native
/ˈneɪtɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈneɪtɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnā-tiv/ (ame, mw) · /ˈneɪ.tɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈneɪ.t̬ɪv/ (ame, ipa)
native — adjective
- nativepositive
- more nativecomparative
- most nativesuperlative
1. describing the town, city, or country that is the place of your birth or early l
describing the town, city, or country that is the place of your birth or early life
Karim returned to his native city after living abroad for ten years.
native + city — the city where you were born
The festival celebrates the food and music of Esteban's native region.
Many young people leave their native country to study overseas.
Her native city, Marseille, is famous for its port and seafood.
- homeland
stronger emotional tone; often used for the country you feel loyal to, not just where you were born
- birthplace
only used as a noun, not an adjective; 'her birthplace is Osaka'
- home
more general; 'home country' is a common alternative to 'native country'
- foreign
relating to a country that is not your own
文法句型
native + noun (place, country, city, land, town)
常見錯誤
2. found growing or living wild in a specific area, not brought there by humans
found growing or living wild in a specific area, not brought there by humans
The alpine rose is native to the mountains of central Europe.
native to + place — where something grows naturally
Gardeners are encouraged to plant native trees that support local insects.
This species of bird is not native to North America — it was introduced from Asia.
The park has a special section that only shows plants native to the desert.
Invasive weeds can push out native wildflowers by taking all the sunlight.
- indigenous
more formal; used especially for people, plants, and animals that have always lived in a region
- local
broader meaning; 'local' can also mean 'nearby' without the sense of 'originally from here'
- invasive
of a species that spreads aggressively in a place where it does not naturally belong
- introduced
brought to a place by humans, not naturally occurring there
- non-native
not originally from the area
文法句型
native + noun (species, plant, tree, animal, bird, fish, flower)
native to + place
用法筆記
Often followed by 'to + place' to specify the region where the species originally occurs. Contrasts with 'invasive' or 'introduced' species.
常見錯誤
3. belonging to the group of people who were the first to live in a region, before
belonging to the group of people who were the first to live in a region, before colonisers or settlers arrived
The museum displays art made by Native artists from the Pacific Northwest.
Native + noun — referring to Indigenous peoples; often capitalised
Tanvi read a book about native communities in the Amazon rainforest.
Native land rights are still a major legal issue in many countries today.
A committee was formed to consult native leaders about the new mining plan.
Many native languages in Australia are in danger of disappearing.
- Indigenous
currently the preferred term internationally; often capitalised; less tied to colonial history
- aboriginal
used for the original peoples of a region, especially in Australia (Aboriginal Australians); capitalised in specific references
文法句型
Native + noun (American, Australian, people, community, culture, land)
用法筆記
When referring to the original peoples of a place, 'Indigenous' (often capitalised) is now the more commonly preferred term in many contexts. 'Native' is still used in some fixed terms such as 'Native American' and 'Native Hawaiian', but in general usage 'Indigenous' is considered more respectful.
常見錯誤
❌ Referring to all Indigenous peoples as 'natives' (as a noun) — this can sound outdated or offensive. Use 'Indigenous peoples' or specific group names instead.
❌ 'The native people of Taiwan' — OK in some contexts, but 'Indigenous people of Taiwan' is more respectful today.
4. referring to the first language a person learns to speak as a child, usually fro
referring to the first language a person learns to speak as a child, usually from their parents or family
Sari speaks French as her native language and learned English in school.
native language — the first language someone learns
The program looks for native speakers of Japanese to help with the translation work.
native speaker — a person who speaks the language from childhood
Wei's native tongue is Cantonese, though he grew up in Canada.
Even native speakers sometimes make mistakes with spelling and grammar.
- mother tongue
slightly more personal and emotional; very common in learner contexts
- first language
neutral and formal; used in education and linguistics
- second language
a language learned after the native language
- foreign language
a language not spoken in the learner's home country
文法句型
native + noun (language, speaker, tongue)
用法筆記
'Native language' and 'mother tongue' are often used interchangeably, though 'mother tongue' feels slightly more personal and emotional.
常見錯誤
5. the country where a person was born and spent their childhood, often with a sens
the country where a person was born and spent their childhood, often with a sense of belonging or attachment
After twenty years abroad, Harper decided to move back to her native land.
native land — the country where you were born and raised
The song is about soldiers who died far from their native soil.
