emblem

/ˈembləm/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈɛmbləm] /ˈembləm/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈɛmbləm] /ˈem-bləm/ (ame, mw)

emblem — noun

  • emblemsingular
  • emblemsplural

1. an official picture, shape, or object that a country, group, or organisation cho

1.名詞B2
釋義

an official picture, shape, or object that a country, group, or organisation chooses as its identifying sign — you find these on flags, uniforms, coins, and buildings

例句

Hui noticed the school emblem — a golden eagle — stitched onto every student's jacket pocket.

collocation: school emblem

The maple leaf has been Canada's national emblem for more than fifty years.

collocation: national emblem

同義詞
  • symbol

    broader and more common; covers anything that represents something else, not only official marks

  • badge

    a small emblem worn on clothing to show membership, rank, or achievement

  • logo

    used for businesses and brands, appearing on products and advertisements

  • crest

    a heraldic design, typically for a family or traditional school, often with a shield and motto

文法句型

emblem of + [group/country/organization]

用法筆記

Often paired with an adjective naming the group it belongs to: 'national emblem', 'school emblem', 'royal emblem', 'family emblem', 'team emblem'.

常見錯誤

❌The heart shape is an emblem of love on Valentine cards.
✅The heart shape is a symbol of love on Valentine cards.
💡An 'emblem' is an official or formal identifying mark chosen by a group. For general representations, use 'symbol'.

2. a person, object, or event that is so strongly linked with a particular quality

2.名詞C1
釋義

a person, object, or event that is so strongly linked with a particular quality or idea that people treat it as the perfect example

例句

Ayana's grandmother was an emblem of patience, raising eight children alone through years of hardship.

pattern: an emblem of + [quality]

The Berlin Wall, before it fell in 1989, stood as an emblem of division between East and West.

同義詞
  • epitome

    the closest synonym; both describe a perfect example, though 'epitome' is slightly more common

  • embodiment

    used mainly for people who perfectly represent a quality through their actions or character

  • personification

    treats an abstract quality as if it were a person; more figurative than 'emblem'

  • icon

    a widely recognised person or thing that represents an idea, movement, or era

反義詞
  • antithesis

    the exact opposite example of a quality or idea

文法句型

an emblem of + [quality or idea]

用法筆記

Always used in the pattern 'an emblem of [quality or idea]'. More formal and stronger than 'symbol' — it means the thing perfectly captures the essence, not merely stands for it.

常見錯誤

❌She is an emblem for young people.
✅She is an emblem of hope for young people.
💡Sense 2 always takes 'emblem of', never 'emblem for'. The object of 'of' must be a quality or idea, not a group of people.