earning

IPA/ɜːn/
KK[ˈɚnɪŋ]IPA/ɝːn/

earning — verb

  • earningpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • earnings3rd person singular
  • earninging-ing form
  • earningedpast simple

1. to receive money for the work you do, whether from a job, a service you provide,

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to receive money for the work you do, whether from a job, a service you provide, or a task you complete

例句

Jabari earns about thirty thousand dollars a year as a mechanic at the city garage.

earn + amount + as + job/role

After working double shifts for two weeks, Trang earned enough to pay next month's rent.

同義詞
  • make

    more informal; 'make' is very common in everyday conversation for the same meaning

  • bring in

    phrasal verb; often used for household income or a business's revenue

  • net

    refers to income after taxes or costs are subtracted; more formal or financial

反義詞
  • spend

    using money rather than receiving it

  • lose

    when a business fails to make money

文法句型

earn + [amount of money]

earn + [money] + (by/from/doing)

用法筆記

Object is almost always a sum of money, a wage, a salary, or income. The person who receives the money is the subject.

常見錯誤

❌She won five hundred dollars from her part-time job.
✅She earned five hundred dollars from her part-time job.
💡'win' is for games and contests; use 'earn' for work.

2. to obtain a particular result, position, or good feeling because of your actions

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to obtain a particular result, position, or good feeling because of your actions, effort, or personal qualities — for example, earning someone's trust by always being honest, or earning a reputation through hard work

例句

After years of patient work, Talia earned the respect of every student at the school.

earn + respect / trust / admiration

The rescue team earned a reputation for bravery during the terrible floods of 2023.

earn + a reputation + for + quality

同義詞
  • deserve

    focuses on worthiness rather than the act of obtaining; 'you deserve a break' is not the same as 'you earned a break'

  • gain

    slightly more formal; often used with 'respect', 'trust', 'reputation'

  • secure

    more formal; suggests effort to obtain something that was not easily available

反義詞
  • lose

    earned respect can be lost — 'He lost the trust he had earned'

文法句型

earn + [abstract noun]

earn + oneself + [abstract noun]

用法筆記

The object is always an abstract noun (respect, trust, reputation, place, rest) — never a concrete payment. Frequently used with a reflexive indirect object (earn oneself something).

常見錯誤

❌She earned a gold medal for winning the race.
✅She won a gold medal for winning the race.
💡Use 'win' for prizes, competitions, and awards; use 'earn' for results that come from effort or character.