live

/lɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /lɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈliv/ (ame, mw) · /laɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /laɪv/ (ame, ipa)

live — verb

  • livepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • liveshe / she / it
  • livedpast simple
  • living-ing form

1. to exist as a living thing that breathes, grows, and is not dead

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to exist as a living thing that breathes, grows, and is not dead

例句

Iris's grandmother lived to be a hundred and two and never needed glasses.

live + to-infinitive for reaching an age

Some desert plants can live for decades without much rain.

同義詞
  • survive

    stresses not dying despite danger or hardship, while 'live' is neutral

  • exist

    more abstract; 'live' implies biological life rather than mere existence

反義詞
  • die

    the opposite action; to stop being alive

文法句型

live + to-infinitive

live + for + time phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used with time expressions (live to be..., live for X years, live through). The to-infinitive pattern often describes reaching a notable age.

常見錯誤

❌My goldfish lived only for three weeks before it died.' (redundant — 'died' repeats the idea).
✅My goldfish lived only three weeks.
💡'live' already implies the end of life; adding 'before it died' is unnecessary.

2. to stay in a house, apartment, or area as your regular place of residence

2.動詞不及物A1
釋義

to stay in a house, apartment, or area as your regular place of residence

例句

Minho lives in a small flat near the university campus.

live in + [building/area]

The Okonkwo family have lived in Lagos for over twenty years.

同義詞
  • reside

    more formal; common on official forms but rare in everyday speech

  • dwell

    very formal or literary; almost never used in conversation

文法句型

live + in/at/on/near + [place]

用法筆記

Always requires a complement that says where, how, or with whom. Unlike 'live' (sense 1), this sense cannot stand alone as a complete statement. Typical patterns: live in + place, live with + person, live on + street/land.

常見錯誤

❌I live.' (no location given).
✅I live in Taipei.
💡this sense always needs a place or manner to make sense.

3. to sit or rest habitually in a specific location — said of objects with an assig

3.動詞不及物A2
釋義

to sit or rest habitually in a specific location — said of objects with an assigned storage spot

例句

The spare keys live in a small drawer next to the front door.

All the gardening tools live on the shelf at the back of the shed.

live on + [surface/shelf] for object storage

同義詞
  • belong

    implies where something should be stored, while 'live' simply states where it is kept

  • sit

    used for objects resting on a surface; more neutral than 'live'

文法句型

live + in/on/under + [place]

用法筆記

Used informally about objects or sometimes animals. The subject must be a non-living thing (or an animal whose usual spot is being described). Not used for people — that is sense 2 (HAVE A HOME).

4. to sleep or stay outdoors with no regular shelter, usually as a result of being

4.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to sleep or stay outdoors with no regular shelter, usually as a result of being unable to afford a home

例句

After losing his job, Christopher had to live on the streets for nearly a year.

live on the streets — common collocation for homelessness

The charity provides hot meals for people who are living rough in the city centre.

同義詞
  • sleep rough

    chiefly British; precisely means sleeping outdoors without shelter

  • squat

    occupying an empty building, not necessarily outdoors

文法句型

live + on/in/under + [outdoor location]

用法筆記

This sense always implies hardship or lack of choice. Use 'camp' or 'stay' for voluntary outdoor sleeping. Common British English expression: 'living rough'.

常見錯誤

❌We lived in a tent during our holiday.' (voluntary camping — wrong sense).
✅We stayed in a tent during our holiday.
💡this sense is for homelessness, not recreation.

5. to go through each day in a chosen style or under specific conditions — for exam

5.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to go through each day in a chosen style or under specific conditions — for example, simply, happily, or in fear

例句

Soraya lives simply and enjoys long walks in the mountains every weekend.

After the divorce, Caio decided to live life on his own terms.

live life on one's own terms

同義詞
  • lead

    stylistically similar; 'lead a busy life' is interchangeable with 'live a busy life'

  • experience

    broader; can refer to moments, not an entire way of living

文法句型

live + adverb/prep

live + [indefinite article] + adjective + life

live for + [passion/goal]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (BE ALIVE) — sense 1 asks whether someone is alive; sense 5 describes HOW someone lives. The transitive pattern 'live + a/an + adjective + life' is very common ('live a happy life', 'live a simple life'). Also use 'live for' to express one's main purpose or passion.

