comics
comics — idiom
1. The part of a daily or weekly newspaper where comic strips are printed, usually
The part of a daily or weekly newspaper where comic strips are printed, usually a separate colour section, and often referred to as a fixed feature of the paper.
Every Sunday morning, Wei turned to the comics before reading the front page.
turn to the comics
The local newspaper cut the comics from eight pages down to two to save money.
Diego's favourite part of the newspaper was always the comics in the back section.
When Fatima was young, she would read the comics out loud to her younger brother every evening.
- comics page
Emphasises the page layout rather than the section as a whole; slightly informal.
- funny pages
An informal, slightly old-fashioned term common in American English.
- comic section
A more literal description, less idiomatic than 'the comics.'
文法句型
the comics
in the comics
from the comics
用法筆記
This sense is always used with the definite article 'the.' It refers both to the physical section of the newspaper and to the content (the collection of strips) published in it, treated as a fixed weekly feature of the paper.
常見錯誤
comics — adjective
1. Connected with comedy as a type of entertainment — used to describe films, plays
Connected with comedy as a type of entertainment — used to describe films, plays, books, or performances that are meant to be amusing and make an audience laugh.
Kwame wrote a comic play for the school drama competition and won first prize.
comic play / comic film
Lena prefers comic novels over serious literary fiction because she loves to laugh.
The actor was best known for his comic roles in 1990s television sitcoms.
The director blended comic scenes with dramatic moments to create a balanced film.
文法句型
comic + noun (film, play, novel, actor)
用法筆記
This sense only goes before a noun (attributive). Do not say 'His performance was comic' for this sense — use 'comical' or 'funny' instead when describing something after a linking verb.
常見錯誤
2. Making you smile or laugh because something is amusing, silly, or unexpected rat
Making you smile or laugh because something is amusing, silly, or unexpected rather than serious or upsetting.
The kitten's attempt to climb the curtain was so comic that Kenji recorded it on his phone.
so comic that...
Clara told a comic story about getting lost in the airport for over two hours.
comic story
There was something almost comic about the way his hat fell into the birthday cake.
The mix-up at the wedding reception, where two cakes arrived decorated for different couples, was more comic than annoying, so everyone laughed instead.
Anika found the whole situation comic and laughed until her stomach hurt.
- funny
More common and informal; covers everything from gentle amusement to loud laughter.
- comical
Suggests something amusing in an odd, surprising, or slightly absurd way.
- amusing
More polite and understated; enjoyable rather than hilarious.
- hilarious
Much stronger — extremely funny, causing loud laughter.
文法句型
[be/seem] + comic
find + [something] + comic
comic + [situation/story/moment]
用法筆記
This sense can be used both before a noun and after linking verbs. It is slightly more formal than 'funny' but less formal than 'humorous.'
常見錯誤
3. Relating to comic strips as a format or visual style, typically using panels, sp
Relating to comic strips as a format or visual style, typically using panels, speech bubbles, and sequential drawings — describing publications, illustrations, or images created in the tradition of strip cartoons.
Amir drew comic panels for the school newspaper every week for two years.
comic panels
The local museum displayed original comic art from famous 1950s newspapers.
comic art
Sofia's comic style uses bright colours and simple black outlines.
The book combines short written stories with full-page comic illustrations.
- cartoon
As an adjective, 'cartoon' usually describes a drawing style; 'cartoon strip' is rarer than 'comic strip.'
- graphic novel
A longer, book-length story in comic format, usually more serious or literary.
文法句型
comic + noun (strip, book, art, panel, style)
用法筆記
This sense only appears before a noun (attributive). Distinguish from adj/1 (RELATING TO COMEDY): that sense connects to comedy as a genre of entertainment; this sense connects to comic strips as a specific art form and publication format.
comics — noun
1. A performer whose job is to make an audience laugh by telling jokes, sharing fun
A performer whose job is to make an audience laugh by telling jokes, sharing funny observations about everyday life, or acting out amusing situations on stage or television.
Theo started his career as a comic in small clubs around the city before landing a TV show.
work as a comic
Amara is one of the funniest comics I have ever seen perform live on stage.
funniest comics — informal shortening of comedian
The nightclub hired three different comics for their weekend comedy show.
An older comic taught the younger performers how to handle a difficult audience.
文法句型
[work as / perform as] + a comic
[be] + a + [adjective] + comic
用法筆記
This sense is an older, shortened form of 'comedian.' It is still in use but 'comedian' is more common in formal or modern contexts. 'Comic' often carries a warmer, more familiar tone.
常見錯誤
2. The quality or aspect of a situation, story, or performance that makes it amusin
The quality or aspect of a situation, story, or performance that makes it amusing — often used in literary or critical analysis to describe an inherent humour that emerges naturally rather than being performed by a comedian.
Critics praised the subtle comic woven through the novel's dialogue for balancing its heavier themes.
the comic — uncountable noun meaning humorous quality
Mei has a wonderful ability to find the comic in even the most ordinary situations.
find the comic in [something]
Even in a tense courtroom drama, the director never lost touch with the comic that makes ordinary people relatable.
During the tense board meeting, Yuki pointed out the comic in the projector malfunction and turned everyone's frustration into laughter.
- humour
The broadest and most common term for anything that makes people laugh or smile.
- comedy
Often refers to the genre or type of entertainment rather than the abstract quality of being funny.
- comic relief
A specific technique in drama where a funny moment breaks the tension in a serious scene.
- pathos
The quality in a story that makes the audience feel sadness or pity.
文法句型
the + comic + of + [something]
用法筆記
This sense is always used with 'the' and is uncountable. It is a more formal or literary way of referring to the humorous quality of something. 'Humour' or 'comedy' are more common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. A short series of drawings arranged in horizontal boxes called panels, telling a
A short series of drawings arranged in horizontal boxes called panels, telling a funny or entertaining story, and published in newspapers, magazines, or online.
Wei reads the same comic in the newspaper every morning with his tea.
read a comic
Anika drew a four-panel comic about her cat getting stuck in a box for art class.
four-panel comic
That comic has been running in newspapers across the country for over fifty years.
The children cut their favourite comic out of the paper and put it on the fridge door.
- comic strip
More explicit and formal; used when you need to distinguish this format from a comic book.
- cartoon
Can mean a single-panel drawing (often political) or an animated film. Less precise than 'comic strip' for multi-panel stories.
- strip
Shortened form used informally within the industry.
文法句型
read/draw + a comic
comic + about + [topic]
a + [adjective] + comic
用法筆記
In everyday conversation, 'comics' (plural) is often used as a mass noun to refer to this medium in general ('I love comics'). Individual items are 'a comic' or 'a comic strip.'
常見錯誤
4. A magazine-sized book with a paper cover, containing a single long comic story o
A magazine-sized book with a paper cover, containing a single long comic story or a collection of shorter comic strip stories, often featuring superheroes, adventure characters, or fantasy worlds.
Diego has a collection of over two hundred comic books stored in boxes under his bed.
comic book collection
Fatima bought a new comic about a girl who can talk to animals and solve mysteries.
The new superhero film is based on a cult comic from the early 2000s about a teenage inventor who builds a flying suit.
Kwame's grandfather kept his old comics in a box and passed them down to his grandchildren.
- graphic novel
A longer, more serious book-length comic, often with a complex story and higher production quality.
- comic magazine
An older term; less common today. Emphasises the periodical format.
文法句型
read/collect/buy + comics
comic + about + [character/theme]
用法筆記
The word 'comics' (plural) or 'comic books' (plural) is used as a general term for this medium. A single issue is 'a comic' or 'a comic book.' In informal American English, 'a comic' is very common.