A or an is the indefinite article. It is used at the beginning of noun groups which refer to only one person or thing. The form an is used in front of words that begin with vowel sounds.
a 或 an 爲不定冠詞,用於表示單個事物或人的名詞詞組之前。an 用於以元音開始的單詞之前。
1DET (指初次提及或非特指的人或物)一(個) You use a or an when you are referring to someone or something for the first time or when people may not know which particular person or thing you are talking about. (指初次提及或非特指的人或物)一(個)
A waiter entered with a tray.
侍者端着托盤進來了。
He started eatinganapple.
他開始吃蘋果。
Today you've got a new teacher taking you.
今天有位新老師來教你們。
I managea hotel.
我經營一家旅館。
2DET (一類人或事物中非特指的)任何一(個) You use a or an when you are referring to any person or thing of a particular type and do not want to be specific. (一類人或事物中非特指的)任何一(個)
...expensive make-up that we saw being advertised by a beautiful model.
我們所見的由一位漂亮模特代言的昂貴化妝品
I suggest you leave it to an expert.
我建議你把它留給專家來解決。
Bring a sleeping bag.
帶只睡袋。
I was waiting for a bus.
我在等公共汽車。
3DET (用於前加形容詞或後加修飾語的不可數名詞之前)一(種) You use a or an in front of an uncount noun when that noun follows an adjective, or when the noun is followed by words that describe it more fully. (用於前加形容詞或後加修飾語的不可數名詞之前)一(種)
There wasa terrible sadness in her eyes.
她眼神中流露出深深的悲傷。
He did havea real knowledge of the country.
他對該國的確知之甚多。
Baseball movies have gainedanappreciation that far outstrips those dealing with any other sport.
以棒球爲主題的電影獲得的青睐遠遠超過了其他體育類電影。
4DET (用於物質名詞前)一(類),一(種) You use a or an in front of a mass noun when you want to refer to a single type or make of something. (用於物質名詞前)一(類),一(種)
Bollinger 'RD' is a rare, highly prized wine.
博林格RD香槟是一種名貴的備受推崇的葡萄酒。
5DET (用於表示數量的詞組中)許多/少許/一點 You use a in quantifiers such as a lot ,a little, and a bit. (用於表示數量的詞組中)許多/少許/一點
I spend a lot on expensive jewelry and clothing.
我花很多錢購買昂貴的首飾和衣服。
I've come looking for a bit of advice.
我特來討教。
6DET (一類人或事物中典型的)一(個) You use a or an to refer to someone or something as a typical member of a group, class, or type. (一類人或事物中典型的)一(個)
Some parents believe a boy must learn to stand up and fight like a man.
有些父母認爲男孩子必須學會像男子漢一樣頂天立地,勇於抗爭。
...the operationa patient has had.
病人做過的手術
7DET (用於日子、月份或節日的名稱之前以表示特例)一個 You use a or an in front of the names of days, months, or festivals when you are referring to one particular instance of that day, month, or festival. (用於日子、月份或節日的名稱之前以表示特例)一個
The interview took place on a Fridayafternoon.
采訪是在一個星期五的下午進行的。
It wasa Christmas when shoppers passed by expensive silks in favor of more practical gifts.
這是一個購物者不理會昂貴的絲綢衣服而熱衷於更實用禮物的聖誕節。
8DET (從事某一職業的)一(位),一(名) You use a or an when you are saying what someone is or what job they have. (從事某一職業的)一(位),一(名)
I explained that I wasanartist.
我解釋說自己是個藝術家。
He was now a teacheranda respectable member of the community.
他現在是一位教師,並且是社區内受人尊敬的一員。
9DET [DET n-proper](用於不爲說話人所知的首次提到的人名前)某一(個) You use a or an in front of the names of people as a way of indicating that you do not know them or anything about them and you are saying their name for the first time. (用於不爲說話人所知的首次提到的人名前)某一(個)
The full address on a stick-on label was that of a Mrs P. R. Slater of Peterborough.
不幹膠標簽上的完整地址寫的是彼得伯勒的一位P. R. 斯萊特太太。
A Dr Matthew Owens was reported missing while on an expedition to north-eastern Turkey.
據報道,一位叫馬修·歐文斯的博士在前往土耳其東北部考察的途中失蹤了。
10DET [DET n-proper](用於人名前,表示與該人有相同特性或品質)類似…的一個(或一位) You use a or an in front of the names of people when you want to refer to someone else who has the same qualities or character as the person named. (用於人名前,表示與該人有相同特性或品質)類似…的一個(或一位)
When I listen to her play I can heara new Nigel Kennedy.
從她的演奏中我聽出了新一代的奈傑爾·肯尼迪。
11DET [DET n-proper](用於姓氏前,表示某人屬於某姓氏家族)一位姓…的人 You use a or an in front of a surname when you want to refer to someone who belongs to the family with that surname. (用於姓氏前,表示某人屬於某姓氏家族)一位姓…的人
As faras I can recall, Patti wasa Smith.
我記得帕蒂是姓史密斯的。
12DET (用於藝術家名字前)一幅…的畫,一件…的雕塑作品 You use a or an in front of the names of artists to refer to one individual painting or sculpture created by them. (用於藝術家名字前)一幅…的畫,一件…的雕塑作品
Most people have very little difficulty in seeing why a Van Gogh is a work of genius.
多數人不難理解爲什麽凡·高的作品是天才之作。
13DET (代替數字one使用,尤用於hundred,hour和metre等表示度量的單詞之前以及half, quarter和third等分數之前) You use a or an instead of the number 'one', especially with words of measurement such as 'hundred', 'hour', and 'metre', and with fractions such as 'half', 'quarter', and 'third'. (代替數字one使用,尤用於hundred,hour和metre等表示度量的單詞之前以及half, quarter和third等分數之前)
...more thana thousandacres of land.
1,000多英畝地
...a quarter of an hour.
一刻鐘
The skirts were shortened an inch or two.
這些裙子被改短了一兩英寸。
14DET (用於表示比率的短語中)每一 You use a or an in expressions such as eight hours a day to express a rate or ratio. (用於表示比率的短語中)每一
Prices startat £13.95 a metre for printed cotton.
印花棉布以每米13.95英鎊的價格起售。
The helicopter can zip alongatabout 150 kilometres an hour.
1N-VAR 英語字母表的第1個字母A is the first letter of the English alphabet. 英語字母表的第1個字母
2N-VAR C大調音階中的第六音;A音 In music, A is the sixth note in the scale of C major. C大調音階中的第六音;A音
3N-VAR (作業、考試等)甲等,優等 If you get an A as a mark for a piece of work or in an exam, your work is extremely good. (作業、考試等)甲等,優等
4(用於首字母爲 a 的一些單詞的縮寫,如 acceleration,ampère和answer)A or a is used as an abbreviation for words beginning with a, such as 'acceleration', 'ampère', or 'answer'. (用於首字母爲 a 的一些單詞的縮寫,如 acceleration,ampère和answer)
5PHRASE 從一處到另一處;從甲地到乙地 People talk about getting from A to B when they are referring generally to journeys they need to make, without saying where the journeys will take them. 從一處到另一處;從甲地到乙地
Cars are for getting people from A to B in maximum safety.