ingredients

ingredients — noun

1. the individual foods listed in a recipe that you mix together to create a partic

1.名詞B1
釋義

the individual foods listed in a recipe that you mix together to create a particular dish or meal

例句

Yuki checked the recipe and saw that she needed only three ingredients: eggs, flour, and sugar.

recipe ingredients listed with quantities

The chef told Ibrahim that fresh herbs are the most important ingredient in Thai cuisine.

同義詞
  • component

    more general; used for parts of a system or machine, not typically for food

  • element

    more abstract; a fundamental building block of anything, including non-food contexts

文法句型

ingredients for + dish

list of ingredients

key/main/essential + ingredient(s)

用法筆記

Commonly paired with modifiers such as 'key', 'main', 'essential', 'fresh', and 'natural'. The pattern 'ingredients for + dish name' is the standard way to specify which meal you are preparing.

常見錯誤

I bought all the materials for the cake.
I bought all the ingredients for the cake.
💡'material' is used for building or crafting; 'ingredient' is the correct word for cooking.
The ingredient list includes salt and pepper.
The list of ingredients includes salt and pepper.
💡'list of ingredients' is the fixed phrase, not 'ingredient list' (though 'ingredient list' appears sometimes on labels, it is less natural in speech).

2. a quality, element, or condition that plays an important part in making a result

2.名詞B2
釋義

a quality, element, or condition that plays an important part in making a result, plan, or relationship succeed or work well

例句

Hard work was a key ingredient in Diego's success as a musician.

key ingredient in [someone's] success

Lucia believes that trust is the most important ingredient in any strong relationship.

同義詞
  • factor

    broader; a factor can be positive or negative, while an ingredient in this sense is always something that contributes to a good result

  • element

    more neutral; an element may be a passive part, whereas an ingredient actively contributes to success

  • component

    more structural; a component is a defined part of a system, while an ingredient is an intangible contributor

文法句型

a key/essential/vital ingredient in/of + noun

an ingredient for success

用法筆記

Almost always used with a preceding modifier such as 'key', 'essential', 'vital', or 'important'. Frequently appears in the pattern 'an ingredient of/in (doing) something' to describe what contributes to a positive outcome.

常見錯誤

The main ingredient for the delay was the storm.
The main reason for the delay was the storm.
💡'ingredient' is a contributing element to success, not a cause of a problem; use 'reason' or 'cause' for negative outcomes.
Patience is the most ingredient for fishing.
Patience is an important ingredient for fishing.
💡'most' alone cannot modify 'ingredient'; use 'most important' or simply place 'key'/'vital' before 'ingredient'.

3. a specific substance or element that is combined with others to form a mixture,

3.名詞B2
釋義

a specific substance or element that is combined with others to form a mixture, product, or compound

例句

The glue is made from several chemical ingredients, including a special binding agent.

chemical ingredients + binding agent

Amara studied the list of ingredients printed on the bottle of cleaning solution.

同義詞
  • component

    more general; a part of any system or machine, not limited to mixtures

  • constituent

    more formal; used especially in scientific writing about chemical mixtures

文法句型

list of ingredients

active ingredient

ingredient label

用法筆記

Common on product labels and in scientific or industrial contexts. 'Active ingredient' is a fixed term found on medicine and cosmetic packaging. 'Ingredient label' or 'ingredients list' is the standard phrase for product information displays.

常見錯誤

This product contains many chemical contents.
This product contains many chemical ingredients.
💡'content' usually refers to a single overall amount (e.g. fat content); 'ingredient' refers to each separate component.
What are the ingredients of this cream?
What are the ingredients in this cream?
💡the standard preposition is 'in', not 'of', when asking about the components of a product.