kids
kids — noun
1. A boy or girl from the time they are born until they reach their teenage years.
A boy or girl from the time they are born until they reach their teenage years.
The kids were playing hide-and-seek in the garden after school.
countable plural noun with plural verb
Wei's youngest kid just started learning to read at primary school.
Minh read a bedtime story to her kids before they fell asleep.
A group of kids from the neighbourhood were flying kites in the park.
- child
More formal and neutral; used in both speech and writing
- youngster
Slightly old-fashioned, refers to a young person
- little one
Affectionate term for a very young child
- adult
A person who is fully grown
文法句型
kids + plural verb
用法筆記
Kid is more informal than child and is the most common word for this meaning in everyday spoken English. In formal writing, child is preferred.
常見錯誤
2. A young man or woman, especially one in their late teens or early twenties — not
A young man or woman, especially one in their late teens or early twenties — not necessarily a small child.
The college kids in Nadia's class organized a charity event for the weekend.
informal: college kids = university students
Diego is still just a kid at twenty-two, finding his way in the world.
Many kids in their twenties move to big cities after graduation.
The coffee shop near the campus is a popular hangout for local kids.
- grown-up
Informal term for an adult
文法句型
kids + plural verb
用法筆記
In this sense, the speaker is usually older than the people being described. Calling someone in their twenties 'a kid' signals a difference in age or experience.
常見錯誤
3. A person's younger brother or sister, used especially when talking about one's o
A person's younger brother or sister, used especially when talking about one's own sibling.
Ibrahim took his kid sister to watch a movie at the cinema downtown.
possessive + kid sister = younger sibling
Vikram taught his kid brother how to ride a bicycle without training wheels.
Amara looks after her kid brother while their parents are at work in the evenings.
Deepa's kid sister followed her everywhere around the house during the holidays.
- baby brother/sister
Affectionate; suggests the sibling is much younger
- little brother/sister
Neutral and common; does not imply childishness
文法句型
someone's kid brother / kid sister
用法筆記
Always used with a possessive determiner (my, his, her, their) before kid. The phrase 'kid brother' or 'kid sister' is fixed — you cannot say 'my kid sibling' or 'a kid brother' without a possessive.
常見錯誤
4. Describes an older person who tries to look, dress, or behave like a young perso
Describes an older person who tries to look, dress, or behave like a young person, often in a way that seems awkward or embarrassing.
The middle-aged manager tried to act all kids by wearing ripped jeans to the office party.
act all kids = informal slang phrase
Binta's uncle bought a skateboard and tried to be kids in front of her friends.
Mei-Lin's attempt to be kids at the family dinner made everyone exchange awkward glances.
Wearing those sneakers at his age seemed a bit kids to the younger crowd at the party.
- mature
Behaving in a way appropriate to one's age
文法句型
be kids
act kids
go all kids
用法筆記
Used informally or humorously, often critically. The phrase 'be kids' or 'act kids' in this sense is slang and does not follow normal adjective rules — it cannot take comparative forms like 'more kids'.
常見錯誤
5. Behaving with the unrestrained happiness, excitement, or playfulness that is typ
Behaving with the unrestrained happiness, excitement, or playfulness that is typical of a young child.
Fumi was like a kid in a candy store when she saw all the handmade chocolates.
idiom: like a kid in a candy store = delighted
The grown men were like kids again at the video game convention last weekend.
Emeka was like a kid on Christmas morning when he opened the new laptop.
Watching the firework display, even the elderly couple became like kids, pointing and gasping.
- serious
Not showing fun or excitement
文法句型
like a kid
like kids
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed comparative phrase 'like a kid' or 'like kids'. The sense is about temporary behaviour, not a permanent state.
常見錯誤
6. A young goat, from birth up to about one year old.
A young goat, from birth up to about one year old.
The farmer's daughter bottle-fed a newborn kid whose mother had rejected it.
newborn kid = very young goat
Two playful kids followed their mother goat across the field toward the old barn.
During spring the farm welcomes several newborn kids into the herd each week.
The children gathered around the pen to watch the baby kid take its very first steps.
- adult goat
A fully grown goat
文法句型
a kid
newborn kid
female kid
用法筆記
When the context is clear (a farm, animals), 'kid' alone refers to a young goat. To avoid confusion with the human meaning, speakers often say 'goat kid' or 'baby goat'.
常見錯誤
7. Very soft, smooth leather produced from the skin of a young goat, used especiall
Very soft, smooth leather produced from the skin of a young goat, used especially for gloves, shoes, and small luxury items.
Emeka bought a pair of gloves made from soft black kid leather for the winter.
kid leather = material type
The fashion designer chose kid leather for the lining of the handbag.
Kid leather shoes are lightweight and comfortable but require gentle cleaning.
The vintage store sold a wallet made of fine Italian kid leather from the 1950s.
文法句型
kid leather + noun
用法筆記
Used as an uncountable noun referring to the material, not the animal. 'Kid gloves' are a common product made from this leather, and the phrase 'handle with kid gloves' means to treat something very carefully.
常見錯誤
kids — verb
1. To say something that is not true in a playful or friendly way, as a joke rather
To say something that is not true in a playful or friendly way, as a joke rather than with the intention to deceive.
Wei was just kidding when he said he would quit his job and move to another country.
continuous: was kidding = joking playfully
Are you kidding me? That price cannot possibly be right for such a small sandwich.
exclamation: are you kidding me? = disbelieving
Minh laughed and told her friend, 'I am kidding — I would never say that about you.'
Diego kept kidding his roommate about the burnt dinner until they both cracked up laughing.
No kidding — the meeting actually lasted for three hours without a single break.
- tease
More deliberate and often at someone's expense
- joke
Neutral; to say funny things, not necessarily untrue
- fool around
Informal; to behave playfully, not seriously
- be serious
To speak honestly and without humour
文法句型
kid + about + noun phrase
kid + someone
be kidding
用法筆記
Very common in everyday spoken English. The phrase 'Are you kidding me?' expresses surprise or disbelief rather than asking a literal question. 'No kidding' is a fixed expression that can mean either 'seriously' or sarcastically 'obviously'.
常見錯誤
2. To convince yourself that something untrue is actually true, because accepting t
To convince yourself that something untrue is actually true, because accepting the real situation would be unpleasant or difficult.
If you think you can finish this report in an hour, you are kidding yourself.
reflexive: be kidding yourself = wrong belief
Nadia knew she was kidding herself when she said the old dress still fitted perfectly.
Do not kid yourself about passing the exam if you have not studied at all.
Ibrahim was kidding himself if he believed the landlord would fix the roof without a written request.
- delude yourself
More formal; means to hold a false belief despite clear evidence
- fool yourself
Similar meaning, also informal
- face reality
To accept the truth of a situation
文法句型
kid + yourself
be kidding yourself
don't kid yourself
用法筆記
Always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves, etc.). The negative imperative 'Don't kid yourself' is the most common form — it warns someone against wishful thinking.