cartoon
/kɑːˈtuːn/ (bre, ipa) · /kɑːrˈtuːn/ (ame, ipa) · /kär-ˈtün/ (ame, mw)
cartoon — noun
1. a picture drawn for a newspaper or a magazine that is meant to be funny or to cr
a picture drawn for a newspaper or a magazine that is meant to be funny or to criticize something, often showing an opinion about politics or daily events
Leila showed us a cartoon from the paper making fun of the new traffic rules.
cartoon + from + [publication]
The editorial page always has a political cartoon about the biggest news of the day.
political cartoon
Ravi drew a funny cartoon of his teacher with a giant coffee mug.
Cartoons in the local paper often show funny scenes from neighborhood life.
The museum had an exhibition of cartoons from famous 20th-century newspapers.
- caricature
emphasizes exaggerated features of a person; more artistic than a political cartoon
- sketch
a quick, simple drawing; not necessarily humorous or political
文法句型
cartoon + about [topic]
cartoon + in [publication]
用法筆記
This sense always refers to a still drawing, not an animated film. Often appears with the adjectives 'political' or 'editorial', or with a topic after 'about'.
常見錯誤
2. a detailed drawing that an artist makes as a first plan or study for a later pai
a detailed drawing that an artist makes as a first plan or study for a later painting, wall painting, or other large piece of art
The artist's cartoon for the church wall painting shows angels around a central figure.
cartoon + for + [final artwork]
Art historians studied the Renaissance cartoon to understand how the painter planned the final work.
Renaissance cartoon
Dr. Okafor showed the class a full-size cartoon that Leonardo da Vinci made before painting.
The museum has a room of preparatory cartoons made by 16th-century painters.
- study
any preparatory drawing done before a finished artwork; can be less detailed than a cartoon
- preparatory drawing
a more general term for any rough plan before the final piece
文法句型
cartoon + for [final artwork]
用法筆記
This is a specialized art-history term. In this sense, 'cartoon' refers specifically to a full-scale drawing on paper that an artist transfers onto a wall or canvas before painting. Distinguish from sense 1 (FUNNY DRAWING), which is the everyday meaning.
常見錯誤
3. a short movie or TV program made by putting many drawn or computer-made pictures
a short movie or TV program made by putting many drawn or computer-made pictures in a quick sequence so that the characters and objects appear to move
The kids watched a cartoon about a rabbit and a clever fox.
cartoon + about [topic]
Yusuf's favorite cartoon is the one where a little fish travels across the ocean.
Saturday mornings are perfect for watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal.
The studio released a new cartoon about a family of robots living on the moon.
On Sunday afternoon, Theo and his grandmother sat down together to enjoy a cartoon about a flying elephant.
- animation
the general technique or industry; more formal than 'cartoon'
- animated film
the full term; used for feature-length movies in particular
文法句型
cartoon + about [topic]
watch + cartoons
用法筆記
The most common meaning for children's media. In informal speech, 'cartoon' is often shortened to 'toon' (e.g., 'Saturday-morning toons'). 'Animated film' or 'animation' is more formal.
常見錯誤
4. a set of drawings inside connected frames that together tell a short story, ofte
a set of drawings inside connected frames that together tell a short story, often published in a newspaper or on a website
Nadia reads the same cartoon every day in the newspaper because she loves the characters.
read + cartoon + in [publication]
The Sunday paper has a full page of cartoons with different stories and funny moments.
Tomás collects old cartoon strips from the 1990s and keeps them in a binder.
A cartoon about a young wizard has run in newspapers for many years.
Many cartoon series online have millions of readers who follow the story every week.
- comic strip
the more precise term for a multi-panel story; slightly more formal
- comic
everyday short form; can also mean a comic book
文法句型
cartoon + about [topic]
read + cartoons
用法筆記
Sometimes called a 'comic strip' or just 'comic'. Unlike sense 1 (a single drawing), this sense involves multiple panels in a sequence. Unlike sense 3 (FILM), these are still images, not moving pictures.