man
man — verb
- manpresent simple I / you / we / they
- mans3rd person singular
- manning-ing form
- mannedpast simple
1. To make sure a place, machine, telephone line, or service has enough people work
To make sure a place, machine, telephone line, or service has enough people working at it so it can run properly, or to work at a particular position yourself.
The museum is manned by a team of volunteers every weekend.
passive: be manned by [group]
Gabriela manned the information desk at the train station for eight hours.
The ship was manned by a crew of twenty experienced sailors.
Volunteers are needed to man the phones during the charity event.
A single security guard manned the entrance to the building all night.
文法句型
man + noun phrase (place / machine / service)
用法筆記
Frequently used in passive voice (be manned by...). In modern usage, some writers prefer staff, operate, or run to avoid gender associations with the word man.
常見錯誤
man — noun
- mansingular
- menplural
1. A fully grown male person, seen in contrast to a woman or a child.
A fully grown male person, seen in contrast to a woman or a child.
A tall man in a blue jacket walked into the shop.
countable noun: a man + description
The man at the counter gave Kemi her change.
Rafael is the first man in his family to go to university.
Several men were waiting outside the hospital entrance.
Lúcia said she saw a man wearing a red hat near the bus stop.
文法句型
a man
the man
men
用法筆記
Plural 'men' is irregular and must be memorised as a separate form. Use 'a man' when referring to one unspecified adult male; use 'the man' when referring to a specific one that has already been mentioned.
常見錯誤
2. An adult whose gender identity is male, whether or not they were considered male
An adult whose gender identity is male, whether or not they were considered male at birth.
Eli is a transgender man who started hormone therapy last year.
compound noun: transgender man
The clinic offers support groups for men who are transitioning.
Christopher gave a talk about what it means for him to live as a man.
More public figures now identify openly as transgender men.
- trans man
shortened form, commonly used within the community
文法句型
a man
the man
transgender man
用法筆記
Use 'transgender man' or 'trans man' only when the person's trans status is relevant to the context. In many situations, simply 'man' is correct and respectful. The term describes identity, not medical history.
常見錯誤
3. A man who is employed to do a particular type of job, especially one that involv
A man who is employed to do a particular type of job, especially one that involves practical or manual work done at different locations.
The gas man came this morning to fix the boiler.
job role: the [something] man
Putri called the repair man about the broken washing machine.
Hari works as the post man in our neighbourhood.
The men from the delivery company brought a large box to the door.
Aoi asked the maintenance man to check the lights in the hallway.
文法句型
the + noun + man
man who + verb
用法筆記
Common in compound job titles such as 'postman', 'fireman', 'repairman', though many of these have gender-neutral alternatives (e.g., 'postal worker', 'firefighter') that are now preferred in formal use.
常見錯誤
4. A man who serves in a country's military at a rank below the officer level.
A man who serves in a country's military at a rank below the officer level.
The commanding officer ordered his men to advance across the bridge.
men = soldiers under command
Bilal served as a young man in the navy for four years.
The general spoke to the men before the battle began.
Two men from the army helped the villagers build a new school.
- officer
a person of higher rank who commands the men
文法句型
the men
men in + branch of military
用法筆記
Often used collectively as 'the men' to refer to soldiers or crew members of lower rank. Increasingly used in a gender-neutral way in modern military contexts.
5. A male servant who works in a household, performing tasks such as cleaning, serv
A male servant who works in a household, performing tasks such as cleaning, serving meals, or attending to the employer's personal needs.
The old manor employed ten men to work in the house and gardens.
historical context: manor + employed men
Élise asked the man to bring more wood for the fireplace.
In the Victorian era, every wealthy household had several men on the staff.
The duke's man opened the carriage door for the visitors.
- manservant
more specific and formal
- butler
the chief male servant in a large household
- valet
a man's personal male servant
- attendant
someone employed to look after another person
文法句型
a man
the man
用法筆記
This sense is now historical or literary. In modern English, 'manservant', 'butler', or 'valet' are more specific alternatives. 'Employee' or 'domestic worker' are preferred in contemporary contexts.
6. A man who belongs to a particular profession, industry, or place — for example,
A man who belongs to a particular profession, industry, or place — for example, a person working in advertising, a man from a specific city, or someone dedicated to a certain activity.
Jude is an advertising man who works for a big agency in London.
compound: advertising man
The company sent their marketing man to talk to the client.
Kemi is a city man through and through — he loves the busy streets.
Mayumi's father was a railway man who worked on the trains for thirty years.
In a small town, the local newspaper man knows everyone's name.
- professional
gender-neutral, focuses on the career aspect
- specialist
emphasises expertise in a field
文法句型
the [field] man
[field] man
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (MALE EMPLOYEE): sense 3 focuses on manual or service jobs (gas man, post man), while sense 6 focuses on broader professional or categorical identity (advertising man, city man, railway man). Sense 6 can also describe a person's association with a place or hobby.
