care for
care for — phrasal verb
- care forbase form
- cares for3rd person singular
- caring for-ing form
- cared forpast simple
1. to provide what a person, animal, or thing needs to stay healthy, safe, and well
to provide what a person, animal, or thing needs to stay healthy, safe, and well — feeding, sheltering, protecting, or nursing them
Niran cared for his elderly mother after she broke her hip last winter.
care for + [person needing help]
The animal shelter cares for over thirty stray cats found near the old port.
care for + [animal in need]
Élise stayed home to care for her daughter, who had a terrible fever.
Takeshi learned how to care for a bonsai tree from his grandfather.
Eshe spends every Saturday morning caring for patients at the local hospice.
- look after
more informal and often suggests shorter-term responsibility
- take care of
broader; can refer to handling tasks or problems, not just people
- tend to
more formal and often used for professional or medical care
文法句型
care for + someone/something
be cared for (passive)
常見錯誤
2. to feel romantic love for someone, with a strong wish to be close to them
to feel romantic love for someone, with a strong wish to be close to them
Shirin had secretly cared for her childhood friend since they were teenagers.
care for = feel romantic love
Eitan wrote a long letter to the woman he deeply cared for.
Sora realised he still cared for his ex-wife, years after the divorce.
Kofi left a single rose on the pillow of the flatmate he secretly cared for.
- love
stronger and more direct; 'care for' is gentler and less intense
- be fond of
less intense; does not necessarily imply romantic feeling
- adore
much stronger; suggests devotion and admiration
- dislike
feel aversion rather than romantic love
文法句型
care for + someone
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is specifically about romantic love between adults. Sense 3 describes warm affection without a romantic element.
常見錯誤
3. to feel warm affection or deep liking for someone — the way you feel about a clo
to feel warm affection or deep liking for someone — the way you feel about a close friend or a much-loved family member
Liam genuinely cared for his teammates and always cheered them on at matches.
care for = feel affection (not romantic)
Lakshmi cared for her university professor and kept in touch for twenty years.
Esteban cared for his old guitar teacher and visited him every week.
Jessica cared for every dog she walked, remembering each one's name.
The children clearly cared for their new babysitter after just one evening.
- be fond of
very similar in strength but slightly more casual
- like
weaker; 'care for' implies deeper emotional warmth
- have a soft spot for
informal; suggests a special, often hidden affection
- dislike
feel aversion rather than affection
文法句型
care for + someone
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes warm affection or strong liking, not romantic love. It is often used for family members, close friends, or pets.