herbal
/ˈhɜːbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɜːrbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)ər-bəl/ (ame, mw)
herbal — adjective
1. describing something that contains herbs or is connected with the use of herbs i
describing something that contains herbs or is connected with the use of herbs in cooking, medicine, or daily care
Tendai bought an herbal tea from the market to help soothe his sore throat.
collocation: herbal tea
The clinic near the park offers herbal treatments for people with joint pain.
collocation: herbal treatments
Jiwoo planted an herbal garden behind her kitchen and grew basil and mint.
Shirin applied an herbal cream to the rash on her son's arm.
Adina prefers herbal medicine over pills for her seasonal allergy symptoms.
- botanical
broader — refers to any plant-related matter, not specifically herbs used for cooking or medicine
- herbaceous
technical — describes plants with non-woody stems, not their use
- synthetic
artificially made rather than derived from natural plant sources
文法句型
herbal + noun
用法筆記
Typically used before a noun (attributive position). Common collocations include herbal tea, herbal medicine, herbal remedy, herbal garden, and herbal shampoo.
常見錯誤
herbal — noun
1. a book that describes plants and their uses, especially a historical work that r
a book that describes plants and their uses, especially a historical work that records which plants were used for medicine
The librarian showed the students a sixteenth-century herbal with beautiful plant drawings.
compound noun: sixteenth-century herbal
Tamás found a rare herbal in the archive listing over two hundred herbs.
This herbal describes how ancient healers used chamomile and lavender for sleep.
The museum displayed a medieval herbal with handwritten notes in the margins.
用法筆記
This is a historical term for books written before the modern era of botany. The most famous example is the Chinese Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) by Li Shizhen. Modern equivalents are called field guides or botanical references.
常見錯誤
2. a collection of dried and pressed plants, kept for scientific study or reference
a collection of dried and pressed plants, kept for scientific study or reference
The botanist carefully arranged each dried leaf in the herbal collection.
noun phrase: the herbal collection
Students in the biology course created their own herbal with local wildflowers.
The university's herbal contains over five thousand plant specimens from Brazil.
Lakan donated his personal herbal of pressed flowers to the natural history museum.
- herbarium
the standard modern term for a systematic collection of dried plant specimens
用法筆記
This sense is rare in everyday English. In modern scientific contexts, the word 'herbarium' is almost always used instead of 'herbal' for a plant specimen collection.
常見錯誤
3. a substance made from herbs and used to treat an illness, ease pain, or improve
a substance made from herbs and used to treat an illness, ease pain, or improve general health
The pharmacist recommended an herbal made from echinacea to boost her immune system.
article + adjective + herbal: an herbal
After the accident, Ingrid applied a soothing herbal to the swelling on her ankle.
Aaron bought an herbal at the health food store for his chronic headaches.
Grandmother prepared a traditional herbal using ginger and honey for the cough.
The doctor said the herbal would not interfere with his regular medication.
- pharmaceutical
a laboratory-made drug rather than a natural plant-derived remedy
用法筆記
Can refer to a specific product (a bottle of herbal tincture) or a general category of alternative medicine. Often encountered in health food stores, traditional medicine clinics, and discussions of natural remedies.
常見錯誤
4. a hot drink made by pouring boiling water over dried or fresh herbs, flowers, or
a hot drink made by pouring boiling water over dried or fresh herbs, flowers, or fruit — often drunk for relaxation or health benefits
Caio drinks an herbal every night to help him fall asleep faster.
verb collocation: drinks an herbal
The cafe serves a mint herbal that is popular with afternoon customers.
Jisoo brought a cup of hot herbal to the study room during exam week.
Aylin makes a fresh herbal by steeping lemon balm leaves in boiling water.
The doctor suggested drinking an herbal instead of black tea for less caffeine.
用法筆記
Despite being called 'tea,' this drink does NOT contain leaves from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). The formal culinary term is 'tisane.' Herbal teas are usually caffeine-free.