7. a woman's husband or the man she has a romantic relationship with
a woman's husband or the man she has a romantic relationship with
Yasmin has been with her man for over ten years now.
collocation: 'her man' = romantic partner
Ritu introduced her man to the whole family at the New Year dinner.
Christopher still calls his daughter's fiancé 'her man' when joking around.
The expression 'my man' can mean either a husband or a steady boyfriend.
文法句型
possessive determiner + man (her man / my man)
用法筆記
This sense is informal and usually appears with a possessive determiner such as 'her', 'my', or 'your'. It is not used in formal writing.
常見錯誤
8. used to get someone's attention or to express a feeling such as surprise, anger,
used to get someone's attention or to express a feeling such as surprise, anger, or impatience, usually when speaking to a man
Hey man, do you know when the next bus is due?
direct address: hey man
Come on, man, you said you would help me move this weekend!
Iris shouted 'Man, what a boring film that was!' as they left the theatre.
Layla turned to her friend and asked, 'Hey, man, do you know where the bank is?'
Quan's cousin leaned over in the car and asked, 'Where to, man?'
文法句型
man as a term of address
用法筆記
Used mostly between men, though women may also use it. Can sound impolite if said with a harsh tone. Avoid in formal situations such as meetings or with superiors.
常見錯誤
9. the fixed phrase 'man and wife' referring to a married couple
the fixed phrase 'man and wife' referring to a married couple
The priest declared them man and wife at the end of the ceremony.
fixed phrase: man and wife
After eight years together, Eli and Esme became man and wife last spring.
The wedding invitation said 'Join us to celebrate Sahil and Élise becoming man and wife.'
Traditional wedding vows often end with the line 'I now pronounce you man and wife.'
文法句型
man and wife
用法筆記
This is a set phrase used almost exclusively in wedding ceremonies and related contexts. The reverse order — 'wife and man' — is not used.
常見錯誤
10. anyone, such as the police or government officials, who holds authority over oth
anyone, such as the police or government officials, who holds authority over others and is often viewed with distrust
The protesters knew the man would be watching them from the side streets.
'the man' = police or authorities
Feng often says you should never run from the man because they will catch you.
In the 1960s, young people used 'the man' for the government or police.
A police car pulled up and the man got out, telling the host to turn the music down.
Dario grew up hearing his uncle complain about the man keeping poor people down.
- the authorities
more neutral and formal than 'the man'
- the establishment
broader — includes social and economic systems, not just police or government
- the police
specific to law enforcement; 'the man' can also mean government
文法句型
the man
用法筆記
Almost always used with the definite article 'the'. Carries a connotation of opposition or distrust — the speaker sees the authority as controlling or unfair. Common in counter-culture, protest, and hip-hop contexts.
常見錯誤
11. all human beings thought of as a single group; the human race or species
all human beings thought of as a single group; the human race or species
Scientists are worried about the damage that man has done to the natural environment.
man = the human species
Is man the only species that can create art, music, and literature?
The exploration of space is one of man's greatest and most ambitious achievements.
Early man lived in small groups and survived by hunting animals and gathering wild plants.
Eri wrote a school essay arguing that man must protect the planet for the future.
- humanity
modern gender-neutral alternative; most common in current usage
- humankind
deliberately gender-neutral; less common but increasingly used
- the human race
emphasises the species as a whole; more dramatic in tone
- people
everyday alternative; less abstract than 'humanity'
文法句型
man (without article) as the human species
用法筆記
Using 'man' to mean all humans is increasingly seen as old-fashioned or excluding women. In modern English, 'humanity', 'humans', 'people', or 'the human race' are preferred. Still common in fixed phrases such as 'early man' and in formal or historical writing.
常見錯誤
12. a person of any gender, used in general statements about what people do, should
a person of any gender, used in general statements about what people do, should do, or have a right to do
Every man has the right to a fair trial, no matter where he comes from.
generic: every man = every person
A wise man once said that patience is the key to happiness.
Mauricio believes that no man should be judged by the colour of his skin.
Under the law, any man accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty.
A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.
- person
modern gender-neutral term; preferred in current English
- individual
more formal; emphasizes a single person distinct from a group
- one
formal and impersonal; common in proverbs ('one should never…')
文法句型
every man / no man / any man + singular verb
用法筆記
This sense appears in proverbs, legal language, and philosophical statements. Like sense 11, it is increasingly replaced by 'person' or 'one' in everyday speech to avoid implying that 'man' is the default human. Common collocations include 'every man', 'no man', and 'any man'.
常見錯誤
13. a small object used to represent a player's position or progress in a board game
a small object used to represent a player's position or progress in a board game, such as a chess piece or a counter in backgammon or checkers
Felipe took one of my men with his knight during the chess match.
collocation: take a man / lose a man in chess
In backgammon, each player begins with fifteen men on the board.
collocation: number of men in a game
Xiu moved her last man forward and won the checkers game.
