manners
manners — idiom
1. the quality of being polite, kind, and considerate toward other people in everyd
the quality of being polite, kind, and considerate toward other people in everyday social situations
Wei's grandparents always praised him for having such good manners at family dinners.
good manners + family context
It is bad manners to talk loudly on your phone inside a crowded train carriage.
bad manners + infinitive clause
The little girl showed excellent manners by saying thank you after every gift.
Fatima found that having good manners opened more doors at work than any diploma did.
Where Sofia comes from, it is considered good manners to take off your shoes before entering a home.
- politeness
more abstract noun; 'manners' is more about observable actions
- courtesy
slightly more formal; can be singular or uncountable
- etiquette
refers to the formal rules/set of conventions rather than personal quality
- rudeness
the opposite quality rather than the opposite plural noun
- bad manners
direct antonym phrase
文法句型
[adjective] manners
用法筆記
Always used in plural form. Never 'a manner' in this sense. Frequently paired with an adjective such as 'good', 'bad', 'terrible', or 'excellent'.
常見錯誤
manners — noun
1. the accepted rules of polite behaviour that are followed by a particular group,
the accepted rules of polite behaviour that are followed by a particular group, society, or historical period
Learning local table manners helped Emma feel more confident at business lunches in Tokyo.
table manners + cultural context
Victorian manners required women to wait until introduced before speaking to a stranger.
historical manners
The etiquette book explained the proper manners for attending a formal wedding ceremony.
In many cultures, offering food to guests before eating yourself is considered proper manners.
Diego's grandmother taught him the old-fashioned manners that her own parents had followed.
文法句型
table manners
Victorian manners
[cultural] manners
用法筆記
Distinguish from the POLITE BEHAVIOR sense (idiom/1): this sense refers to the specific rules or customs of a group, not the general quality of being polite. Commonly modified by culture, period, or setting (e.g. 'table manners', 'Victorian manners').
常見錯誤
2. a person's typical way of behaving or carrying themselves, including their attit
a person's typical way of behaving or carrying themselves, including their attitude and social style
The librarian had gentle, unhurried manners that put even nervous visitors at ease.
gentle manners + personal description
His blunt manners sometimes offended people who did not understand his good intentions.
Doctor Nakamura's calm manners made him a favourite among the children in the hospital ward.
The new teacher had friendly manners and learned every student's name within one week.
文法句型
[possessive] + [adjective] + manners
用法筆記
This sense focuses on a person's characteristic style and attitude rather than their adherence to politeness rules. Often modified by words that describe personality (e.g. 'blunt', 'gentle', 'easy', 'formal').
常見錯誤
3. the way in which something is done, performed, or carried out — for example, han
the way in which something is done, performed, or carried out — for example, handling a problem in a calm manner, or painting in a traditional manner
The report must be completed in a timely manner so the board can review it before the meeting.
in a timely manner — formal set phrase
Tariq handled the angry customer's complaint in a calm and professional manner.
in a [adjective] manner — describing how
The artist's early paintings were done in a realistic manner, but later she shifted to abstract styles.
Each student was asked to solve the maths problem in their own manner and explain their reasoning.
文法句型
in a + [adjective] + manner
in the same manner
in this manner
用法筆記
In this sense the word is nearly always singular ('manner'), not 'manners'. The plural form 'manners' still appears in set phrases like 'all manners of' (see sense 4 below). The singular 'manner' is the standard form for 'method' or 'style'.
常見錯誤
4. many different types or varieties of something; used only in the fixed phrase 'a
many different types or varieties of something; used only in the fixed phrase 'all manners of'
The night market in Kaohsiung sells all manners of street food, from grilled squid to sweet soup.
all manners of + plural noun (street food)
A good university library has books on all manners of subjects, both ancient and modern.
As a park ranger, Amara had encountered all manners of wildlife during her years in the forest.
文法句型
all manners of + [plural noun]
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'all manners of' (meaning 'all kinds of'). Do not use 'manners' alone to mean 'kinds' — the singular 'manner of' also exists ('this manner of thing') but 'manners of' is restricted to the 'all' pattern.