expressions

IPA/ɪkˈspreʃ.ən/
KK[ɪksprˈɛʃənz]IPA/ɪkˈspreʃ.ən/

expressions — noun

  • expressionssingular
  • expressionsesplural

1. what you do when you put your thoughts or feelings into words, actions, or art s

1.名詞A2
釋義

what you do when you put your thoughts or feelings into words, actions, or art so that other people can understand them.

例句

Shirin's poem was a beautiful expression of her love for the mountains.

expression + of + noun showing the content

In many cultures, giving a small gift is a common expression of thanks.

同義詞
  • communication

    broader term; focuses on the exchange of information rather than the act of showing inner thoughts

  • utterance

    formal; specifically refers to spoken words

  • articulation

    formal; emphasises clear and careful expression

反義詞

文法句型

expression + of + noun

expression + of + how/why/what

用法筆記

Often used with 'of' to specify what is being expressed. 'Freedom of expression' is a fixed phrase referring to the right to speak and write freely. This sense can be uncountable (e.g. 'freedom of expression') or countable (e.g. 'an expression of gratitude').

常見錯誤

❌She gave expression of her opinion.
✅She gave expression to her opinion.
💡the fixed phrase is 'give expression to something', not 'expression of'.
❌He had a happy expression on his face.' (when referring to a facial look, not verbal expression)
✅Use sense 2 for facial looks; sense 1 refers to expressing thoughts through words or actions.

2. the way someone's face looks when it reveals the emotion or thought they are exp

2.名詞A2
釋義

the way someone's face looks when it reveals the emotion or thought they are experiencing inside.

例句

When Jessica heard the news, an expression of surprise spread across her face.

The teacher's stern expression made the students stop talking immediately.

adjective + expression describing the type of look

同義詞
  • look

    more general; can refer to any appearance, not just facial

  • face

    informal; 'make a face' means a silly or disgusted expression

反義詞
  • poker face

    an expressionless face that hides feelings

文法句型

possessive + expression

expression + on + face

用法筆記

Commonly modified by adjectives (worried expression, puzzled expression, blank expression). 'Facial expression' is a common collocation. This sense is always countable — each look is one expression.

常見錯誤

❌She said it with a angry expression.
✅She said it with an angry expression.
💡remember the article 'an' before 'angry'.
❌I could see from his expression of fear that he was lying.' (redundant)
✅I could see from his expression that he was lying.' or 'I could see the fear in his expression.
💡'expression' already conveys the emotion; you don't need 'expression of fear' when 'fear in his expression' is more natural.

3. a string of words that people use together in a fixed way, either for a specific

3.名詞B1
釋義

a string of words that people use together in a fixed way, either for a specific situation or with a special meaning that may differ from the literal one.

例句

The expression 'break a leg' is a funny way theatre people say good luck.

fixed expression with idiomatic meaning

Ingrid learned several useful expressions for ordering food during her trip to Japan.

同義詞
  • phrase

    more general; a group of words, not necessarily fixed or idiomatic

  • idiom

    a fixed expression whose meaning is not literal

  • saying

    a well-known expression that gives advice or shares wisdom

文法句型

expression + for + noun

expression + used in/among + group

用法筆記

Often appears in 'fixed expressions' — word combinations that are used as a unit. Many expressions are idioms whose meaning cannot be guessed from the individual words. Language learners should learn expressions as whole chunks rather than translating word by word.

常見錯誤

❌I learned a new express.
✅I learned a new expression.
💡'express' is a verb; the noun form for a phrase is 'expression'.

❌ Translating idioms literally: 'break a leg' does NOT mean to break a bone in your leg.

4. a group of numbers, letters, and symbols in mathematics that shows a quantity or

4.名詞B2
釋義

a group of numbers, letters, and symbols in mathematics that shows a quantity or a relationship between quantities.

例句

The expression 2x + 5 can be simplified when you know the value of x.

algebraic expression with variable

Esteban wrote the mathematical expression for the area of a circle on the board.

同義詞
  • formula

    a rule or relationship expressed in symbols, often used for calculation

  • equation

    contains an equals sign; an expression does not

文法句型

mathematical expression

algebraic expression

simplify an expression

用法筆記

A mathematical expression differs from an equation: an expression (e.g. 3x + 2) does not have an equals sign, while an equation (e.g. 3x + 2 = 11) does. This sense is technical and most common in academic or programming contexts.

常見錯誤

❌Solve the expression.
✅Simplify the expression.' or 'Evaluate the expression.
💡you solve equations, not expressions.
❌3 + 5 = 8 is an expression.
✅3 + 5 = 8 is an equation.
💡an expression has no equals sign.

5. the process by which information from a gene is used to produce a protein or sho

5.名詞C1
釋義

the process by which information from a gene is used to produce a protein or show a physical characteristic in a living thing.

例句

Gene expression determines whether a person has blue eyes or brown eyes.

fixed term: 'gene expression'

Scientists studied the expression of the gene that controls hair colour in mice.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

gene expression

expression of + gene/characteristic

用法筆記

Almost always used in the fixed compound 'gene expression'. In biological contexts, 'expression' refers to the activation of a gene to produce its effect. This sense is uncountable when referring to the general process ('gene expression occurs in all living cells') and countable when referring to specific instances ('the expression of this particular gene').

常見錯誤

❌The expression of his genes made him tall.
✅His height is influenced by the expression of genes related to growth.
💡people don't 'express' their own genes in everyday speech; this is a technical biological term.

❌ Mixing up with 'gene editing' or 'genetic modification' — 'gene expression' is about whether a gene is active or not, not about changing the gene itself.