The wooden box contains thirty-two hand-carved men for the chess set.
Allison promoted her man to a king in the draughts tournament.
用法筆記
This sense is most common in chess, checkers, backgammon, and draughts. In modern contexts, 'piece' or 'counter' is often preferred over 'man', especially in rulebooks.
常見錯誤
14. a person, usually a man, who shows courage, strength, and confidence — the quali
a person, usually a man, who shows courage, strength, and confidence — the qualities that many societies have traditionally expected from males
Eshe told her son to be a man and face the consequences of his actions.
idiom: 'be a man' = act with courage
The coach said Kevin was man enough to admit his mistake in front of the whole team.
pattern: man enough + to-infinitive
Mayumi considers her uncle a real man because he always stands up for others.
In the film, the hero proves himself a man by saving the village from the flood.
By apologising, Hassan showed he was more of a man than by refusing to back down.
- coward
someone who lacks courage in the face of danger or difficulty
用法筆記
Frequently used in fixed expressions such as 'be a man', 'man enough', 'make a man out of someone'. Can sound old-fashioned or stereotypical; modern usage often questions the idea that courage and strength belong only to men.
常見錯誤
man — abbreviation
1. the written short form of 'manual', used in instruction booklets, user guides, a
the written short form of 'manual', used in instruction booklets, user guides, and technical documents to refer to the handbook that explains how something works or how to do something.
Christopher checked the service man. before turning on the new printer.
collocation: check the service man. / check the manual
The man. says to wear safety gloves when handling this chemical.
You will find the installation steps in chapter three of the man.
Always read the man. first if you are not sure how to use the machine.
文法句型
man. + noun (section, page, chapter)
see + man. + page number
用法筆記
Usually written with a period (full stop) after 'man' in formal or published documents. The abbreviation is most common in cross-references within technical writing, such as 'see man. p. 12'.
常見錯誤
2. the standard written abbreviation for the Canadian province of Manitoba, used in
the standard written abbreviation for the Canadian province of Manitoba, used in postal addresses, official forms, and maps alongside the name of a city or town.
Diya's aunt lives in Winnipeg, Man., near the Red River.
usage: [city], Man. in addresses
The letter was addressed to Portage la Prairie, Man., Canada.
Winnipeg, Man. is the capital city of the province.
We drove from Calgary, AB to Winnipeg, Man. in two days.
文法句型
[City], Man.
[City], Man., Canada
用法筆記
The two-letter postal abbreviation for Manitoba is 'MB' without a period. The form 'Man.' with a period is the traditional written abbreviation used in prose and addresses, not the official Canada Post code.
常見錯誤
man — exclamation
1. said to show that you feel something strongly, for example when you are surprise
said to show that you feel something strongly, for example when you are surprised, excited, annoyed, or impressed.
Man, that concert was incredible! Felix shouted as the crowd cheered for the last song.
shows excitement / admiration
Oh man, I left my phone on the bus again, Sumin said with a sigh.
shows frustration / annoyance
Man, I can't believe we reached the top, Vivek said, looking at the mountain view.
Tendai looked at the burned cake and said, Man, I really messed that up.
Man, this hot soup is perfect on a cold day, Constanza said happily.
文法句型
Man! — alone as an exclamation
Man + [clause]
用法筆記
Almost always appears at the start of a sentence in informal spoken English. The specific emotion depends on the speaker's tone of voice — the same exclamation can convey excitement, frustration, or admiration depending on how it is said.
常見錯誤
man — suffix
1. used after a noun, an adjective, or a number to describe a person's nationality,
used after a noun, an adjective, or a number to describe a person's nationality, job, or role, or to show how many people make up a team or crew.
The fisherman took his small boat out to sea every morning before sunrise.
job role: [noun] + -man
Nora met a friendly Frenchman at the cooking class in Taipei.
nationality: [country] + -man
A three-man crew repaired the broken water pipe under the street.
The chairman called the board meeting to order at exactly nine o'clock.
Andrei worked as a cameraman for the local news station for ten years.
- -person
gender-neutral alternative to -man in job and role words (e.g., chairperson, businessperson)
- -woman
specifically female counterpart to -man, used for nationality and occupation (e.g., Englishwoman, policewoman)
- -er / -or
common agent suffixes that serve a similar function for job words (e.g., teacher, actor) but cannot indicate nationality or group size
文法句型
[noun] + -man
[country name] + -man
[number] + -man
用法筆記
Some compounds formed with -man are increasingly replaced by gender-neutral alternatives. For example, 'firefighter' is now more common than 'fireman', and 'chairperson' or 'chair' is often preferred over 'chairman' in formal writing.