常見錯誤

❌She lives a life happily.' (wrong word order).
✅She lives a happy life.
💡the adjective goes before 'life', not as an adverb after the verb.

6. to stay alive by earning or receiving just enough money for food, housing, and o

6.動詞不及物C2
釋義

to stay alive by earning or receiving just enough money for food, housing, and other basic needs

例句

Yuki lives on a very small salary and cannot afford any luxuries.

live on + [amount/income]

Many families in the area live on less than a hundred dollars per week.

同義詞
  • subsist

    formal and very similar in meaning, but much rarer in everyday English

  • get by

    phrasal verb; more conversational than 'live on', with the same idea of limited means

反義詞
  • starve

    to suffer or die from lack of food — the extreme opposite of staying alive

文法句型

live on + [amount/income/food]

用法筆記

Always followed by 'on' (the income or food source) or 'by' (the method of earning). The amount is usually small or barely sufficient — this sense carries a tone of struggle or scarcity. Not used for comfortable financial situations.

常見錯誤

❌He lives on a million dollars a year.' (too comfortable — wrong sense).
✅He lives comfortably on a million dollars a year.
💡use sense 5 (SPEND LIFE) or a different verb for abundant means.

7. Used about traditions, memories, names, or records: to keep existing, stay remem

7.動詞不及物B2
釋義

Used about traditions, memories, names, or records: to keep existing, stay remembered, or remain relevant across time.

例句

The tradition of tea ceremonies still lives in Inês's village today.

pattern: tradition + live + in [place]

Christopher's name will live on in the new library's history corner.

pattern: name + live on + in [place]

同義詞
  • endure

    more formal; implies lasting despite hardship

  • persist

    more formal; suggests continuing against difficulty

  • survive

    often used for records or traditions that outlast their original context

  • remain

    more neutral; does not convey the same sense of continued relevance

反義詞
  • die out

    gradual disappearance of a tradition or practice

  • fade away

    gradual loss of memory or relevance

文法句型

live + adverb/prepositional phrase (in/on/through + place or time)

live on + [time phrase]

用法筆記

Only for non-living things — traditions, memories, values, records, names, or stories. Never for people, animals, or living organisms. Use 'live on' for a stronger sense of lasting through time.

常見錯誤

❌My grandmother still lives in my heart.' (sounds like she is still alive)
✅My grandmother's memory still lives in my heart.
💡'live' (CONTINUE) is for non-living things; 'live' (BE ALIVE) is for people.
❌The old building still lives.' (unclear meaning)
✅The old building's story still lives in the community.
💡The subject must be the non-physical trace, not the object itself.

8. To fill your days with exciting, meaningful, or deeply satisfying experiences —

8.動詞不及物B2
釋義

To fill your days with exciting, meaningful, or deeply satisfying experiences — not just going through the motions but actively making life rich and worthwhile.

例句

After retiring, Tariro decided he wanted to really live.

adverb pattern: really live

Roya dreamed of living a life full of travel and new experiences.

collocation: live a life of / full of

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

live + adverb (truly/fully/really)

live + a little (informal fixed phrase)

live + with + noun (with purpose/meaning/passion)

live a life of + noun (adventure/meaning/purpose)

用法筆記

Common in informal expressions like 'live a little' and 'live life to the full'. Rarely used in formal or academic writing. Often paired with adverbs (truly, really, fully) that intensify the sense of active engagement with life.

常見錯誤

❌He lived a lot last year.
✅He really lived last year.
💡'live a lot' is not idiomatic; use 'really live' or 'live life to the full.'
❌She lives very much.' (unnatural)
✅She really knows how to live.
💡The natural pattern uses 'really' or 'truly' with the base verb, not a quantity adverb.

live — adjective

live — adverb