folks

folks — noun

1. people in general, especially when you speak about ordinary people in a warm, ca

1.名詞A2
釋義

people in general, especially when you speak about ordinary people in a warm, casual way.

例句

Before sunrise, folks waited outside the clinic for flu shots.

folks meaning ordinary people in general

After the storm, folks checked each other's roofs along the street.

同義詞
  • people

    more neutral and works in both formal and informal contexts

  • everyone

    stresses all the people in a situation rather than people in general

  • the public

    more official and less warm in tone

文法句型

folks + plural verb

用法筆記

Usually takes a plural verb. It sounds friendlier and more relaxed than people, and it is especially common in spoken American English.

常見錯誤

❌Folks is waiting outside.
✅Folks are waiting outside.
💡folks is a plural noun, so it takes a plural verb.

2. people who belong to a certain place, activity, or social group.

2.名詞B1
釋義

people who belong to a certain place, activity, or social group.

例句

City folks always ask where the best mountain trail begins.

place word + folks

Boat folks on the island repair nets before the rainy season.

同義詞
  • crowd

    can mean a social set, but it is less tied to place or occupation

  • group

    neutral and broader, without the informal personal tone

  • community

    stresses shared life or values rather than a casual label

文法句型

city folks

theater folks

boat folks

用法筆記

Often comes after a noun that identifies the circle or background. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense points to one recognizable set of people, not people in general.

常見錯誤

❌The city folks is friendly.
✅The city folks are friendly.
💡folks stays plural even when it names one group.

3. your family members, often meaning your parents in everyday speech.

3.名詞A2
釋義

your family members, often meaning your parents in everyday speech.

例句

When Yuna was sick, her folks drove three hours to see her.

possessive + folks for family

Caio still calls his folks every Sunday after the market closes.

同義詞
  • parents

    more exact when you mean only mother and father

  • family

    broader and not as conversational in tone

  • relatives

    can include a wider circle than folks usually does

文法句型

my folks

her folks

someone's folks

用法筆記

Most often appears with a possessive such as my, your, or their. In many situations it means parents, but some speakers use it more broadly for close family.

常見錯誤

❌My folk are coming tonight.
✅My folks are coming tonight.
💡this family sense normally uses the plural form folks.

folks — adjective