'stop acting like a child' — direct criticism
The CEO called his manager a child for refusing to listen to the team.
執行長罵那位經理像個孩子，因為他不肯聽團隊的意見。
Ravi's roommate threw a tantrum over the noise — what a child!
Ravi 的室友因為噪音大發脾氣——真是個幼稚鬼！
'what a child!' — exclamation of disapproval
How can Wen be such a child about a seating arrangement for a simple team meeting?
Wen 對一個簡單的團隊會議座位安排這麼介意，簡直像個小孩。
question form: 'How can [person] be such a child about [trivial matter]?'
- act like a child
- such a child
- spoiled child
- call someone a child
文法句型
call + person + a child
act like a child
such a child
用法筆記
Always negative or critical. Calling an adult 'a child' is never a compliment in English. Distinguish from Sense 1 (YOUNG PERSON) where the word is neutral.
常見錯誤
4. a person whose identity, ideas, or character have been deeply shaped by a partic
產物
深受某時代或環境影響的人
a person whose identity, ideas, or character have been deeply shaped by a particular time, place, person, or situation — for example, someone called a 'child of the internet age'
As a child of the internet age, Yusuf learned to code before he turned ten.
作為網路時代的孩子，Yusuf 在十歲前就學會寫程式了。
'child of [era]' — metaphor for generational influence
Theo is a true child of the mountains; he feels lost anywhere far from them.
Theo 是真正屬於山的孩子；離開山讓他感到迷失。
Beatriz, a child of the 1990s, grew up with pop music and early video games.
身為九〇年代的孩子，Beatriz 是聽著流行音樂、玩著早期電玩長大的。
Kofi is a child of two cultures, with a Ghanaian father and a German mother.
Kofi 是兩種文化交融下的產物，父親是迦納人，母親是德國人。
'child of two cultures' — dual influence metaphor
- a child of the 1990s
- a child of the internet
- a child of the revolution
- a child of two cultures
- a true child of
文法句型
a child of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Nearly always appears in the pattern 'a child of [something]'. The noun phrase after 'of' names the influence — a time period, a place, or a set of circumstances.
5. a person who belongs to a particular family line, group, or tradition, or someth
後代
來自同一源頭的人或事物
a person who belongs to a particular family line, group, or tradition, or something that results or develops from a specific source — used for both literal descendants and figurative results
The museum exhibition showed works by children of the original Bauhaus school.
這場博物館展覽展出了早期包浩斯學派傳承者的作品。
'children of [school/tradition]' — members continuing a legacy
Modern jazz is a child of blues and ragtime that came before it.
現代爵士樂是藍調和繁音拍子這兩種先驅音樂的產物。
Hana is a child of the Wong family, known for their long tradition of pottery.
Hana 是黃家的後代，這個家族以悠久的陶藝傳統聞名。
The new building style is the child of many different architectural ideas.
這種新建築風格是許多不同建築理念結合的產物。
'child of [multiple sources]' — something resulting from a combination
- child of the family
- child of a tradition
- children of the school
- children of the house
- descendant
more formal and precise for literal family lines; also used figuratively for later developments
- heir
suggests inheriting something specific (a title, style, tradition) rather than general descent
- product
neutral; emphasises the result rather than the lineage connection
- ancestor
a person from whom one is descended
- predecessor
something that came before and was replaced or developed into something else
文法句型
the child/children of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Can be used literally (family descendants) or figuratively (results, products). The figurative use overlaps with Sense 4 (INFLUENCED BY), but this sense emphasises lineage, succession, or direct descent rather than general influence.
常見錯誤
be child’s play
idiomSomething that is extremely easy to do.
輕而易舉的事
For a professional chef, making pasta is child's play.
Is solving this puzzle really child's play for you?
be with child
idiomA woman who is going to have a baby.
懷孕
Maya announced that she is with child at the family dinner.
The painting shows a woman who is with child.
同根字
常見搭配
常用片語
- from childhood
- as a child
介系詞搭配
- child of
- child from