Christopher felt a strong pull to return to his native country during the holidays.
Élise sends money home to her family in her native country every month.
- homeland
more emotional and literary; often used in patriotic or nostalgic contexts
- country of origin
formal term used in official documents and immigration contexts
- adopted country
the country someone moves to and chooses to live in permanently
文法句型
native + noun (country, land, soil)
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with sense 1 (BIRTH PLACE), but is more specifically tied to the country level and carries a slightly more emotional tone of belonging and roots.
6. a quality or ability that people are born with, not one gained through learning
a quality or ability that people are born with, not one gained through learning or practice
The puppy showed a native intelligence that surprised even the trainer.
native intelligence — intelligence that comes naturally, not learned
Eve's native charm made everyone at the party feel welcome and at ease.
Some birds have a native ability to navigate over thousands of kilometres.
Michael never took a music lesson, but his native sense of rhythm was remarkable.
文法句型
native + noun (ability, talent, intelligence, wit, charm, grace)
用法筆記
Typically used attributively before nouns of ability or personality. 'Innate' is a more common synonym in modern English; 'native' in this sense sounds slightly more literary.
常見錯誤
7. found in nature as a pure chemical element, not mixed with other substances — us
found in nature as a pure chemical element, not mixed with other substances — used especially of metals and minerals
Native copper was used by ancient people to make tools and jewellery.
native copper — copper found in pure form in nature
Unlike many other metals, native gold can be shaped without heating.
The miners were excited to find a large deposit of native silver in the cave.
Native elements such as gold and copper are rare because most metals form compounds.
文法句型
native + noun (copper, gold, silver, iron)
用法筆記
This is a technical term used in geology and mining. It is not used in everyday conversation. The most common examples are 'native copper', 'native gold', and 'native silver'.
native — noun
- nativesingular
- nativesplural
1. someone whose birthplace is a specific location; also, any living thing found gr
someone whose birthplace is a specific location; also, any living thing found growing or living wild in that area without being brought by humans
Ilan is a native of Tel Aviv who now lives in London.
a native of + place — a person born in that place
The toucan is a native of the tropical forests of Central and South America.
The tour guide, a native, knew every street in the old town.
Niran showed us that the baobab is a native of Madagascar's dry woodlands.
The festival was put together by natives of the village who now live abroad.
- local
everyday word; 'the locals' refers to people who live in an area, not necessarily born there
- resident
formal; someone who lives in a place, regardless of where they were born
- inhabitant
a person or animal that lives in a particular place
文法句型
native of + place
用法筆記
When referring to a person, 'native of + place' is neutral and unproblematic (e.g. 'a native of Japan'). However, using 'natives' (plural) to refer broadly to the original inhabitants of a colonised region can sound dated or offensive. For those situations, use 'Indigenous peoples' or a specific group name instead.
常見錯誤
2. an extremely offensive, racist term for a person from a country that was colonis
an extremely offensive, racist term for a person from a country that was colonised, especially used by European colonists to refer to the original inhabitants of Africa, Asia, or the Americas in a dehumanising way
The old book called the local people 'natives', a term now seen as deeply offensive.
considered deeply offensive — this sense is now a racial slur
Historians no longer use the word 'natives' to describe the original inhabitants of colonised regions.
Calling a non-white person 'a native' in a former colony is unacceptable today.
The colonial officers called Tendai's grandfather a native, a label that still angers the family.
文法句型
(no common grammatical patterns — used as a stand-alone noun)
用法筆記
⚠️ WARNING: This sense is now considered a racial slur and is extremely offensive. Use 'Indigenous people', 'First Nations people', or the specific name of the ethnic group instead. This entry is included only so that learners can recognise the term and understand why it should NOT be used. The offensive sense applies only to the NOUN form; the adjective 'native' in phrases like 'native plants' or 'native language' is neutral and safe to use.
常見錯誤
⚠️ Do not use 'native' as a noun to refer to a person from a group of original inhabitants. Say 'Indigenous person', 'First Nations person', or name the specific community (e.g. 'Navajo', 'Maori', 'Ainu').